CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2020 Ford F53

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

32

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Ford F53 have filed 32 safety complaints with NHTSA between November 2020 and March 2026. The most complained-about system is the suspension, named in 18 of them (56%). The typical failure was reported at 1,500 miles, the median across the 7 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

SUSPENSION:REAR

22V731000 · September 30, 2022

The defect
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.
The risk
Brackets that separate from the vehicle can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 13,455 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:REAR

21V202000 · March 24, 2021

The defect
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.
The 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 16,128 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 32.

SUSPENSION 18 56%
POWER TRAIN 12 38%
SERVICE BRAKES 6 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 13%
EQUIPMENT 2 6%
STEERING 2 6%
STRUCTURE 2 6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 6%
WHEELS 2 6%
ENGINE 1 3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2021 at 12.

2020 2021 2026
2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

towed · 950 miles

The contact owns a 2020 FORD MOTORHOME CHASSIS(F53). The contact stated that upon purchase of the vehicle, the battery warning light had illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was informed by the dealer that the warning light would correct itself within 10-15 miles; the warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the manufacturer had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The contact was informed that his alternator was defective and needed to be replaced; however, each alternator that had been sent to repair the vehicle was defective. The contact also discovered that his vehicle was included NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V202000(SUSPENSION, POWER

NHTSA complaint 11422108, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Manufacturer Recall Number21S17 NHTSA Recall Number21V202 AN INADEQUATE AMOUNT OF REAR AXLE LUBRICANT. In February 2026 Ford Dealer stated that parts for this recall are on a nationwide backorder. The Ford Dealer was Ken Grody Ford Commercial Truck Center, located in Fullerton, CA. This recall was issued in 2021…How is it possible that parts are still not available?!?!?! This vehicle is a motorhome that we travel in for work and do not have an alternative. Please help with a remedy. Thank you

NHTSA complaint 11722724. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
The Ford dealer performed the Recall 21/v202 and the ABS light stays on.

NHTSA complaint 11715489. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE

11,055 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-53. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 21E047000 (STRUCTURE, EQUIPMENT); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the windows of the RV detached. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the RV to JnK Automotive, and it was determined that the window was include in the recall. The contact was contacted by Newmar and requested pictures of the RV windows;

NHTSA complaint 11656577, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2021 Fleetwood Flair built on a 2020 Ford F-53 Chassis. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V607000 (Structure); and was informed by the dealer advised that the RV needed to be inspected to check for the affected cabinet and then to report to the manufacturer for approval before the recall repair could be completed. The contact stated that the manufacturer had created an unreasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure. VIN tool showed no open recall.

NHTSA complaint 11640330. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint 11616824. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving the cruise control shut off, all dash lights came on - ABS brakes, traction control, etc. We stopped at the next service center and called tech support. Tech support felt it was a bad sensor which would correct itself after engine shut off for a little while. The motorhome would be safe to get to a repair center. Shutting the engine off did not correct the issue - the lights continued to come on. The repair center "found the wiring harness was loose at L/F rear of engine and was resting on the exhaust manifold flange. Verified severe wiring damage from laying on the flange - lots of wires were burnt up." "The possiblity of causing a severe fire."

NHTSA complaint 11587428. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford F53

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2021 13 2
2018 11 1
2016 15 1
2014 17 1
2013 8 1

Other 2020 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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