The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-53. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the chassis was lowered down. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact looked underneath the trailer and noticed that the chassis had lowered down. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the dealer declined to diagnose the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,166.
The worst 2021 Ford F-53 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Suspension5
- Brakes3
- Electrical3
- Acceleration2
- Transmission2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension5
- Brakes3
- Electrical3
- Acceleration2
- Transmission2
- Lights1
- Steering1
Recalls 2
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-53 recreational stripped chassis vehicles. The rear stabilizer bar attachment brackets may break and separate from the vehicle.
- Risk
- Brackets that separate from the vehicle can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the bolt tightness for both rear stabilizer attachment brackets and replace the weld nuts and bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to become ready February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S62.
Recall number 22V731000 · Recall details
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-53 Motorhome Stripped Chassis and F-59 Commercial Stripped Chassis vehicles. An inadequate amount of rear axle lubricant may cause rear wheel bearing damage and bearing seizure, and rear axle or driveshaft failure.
- Risk
- Failure of the rear axle or driveshaft may cause the loss of motive power, failure of the parking brake, and the inability to shift the transmission into "PARK," increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the rear wheel bearings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S17.
Recall number 21V202000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Ford F-53 40
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This article supersedes TSB 25-2572 to update the Parts List to correct the part number LC3Z-6006-L to...
- Rattle/scraping noise upon startup that may remain after the engine is running
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless...
- This article supersedes TSB 25-2322 to update the Service Procedure, Labor Operations and Parts List
- Rattle/scraping noise from the bellhousing area on start-up. Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 Engine...
- Rattle/scraping noise upon startup that may remain after the engine is running
- Rattle/scraping noise from the bellhousing area on start-up. Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 Engine...
- Incorrectly illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0420 and/or...
- This article supersedes TSB 25-2200 to update the parts list to add the new camshaft and tappet service...
- Upper engine ticking or tapping noise at idle
What 2021 Ford F-53 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
22S62 - Loose Rear Stabilizer Bar Bracket Bolts. The rear stabilizer bar attachment brackets may break and separate from the vehicle during usage. NOTE: This is a safety risk that I do not want to take. Ford Pro has not been able to locate a Ford Repair in the local area(within 100 miles) that can do this repair. NOTE2: The offical notice was issued in Jult 2024 from Ford, P,O, Box 1904, Dearborn, MI 48212-1904.
Front bump stops for suspension fell of in first 5k miles. I had them replaced and less than 1k miles later one of them is falling off again. This is a common issue with ford F53 RV owners, regardless of final RV maker (mine is Tiffin, but Thor and Fleetwood owners all are having this issue). According to the service ticket this was a revised part. This is a real safety issue as the front springs are now steel on steel in a bump scenario and could cause an driver to loose control..
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the electronic braking system independently engaged, causing all the rear tires to shake without warning. The contact pulled off to the shoulder of the highway with white-colored smoke coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The contact called for assistance, but the contact was instructed to drive the vehicle in 20-minute increments until he arrived at a service center. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer where it was determined that the electronic brake had overheated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle would not be covered under warranty. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket by the contact. The failure mileage was 2,981.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V731000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Several local dealers were contacted, and the contact was informed that an appointment to repair the vehicle was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed there was no appointment yet available to repair the vehicle under recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated that the automatic headlight switch failed to turn on. The contact was unable to view the instrument cluster. The contact had to utilize the windshield wipers for the automatic headlights to operate as needed. The contact covered the electric eye while activating the headlights. The contact called and notified an unknown local dealer of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F53. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he had not experienced any failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
I have a 2021 Ford F-53 Mobile home. The "AdvanceTrac" and Traction Control Warning Lights intermittently come on during normal driving conditions. This has occurred on multiple trips. Online Blogs show this problem is occurring on other people's automobiles. Ford does not have a RV Service center available to even diagnose this problem until late July. It is currently May. My only option is to let the new RV sit or drive it under these conditions which could be dangerous.
When trying to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle will occasionally lunge a couple feet, then stop moving. This makes the vehicle extremely hazardous when trying to pull into traffic or make a left hand turn with oncoming traffic. It is a transmission issue, as the engine runs fine. I have a picture of the Driver Information Center when this failure occurs that indicates a major transmission problem. The vehicle is still under warranty but no Ford dealer will look at it in the year and a half I have been trying to get it fixed. I have a Ford Pro customer service person assigned to the case but he can't tell what dealer to take it to for repairs. When this condition happens, the vehicle can not move. So it can't be driven to the dealer when this condition. The only way I discovered to clear this problem is put the transmission in Park and shut off the engine. Then restart the engine and put the transmission back in Drive. This is very time consuming when in the middle of an intersection with a speeding semi truck bearing down on you. So I rarely drive this $150,000 motorhome. It's a death trap and according to Ford, it cannot be fixed.
The slightest gust of wind turns off the traction control which disables cruise control and other important features. If this happens, you have to pull off the road, turn the vehicle off and restart to reset all of the features. Ford is well aware of this and has yet to determine a fix.
Compare the 2021 Ford F-53
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Questions about the 2021 Ford F-53
Is the 2021 Ford F-53 reliable?
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2021 Ford F-53, 2.2 times a typical F-53 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Ford F-53?
Suspension, with 5 complaints. Next is brakes (3).
How many recalls does the 2021 Ford F-53 have?
2 recalls, covering suspension and power train.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Ford F-53 suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 22V731000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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