Tailgate Lock Problems of Ford F-150

Ford F-150 owners have reported 4 problems related to tailgate lock (under the latches/locks/linkage category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Ford F-150 based on all problems reported for the F-150.

1 Tailgate Lock problem of the 2018 Ford F-150

Failure Date: 09/15/2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and hauling a keystone cougar trailer, the tailgate opened unintendedly, which the contact noticed after making a stop. The contact stated that the failure caused damages to the vehicle and the trailer. The contact stated that the upper part of the tailgate was bent, and the outer side of the tailgate had buckled in. Additionally, the contact noticed that the propane tank of the trailer had been pushed back. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 117,500.

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2 Tailgate Lock problem of the 2017 Ford F-150

Failure Date: 03/23/2023

Vehicle is a pickup truck. Tailgate has opened up multiple times while driving (at least three times now in 3 months of moderate driving of approximately 30 miles per day). It does not seem to be related to whether or not the tailgate is locked or not or the weather. Vehicle does * have an electronic/automatic tailgate open feature. It is a manual release only. I believe that is could be associated with hitting bumps in the road, but have been unable to confirm this theory yet. Please note the 2018 model has similar latch parts for the tailgate and has been recalled.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford F-150 🔎.

3 Tailgate Lock problem of the 2018 Ford F-150

Failure Date: 01/05/2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated he received a notice of Ford campaign number: 21m06 for enhanced unintended tailgate opening remedy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the repair was completed. The dealer then informed the contact that he would need to press the power release button twice in order to open the vehicle; however, upon testing the vehicle, the tailgate failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the tailgate would only open while the vehicle was turned off. The dealer informed the contact that another software update would need to be perform on the vehicle to repair the issue. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 21v983000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

4 Tailgate Lock problem of the 2018 Ford F-150

Failure Date: 09/02/2021

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while transporting a wild animal in the bed of the truck, with the top lid enclosed, the tailgate failed to open. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the extended warranty. The dealer was unable to open the tailgate. The vehicle was diagnosed that the actuator was inoperable. The actuator was replaced. The animal died in the truck. The contact was concerned about a child being trapped in the bed of the truck. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.


Other Common Latches/locks/linkage related problems of Ford F-150



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F-150 Service Bulletins
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F-150 Defect Investigations