2011 Ford F-150: ABS light or ABS activating

Filed Jun 18, 2025 · Transmission · 90,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds over a bumpy road surface, the vehicle jerked, downshifted to first gear unexpectedly and stalled. The ABS warning light, the power train warning light, the traction control warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message "Check Braking System" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring intermittently. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Filed Nov 24, 2024 · Engine, Transmission · NE · crash

Transmission, shifted into 4th gear and would not shift out of 4th, Take the truck and inspect it if need be! Safety of my self and others as truck down shifted to 4th gear while driving speeds of 45mph, shot rpm’s over 6k. Problem has not been reproduced yet as of today 11/23/2024 Component wasn’t inspected by any option listed above but was mentioned in the NDOT accident report attached. No symptoms or warning likes before it appeared. Truck has NO warning lamps on including but not limited to check engine light or abs.

Filed Nov 1, 2021 · Brakes · 80,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the brake pedal failed to depress as needed. The contact stated that the check braking system and ABS warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The contact stated that he was informed that an unknown recall had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Dec 7, 2018 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 70,000 miles · MI

While driving and under no particular common conditions, the dashboard, instrument gauges, interior lighting, headlights, navigation panel suddenly begin flashing and blacking out. Then after a few seconds, come back to normal, but typically with a "traction control service" message on with the trouble light remaining on. This happens about every 10 minutes of driving. Once in a while, it lasted longer and clunking noises seemed to come from the drive train. However, a few occurrences were while turning and the power steering was out. I took it to a belle tire nearby and they could not fix the problem, saying the dealer had to update the ABS module and gave me a printout of tsb 12-11-18 [attached scan]. They circled diagnostic trouble codes c1278 and c1963 as the ones that popped up in their analysis. I find no recalls of this item, but the steering issue is certainly dangerous.

Filed Feb 7, 2018 · Brakes, Transmission · 100,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle shifted into first gear. The wheels locked, and the ABS engaged. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (lake view ford, 12381 conneaut lake rd, conneaut lake, pa 16316), but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and opened case number: cas-14072276. The contact was informed that the local dealer could use their pas to assist with repair fees, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Apr 20, 2016 · WA

Rolling backwards from park in reverse the brakes ABS started pushing back on the brake pedal and allowed the vehicle to continue to drive in reverse.

Filed Sep 4, 2015 · Brakes · 51,000 miles · MI

When starting the truck and backing out of my garage, I had no power assist brakes. I was able to press harder on the brakes, however I did come close to hitting my house and the ABS was activated. This is the second time this has happened with this vehicle. The first time was taken care of under warranty around 26000 miles. I was informed that since the vehicle is outside of bumper to bumper warranty coverage, and it has been over a year since I had this part replaced last, it would be around $600 for parts and labor out of pocket (for something that has failed twice in about 51000 miles).

Filed Sep 3, 2015 · Brakes · 56,000 miles · MD

No brakes when the vehicle first starts up. Start vehicle, shift into gear, pedal does not engage unless it is stomped on and even then its difficult to stop vehicle. I have taken this to dealership where purchased. First time dealer replaced front brake pads with a modified pad and recalibrated the ABS module. Second time they replaced brake vacuum pump and vacuum line. Third time dealer replaced vacuum line. All of these failed to solve problem, dealer contacted ford tech line and ford engineers told tthe dealer that it was a characteristic of the truck and could not be fixed we called ford customer service and they opened a case. We recieved a callback from a ford regional customer service manager and was told if this concerned us that we should just sell the vehicle and buy a new ford since we have the z plan. There are no warning lights that alert you to this happening! I can not longer even drive the truck I bought because I do not have the strength it takes to stomp the pedal down when this happens. Im so concerned that this truck could hurt someone. Im a 58 year old women and ford does not even care to resolve this serious safety issue.

Filed Dec 28, 2013 · Acceleration, Electrical · 47,000 miles · PA · crash

I approaching an intersection and let off the gas, and started to slowdown several hundred yards before coming to intersection. The f-150 suddenly began to accelerate without my foot on the gas and my foot apply as hard as I could to the brake. The truck was accelerating on own. Abs kicked in and pulsed. But again truck was accelerating without my foot on the gas I complete made sure foot was removed and both feet on brakes. Attempted to pump and immediately after relating from brake as pumping to try and stop as hard stop didn't work it was like it was building up and shoot out like a bullet and hit car in front me. Once hit then quit accelerating. The front lifted up and full accelerating but feet were both on brakes. Lucky no one was hurt. Small damage to both vehicle because was as low speed intersection. If there wasn't a vehicle in front me. I would shot into intersection where only who knows what could have occurred to myself and others. This was a life threatening situation, that could have gone really bad.. End result could have been fatal. This needs to be investigated by ford and no one else should be injured or lives taken from an issue that needs immediate attention and resolution to the vehicle owners that are scared to drive there vehicle because of this occurrence. Ford needs to make this right and make sure all vehicles this is reported on are safe or taken out of commission to make our roads safe for others and drives. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Dec 2, 2013 · Brakes · 21,600 miles · MI

Truck is equipped with an eco-boost motor. Upon putting truck in reverse and backing down driveway, the brakes would not work to stop the vehicle. The pedal was hard to push and acted as if something was stuck under pedal. Driver went into neighbors yard and before striking the house, put the truck in park to stop. There was no objects behind pedal. After re-starting vehicle a few minutes later, brakes then worked as designed. The truck was brought to dealer were the ABS system was being looked at. After a week of miss-diagnosing, vehicle owner was told to pick up vehicle and experienced the same issue in the dealer parking lot and showed the mechanic and service writer and they concurred that there was a real safety problem. Upon leaving in rental car, vehicle owner witnessed a porter crash vehicle into a parked car. It was later determined that the brake booster assembly was faulty.

Filed Oct 14, 2013 · Brakes, Transmission · 49,000 miles · AR

Crossing table rock dam on dry, flat, level pavement after letting off gas in anticipation of stopping at upcoming light rear tires locked and went into skid squealing brand new michelin tires with less than 500 miles on them. Nobody was directly behind me or would have caused wreck due to sudden deceleration with no brake lights since no brake applied. Tires squall like old vehicles with no ABS when brakes locked up. An employee was riding with me at the time and it scared both of us. Had we not been out of town and dependent on truck getting us home we would have not driven it again. After returning home truck did it a second time a couple of weeks later driving in town down stadium blvd at about 35 MPH. Rear tires lock, skid and squall. In addition earlier intermittent hard downshifts that feel like someone hits you from behind but not a full lock condition as these two recent incidents. Also intermittent stalling when pulling away from stop light, stop sign, out of parking lot, or out of driveway - especially after idling. Stalls, hesitates, bucks, vibrates, giving it gas does not result in vehicle responding. Usually on "easy" acceleration meaning when just easing off from stop. Intermittent transmission sticking in 1st gear and won't shift out. Finally vehicle sometimes "surges" after putting in gear on cold start or when letting off gas and coasting - it actually picks up speed and lunges forward for just a second. There is something wrong with all the sensors and the computer is causing the engine / transmission / ABS brakes to behave in strange and unpredictable ways. My father, wife, and employee have all witnessed one or more of these issues while riding with me but intermittent so unable to replicate. Ford case opened but no resolution. Tell me drive it until it breaks so they can find problem but unsafe to do so.

Filed Apr 29, 2013 · Brakes · 15,000 miles · PA

Brakes are ineffective in a panic stop. On dry pavement the brakes cannot be applied hard enough to lock the wheels and activate the ABS function. Stopping distances are much longer than normal and safe. Compared to other f150's with he same body style and engine the brakes are drastically different and much worse in stopping distances (rough test stop from 30 MPH in 28 ft compared to 15 ft, stop from 40 MPH in 46ft compared to 28 ft) dealer has attempted repair 4 times with no improvement at all and now ford has determined that the brakes are functioning normally and that "some trucks will stop better than others". If this is in fact true there may be many f150's on the road with substandard brakes which the owners may not suspect because they have not been tested in emergency situations. My vehicle is dramatically worse than other f150's that I have driven and I am being told that it is functioning normally. Normal in this instance is not safe.