Total Complaints
15 filings
FORD F-53 · model year
2021 FORD F-53
15 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2021FORDF-53 carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2021 F-53 is suspension with 4 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and power train (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2021 F-53, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:SLIDE-IN CAMPER | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:INTEGRATED JACK/LEVELER/STABILIZER:HOSES/CABLES/RODS/GEARS/STRUT/CYLINDER | 1 |
Recalls (1)
21V20200024/03/2021
SUSPENSION:REAR
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.
Recent Complaints
20250325EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:INTEGRATED JACK/LEVELER/STABILIZER:HOSES/CABLES/RODS/GEARS/STRUT/CYLINDER
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.
Mileage: 8,166
20240904SUSPENSION
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.
20240502SUSPENSION
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..
20220526SERVICE BRAKES
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.
20220526ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
20220526POWER TRAIN
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.
20220502POWER TRAIN
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 inter
20220422VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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.
20220422SUSPENSION
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.
20220422UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
20220405EQUIPMENT
The contact owns a 2022 Tiffin 36 LA RV built on a 2021 Ford F-53 chassis. The contact stated while the RV was parked, the hydraulic slides opened independently to 4-6 inches. The contact closed the hydraulic slides; however, the failure reoccurred daily. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The RV was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
Mileage: 4,000
20220405EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
The contact owns a 2022 Tiffin 36 LA RV built on a 2021 Ford F-53 chassis. The contact stated while the RV was parked, the hydraulic slides opened independently to 4-6 inches. The contact closed the hydraulic slides; however, the failure reoccurred daily. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The RV was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
Mileage: 4,000
20220405EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:SLIDE-IN CAMPER
The contact owns a 2022 Tiffin 36 LA RV built on a 2021 Ford F-53 chassis. The contact stated while the RV was parked, the hydraulic slides opened independently to 4-6 inches. The contact closed the hydraulic slides; however, the failure reoccurred daily. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The RV was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
Mileage: 4,000
20210920SUSPENSION
My Motorhome is on a f-53 chassis and i am getting the Advanctrac Warrning that Advance trac is disabled and the cruise control shuts down. The cruise control stopping and no advance trac is a big safety problem
20210920VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My Motorhome is on a f-53 chassis and i am getting the Advanctrac Warrning that Advance trac is disabled and the cruise control shuts down. The cruise control stopping and no advance trac is a big safety problem
Compare 2021FORDF-53 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2021 FORD F-53 have?▼
The 2021 FORD F-53 has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2021 FORD F-53?▼
Yes, the 2021 FORD F-53 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SUSPENSION:REAR. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 FORD F-53?▼
The most-complained component for the 2021 FORD F-53 is SUSPENSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2021 FORD F-53 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.