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2016 Ford F-150 airbags problems
severe
Owners of the 2016 Ford F-150 have filed 27 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 46,419 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
Q1 17kmed 46kQ3 82kn=14
Complaints
27
Recalls
1
Avg fix
$1,100
airbags complaints on the Ford F-150, by model year
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 F-150 trucks manufactured April 27, 2015, to November 22, 2015, and equipped with Multi-Contour Seats (MCS)
If an adult is incorrectly classified as a child, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Classification System Module (OCSM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S05.
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.
Service BulletinSSM 50786May 2022
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.
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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting
1 most recent
airbags
· filed 12/28/2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the driver's side air bag emblem cover was detaching. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the air bag emblem cover needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no…
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 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 2016 Ford F-150?
It's a meaningful issue. 27 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 14 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 17,000 and 82,000 miles, with the median around 46,419. A quarter of owners report trouble before 17,000; a quarter make it past 82,000. 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?
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
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/2016/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.