Some 2015-2020 F-150, 2017-2022 Super Duty and 2018-2021 Expedition vehicles may experience a cracked or splitting driver air bag cover. This may be due to the air bag cover tear seam design. An updated driver air bag assembly has been released with a more robust air bag cover design. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 501-20B for the replacement procedure. If servicing under warranty, use causal part 15043B13 for F-150 and Expedition or 25043B13 for Super Duty and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Ford F-150 airbags problems
critical Owners of the 2015 Ford F-150 have filed 25 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 78,178 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 F-150 | 10 |
| 2012 F-150 | 29 |
| 2013 F-150 | 23 |
| 2014 F-150 | 25 |
| 2015 F-150 (this page) | 25 |
| 2016 F-150 | 27 |
| 2017 F-150 | 20 |
| 2018 F-150 | 23 |
| 2019 F-150 | 15 |
16crashes
1fire
13injuries
2fatalities
When does it fail?
Of the 25 airbags complaints filed for the 2015 Ford F-150, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Some 2015-2020 F-150 vehicles may experience a cracked or splitting driver air bag cover. This may be due to the air bag cover tear seam design. An updated driver air bag assembly has been released with a more robust air bag cover design. Refer to Workshop manual (WSM), Section 501-20B for the replacement procedure. If servicing under warranty, use causal part 15043B13 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The airbag system in the 2015 F-150 presents two major problem areas: deployment failure in collisions and electrical/sensing malfunctions during normal operation.
Owners report numerous collisions where airbags simply did not deploy. Speed at impact ranged from 40 to 74 mph across head-on collisions, rear-end crashes, T-bone impacts, and tree strikes. In these incidents, drivers and passengers struck steering wheels, dashboards, and windshields, sustaining serious injuries: crushed sternums, broken ribs, head trauma, spinal fractures, bruising, and in one case, bleeding on the brain requiring ICU admission. One fatal collision left the deployment status unclear. Another owner reported airbag deployment that ejected shrapnel, embedding a fragment in the passenger's lip.
Airbag warning lights illuminate during normal driving—sometimes intermittently in warm weather, sometimes constantly—at mileages from 85,000 onward. One owner was quoted over $1,000 to replace seatbelt airbag components. Corrosion around the front passenger kick pad triggered warning lights and required harness replacement. A seat position sensor failure under the passenger seat triggered warning codes and was not warranty-covered.
One owner experienced independent passenger-side curtain airbag deployment without any collision. Another reports passenger airbag deactivation with an occupant present and seatbelted. A cracked plastic housing around the steering column airbag raises moisture intrusion concerns. One spontaneous right-side airbag deployment occurred during startup.
Same Ford F-150 airbags reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags fail to deploy in frontal and moderate-to-severe impacts
Owners report multiple incidents where airbags did not deploy during crashes at speeds ranging from 40–74 mph, including head-on collisions, rear-end collisions, T-bone impacts, and tree strikes. Injuries sustained include head trauma, chest and sternum fractures, broken ribs, back injuries, and internal bleeding. One fatality reported where driver-side airbag status unclear after high-speed head-on collision.
When: Various speeds (40–74 mph); mileages 20,000–130,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during collision; Driver striking steering wheel; Passenger injuries from impact; Failure to provide expected occupant protection
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narratives; vehicles towed, impounded, or destroyed; one vehicle remains at dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Campaign 18V568000 (Seat Belts, Structure) noted in one complaint; no other TSBs or recalls mentioned for airbag failures.
Airbag warning light illumination with no accident
Owners report airbag warning light activation during normal operation without any collision. Light behavior ranges from intermittent (appearing only in warm weather) to persistent (illuminated on every start). One owner was quoted $1,000+ for full seatbelt airbag replacement. One case involved corrosion around front passenger kick pad; another involved seat position sensor failure.
When: Mileages 85,000–191,845 miles; one case noted weather-dependent behavior
Symptoms owners cite: Steady or intermittent airbag warning light; Message indicating driver-side door open when door is actually closed; White smoke from driver seat belt clip base; No actual collision or accident event
Repairs/costs cited: One case: passenger curtain airbag and engine/body harnesses required replacement; work not completed at dealer. One case: seat position sensor under passenger seat replaced, not covered by warranty. One case: $1,000+ quoted for seatbelt airbag replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner referenced unknown recall; manufacturer confirmed vehicle not included. GSB 22-7002 mentioned for moisture in taillight (separate BLIS module issue); no BLIS/airbag GSB found by owner.
Passenger-side curtain airbag spontaneous deployment
One owner reported passenger-side curtain airbag deploying independently during normal vehicle operation with no collision. No warning lights illuminated prior to deployment. Corrosion around front passenger-side kick pad area was identified as the cause. Passenger-side curtain airbag and harnesses required replacement.
When: Mileage 85,000
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployment during normal driving; No collision or accident trigger; Corrosion visible around front passenger kick pad area
Repairs/costs cited: Passenger curtain airbag, engine wiring harness, and body harness replacement required; vehicle remained at dealer unrepaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer opened case; no recall or TSB mentioned.
Passenger-side airbag deactivation with occupant present
One owner reports passenger-side airbag turning off while a fully grown adult occupies the passenger seat with seatbelt fastened during city street driving. Deactivation appears random and occurs during motion.
When: No mileage specified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deactivation with adult passenger present and seatbelted; Occurs randomly while vehicle in motion; No collision or safety event
Cracked plastic around steering column airbag and moisture intrusion risk
Owner reports plastic housing around Ford emblem on underside of steering column airbag is cracked. Owner expresses concern that cracking could allow moisture entry into sealed system and notes sharp edges on cracked plastic.
When: No mileage specified
Symptoms owners cite: Visible crack in plastic around steering column airbag; Sharp edges from cracking; Risk of moisture intrusion into sealed system
Right-side airbag spontaneous deployment during startup
One owner reports right-side airbag deployed when starting the truck. No collision or external trigger described.
When: No mileage or specific timing data
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployment during vehicle startup; No collision or accident trigger
Airbag deployment with shrapnel ejection
One owner reports passenger-side airbag deployment that ejected shrapnel, with a piece lodging in the owner's lip requiring X-ray and eventual removal. Injury sustained despite airbag deployment.
When: High-speed head-on collision, September 2020
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployment during high-speed collision; Shrapnel ejected from airbag; Fragment embedded in occupant's lip
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
I had a significant front end collision and the airbags did not deploy. I was traveling at least 70 MPH on the interstate when I collided with another vehicle.
Had airbags trouble with your 2015 Ford F-150?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2015 Ford F-150?
It's a serious issue. 25 complaints have been filed, including 16 reports involving a crash and 2 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 26,000 and 87,000 miles, with the median around 78,178. A quarter of owners report trouble before 26,000; a quarter make it past 87,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Ford/F-150.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.