Some F-Super Duty and F-150 vehicles equipped with trailer tow mirror may exhibit various exterior rear view mirror functional concerns that require replacement after diagnosis. To properly determine if the defect is warrantable, cleaning and close inspection of the affected mirror may be required. To aid in proper warranty determination, the Rear-View Mirror Analysis general service bulletin (GSB) has been updated with a detailed cleaning procedure that should be followed prior to any inspection. New labor operations (17682ZZ or 17682ZZT) have been created that covers the cleaning and inspection process and may be used even if condition of failure is non-warrantable. Ford has inspected nume
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Ford F-150 visibility problems
moderate Owners of the 2019 Ford F-150 have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 F-150 | 73 |
| 2016 F-150 | 109 |
| 2017 F-150 | 40 |
| 2018 F-150 | 61 |
| 2019 F-150 (this page) | 16 |
| 2020 F-150 | 52 |
| 2021 F-150 | 113 |
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility 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 2021 F-150 vehicles built on or before 01-Feb-2021, 2017-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine, 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 5.0L engine, 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.0L diesel engine may exhibit a high pitched squeal or whistle type noise from the engine compartment after the engine is shut off. This condition may be due to the air conditioning (A/C) low side system pressure exceeding the high side pressure resulting in equalization of A/C system pressures through the A/C compressor. An updated A/C compressor has been released to resolve this concern. For claiming, use causal part 19703 and applicable labor operations in Sec
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2015-2022 F-150, 2017-2022 F-Super Duty and 2018-2022 Expedition/Navigator vehicles may exhibit poor air conditioning (A/C) performance. Workshop Manual (WSM) diagnostic procedures have been updated to more accurately diagnose A/C performance concerns. Refer to the updated Diagnosis and Testing, and General Procedure in the WSM, Section 412-00 Climate Control System for diagnostic procedures
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2015-2021 F-150, 2017-2021 F-Super Duty and 2018-2021 Expedition/Navigator vehicles equipped with a vista roof opening panel may exhibit a binding/sticking, glass stuck open or closed, noisy operation including chatter, rattling, or grinding. This may be due to the glass panel brackets cracking and/or breaking apart. The glass panel brackets are serviceable separately from the frame assembly and require the roof opening panel glass to be moved to the vent position. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the roof opening panel glass brackets
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2015-2020 F-150 and 2017-2020 F-Super Duty vehicles equipped with a rear defroster may have factory installed or service replacement rear glass that uses rear defroster electrical terminals with a plastic overmolded cover. The rear glass defroster terminals are not serviceable and should not be removed or detached from the glass during diagnosis or repairs. If the rear glass defroster terminals are separated from the glass, the rear glass assembly must be replaced.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a range of visibility failures across the 2019 F-150. The rear-view mirror sits high and centered on the windshield—apparently to clear sensors—and blocks right-hand traffic view even at maximum adjustment, creating intersection hazards. Rain-sensing wipers malfunction consistently: they fail entirely, stop randomly in the driver's sight line, or cycle erratically; one dealer swap of the switch assembly (FL3Z*13K359*BC) made no difference.
Wiper failures occur during rain and snow. Owners report seizure from corrosion (requiring manual drilling and lubrication to free), spline wear without shear pins, motor burnout, and complete stops mid-windshield. Ford issued recalls for some wiper parts but incomplete coverage and parts refusals compound the problem.
The middle rear sliding window explodes without warning—during acceleration, door closure, or sitting parked—scattering glass into the rear cabin. Two owners report incidents with children in back seats; cause remains undetermined.
Windshield seal detachment causes water infiltration and instrument panel failure. Rear-view camera randomly activates during forward driving, goes black, and triggers false crash alerts. One case started at 60,000 miles. Dealers offered limited help; manufacturer assistance was sparse.
Same Ford F-150 visibility reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2020 · 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Rear-view mirror obstruction
Rear-view mirror mounted near center windshield obstructs right-hand traffic visibility at stops and intersections. Mirror positioning appears to accommodate upper windshield sensors. Adjustment to highest position does not fully resolve obstruction.
When: Present from purchase; owner reports 6-foot average height
Symptoms owners cite: Right-hand traffic lanes blocked from view when stopped; Obstruction persists even with mirror adjusted to maximum height; Creates hazard at 4-way intersections
Repairs/costs cited: Owner planning to consult dealer about repositioning mirror higher on windshield; no repair outcome reported
Rain-sensing wiper malfunction
Rain-sensing wiper function fails to operate. Hi and Off settings are only functional modes. Rain-sensing positions between Hi and Off produce erratic behavior—either insufficient wipes in heavy rain or excessive wipes in light rain. Wipers stop randomly in middle of windshield blocking driver vision. Software settings to disable rain-sensing have no effect.
When: First rain event after purchase; complaint at unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Rain-sensing function does not activate; Wipers stop randomly in middle of windshield; Erratic operation in rain-sensing modes; Software settings ineffective; No manual backup mode
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced switch assembly FL3Z*13K359*BC with no resolution
Wiper failure during rain
Windshield wipers fail completely or operate intermittently during heavy rain and wet driving conditions. Wipers stop at random positions, including middle of windshield, reducing visibility. No warning lights.
When: During rain events; one case at 135,000 miles; another during interstate driving in heavy rain
Symptoms owners cite: Wipers fail to operate during rain; Wipers stop at random positions in driver line of vision; Intermittent twitching and slow cycling at 5+ second intervals; Starting and stopping erratically; No warning light
Repairs/costs cited: One owner purchased water repellent as temporary measure; owner at 135,000 miles denied warranty repair due to mileage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 22V250000 (Visibility) referenced by owner
Wiper transmission corrosion and seizure
Wiper transmission corrodes and seizes, causing wiper motor burnout. Center/passenger-side wiper shaft becomes frozen solid with corrosion. Owner reports this appears to be common online and affects 2015-2020 F-150s assembled in Canada, though recall coverage is incomplete.
When: Complaint timing not specified; owner had to drill and lubricate to free seized shaft
Symptoms owners cite: Wiper transmission seized with corrosion; Wiper motor burned out; Wiper shaft frozen solid
Repairs/costs cited: Owner drilled two holes in casting to apply lubrication and free up shaft temporarily
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall exists for same issue on 2015-2020 F-150s assembled in Canada but does not cover all affected vehicles
Wiper index spline failure
Wiper arm fails because index splines do not hold and fail prematurely. Design lacks shear pin to prevent failure. Ford has issued a recall but has not included all vehicles with this part number. Ford is canceling orders for this part number and refusing to supply it.
When: Timing not specified; spline failure is premature
Symptoms owners cite: Wiper arm fails to operate; Index splines fail prematurely
Repairs/costs cited: Part does not include shear pin
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford recall issued but does not cover all affected vehicles; Ford canceling part orders and refusing to supply replacement part
Rear sliding window glass explosion
Middle rear sliding window suddenly explodes while vehicle is moving (accelerating from stop sign) or while parked (door closure). Explosion occurs without prior warning and sends glass shards into rear cabin. Temperature and weather conditions appear unrelated—one case occurred under carport in mild weather.
When: At 120,000 miles during acceleration and during parked door closure; one case in mild weather under carport
Symptoms owners cite: Window suddenly explodes; Glass shards scatter into rear cabin; No warning prior to failure; Failure without external force; Glass pushing outward before complete failure
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs reported; cause not yet determined
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer and dealer notified; no assistance offered
Windshield seal detachment
Windshield seal detaches from vehicle while parked, causing water infiltration into cabin. Water damage extends to instrument panel, rendering it inoperable.
When: At approximately 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield seal detaches; Water leaks into vehicle cabin; Instrument panel becomes inoperable; No warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Repair pending after dealer diagnosis; owner responsible for identifying water damage source
Rear-view camera intermittent failure and unintended activation
Rear-view camera unintendedly activates during forward driving, causing display to become inoperable. Camera occasionally fails to function properly. Crash prevention system issues false alerts with no vehicles nearby.
When: Mileage unknown; problem started around April 2023 at 60,000 miles in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Rear-view camera activates unintendedly while driving; Display becomes inoperable; Camera occasionally fails to work; Sync screen randomly stays black; False crash prevention alerts
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired; no repairs reported
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 20V575000 (Visibility, Back Over Prevention) referenced but VIN not included in complaint
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had visibility trouble with your 2019 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 visibility problem on the 2019 Ford F-150?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 16 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 108,750 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility 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 visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility 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/2019/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.