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Ford F-150 Tailgate May Open While Driving

NHTSA campaign 21V983000 · Reported Dec 16, 2021 · Ford Motor Company

high How serious is it? About this label

Cargo falling from the truck bed can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign number	21V983000
Reported to NHTSA	Dec 16, 2021
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Part affected	Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch
Vehicles covered	1 model/year combination, model years 2018
Do-not-drive advisory	No
Park-outside advisory	No
Repair	Free at any franchised dealer

What's wrong, in plain English

Some Ford F-150 trucks with manual and power release tailgates have latches that may unlatch on their own while the truck is being driven. If the tailgate opens unexpectedly, anything sitting in the truck bed that isn't secured could fall out onto the road, creating a hazard for the truck and for other vehicles nearby, which raises the chance of a collision.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your truck is affected.
2. Contact a Ford dealer to schedule a tailgate latch replacement; Ford customer service can be reached at 1-866-436-7332.
3. The repair is free of charge.

Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?

Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 21V983000. More in how recalls work.

Affected vehicles (1)

2018 Ford F-150

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Ford Door Locks and Tailgate Latches May Release Unexpectedly · all 6 Ford recalls in this area

Other Ford F-150 recalls

Jun 9, 2026Ford F-150 Daytime Running Lights Fail to Dimmedium
Jun 9, 2026Ford F-150 Transmission May Select Wrong Gearhigh
Jun 27, 2025Ford and Lincoln rearview cameras may show blank imagemedium
Apr 11, 2025Ford F-150, Expedition Recalled for Brake Fluid Leakhigh
Nov 8, 2024Ford and Lincoln vehicles missing dashboard airbag warning labellow
Apr 14, 2022Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks rearview camera problemmedium

All 27 F-150 recalls

Official notice

Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles with manual and power release tailgates. The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving.
Safety risk: Unexpected tailgate opening may allow unrestrained cargo to fall out of the truck bed and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left-hand and right-hand tailgate latches, free of charge. An interim notification letter was mailed January 31, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S53.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.