2021 Ford F-150
2021 Ford F-150: Powered tailgate releasing on its own
Water intrusion into the tailgate wiring harness can trigger the release latch, and owners have reported tailgates opening while driving.
- Problem
- Powered tailgate releasing on its own on the 2021 Ford F-150
- Severity
- HighNeeds attention promptly
- Can you drive?
- Limited driving
- Typical repair
- $0–$700
- Usually reported at
- Any mileage; more common in wet climates and after pressure washing
What is different on the 2021 Ford F-150
The vehicle-specific detail — not the generic version of this fault.
The 2021 F-150's power-release tailgate runs its wiring through the tailgate structure to the latch actuators. Water that gets into that harness — from weather, a car wash, or pressure washing the bed — can bridge circuits and command a release. Owners have reported the tailgate dropping open while parked and, more seriously, while driving, which risks losing cargo.
Ford has addressed this condition on affected trucks. Because applicability depends on build date and configuration rather than model year, the correct step is a VIN lookup rather than assuming your truck is or is not included.
- Harness inspection and repair: performed at no cost when the truck is covered by an applicable safety recall.
- Out-of-coverage harness replacement: $300–$700 depending on which section is damaged.
- Avoid aiming a pressure washer directly into the tailgate seams and latch openings.
- The manual-latch tailgate on lower trims does not have this failure mode.
Parts involved
What a shop will be inspecting or replacing on this job.
- Tailgate wiring harness
- Tailgate latch actuators
- Body control module
The fix and what it costs
Have the tailgate wiring harness inspected for water intrusion and corrosion, and check the VIN with NHTSA for any applicable safety recall covering the repair.
- Typical repair cost
- $0–$700
- Usually reported at
- Any mileage; more common in wet climates and after pressure washing
Cost figures are national US estimates for planning purposes. Actual pricing varies with your vehicle, engine, location, shop labor rate, and whether OEM or aftermarket parts are used. Always get a written quote before authorizing work.
Other issues reported on the 2021 Ford F-150
- Cam phaser rattle on cold start (5.0L V8)A two to four second metallic rattle on startup from the variable cam timing phasers, widely reported across 2018–2022 Coyote-powered F-150s.
- Harsh, clunky or hunting shifts from the 10-speed automaticThe 10R80 draws more owner complaints than any other component on this truck — harsh 1-2 shifts, a clunk on rollback to a stop, and constant gear hunting on grades.
- EcoBoost stumble and misfire in humid or damp conditionsCondensation collects in the air-to-air intercooler and gets pulled into the engine in a slug under hard acceleration, producing a momentary misfire.
- Brake shudder under load or after towingA 5,000-pound truck with a trailer behind it puts far more heat into its rotors than a car does, and thickness variation develops accordingly.
- No crank or a dash full of warnings, usually the AGM batteryAuto start-stop cycles the battery constantly, and the AGM units fitted to 2021 trucks commonly fail earlier than owners expect.