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2020 Ford F-150

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Ford F-150 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 676.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

230 reports with mileage · 494 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 352 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports3 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

724 reports
109,000 miles · Nov 15, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal sound was coming from the vehicle. In addition, the contact and her husband became aware that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle…

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The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal sound was coming from the vehicle. In addition, the contact and her husband became aware that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train). The local independent mechanic advised the contact to avoid driving the vehicle because the failure might worsen the failure. The local dealer was contacted and advised the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ODI #11625426

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2024
Power Train

The transmission started to jerk when shifting. It got to where it wouldn’t shift past 6th gear. I didn’t get any kind of warning lights. I took it to the dealer and they said the transmission needs to be rebuilt. The rebuild is going to take 4 to 6 weeks and in that timeframe I don’t have a vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11625396

88,000 miles · Nov 14, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH for an hour, there was an abnormally loud clunking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle lost motive power and was jerking. The contact was able to pullover safely into a parking lot. The contact stated that the message “Anti-collision…

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The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH for an hour, there was an abnormally loud clunking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle lost motive power and was jerking. The contact was able to pullover safely into a parking lot. The contact stated that the message “Anti-collision System Offline” was displayed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there were no recalls for the failure and referred the contact to the local dealer and the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA ODI #11625169

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2024
Engine

Cam phaser rattling along with timing chain is slipping. This same year, make and model has a known recall and is a known issue but because my specific VIN isn’t showing it for will not resolve it. I bought the 2020 f150 in 2022 and this is unacceptable.

NHTSA ODI #11623179

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2024
Power Train

Rear axle is clucking,clicking and rattling. Also warning light comes on when I’m close to vehicle Sometimes it comes on when a vehicle passes me

NHTSA ODI #11623042

120,000 miles · Oct 28, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking and shuddering while changing gears. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The wrench warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic…

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The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking and shuddering while changing gears. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The wrench warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11622221

54,130 miles · Oct 21, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission downshifted unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown computer repair and an unknown transmission repair were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the v…

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The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission downshifted unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown computer repair and an unknown transmission repair were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle downshifted to 1st gear unexpectedly, and then shifted back to 10th gear. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered under warranty due to the mileage. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,130.

NHTSA ODI #11620943

29,000 miles · Oct 17, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds under 25 MPH, the vehicle experienced jerking and shuttering. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission assembly was replaced but the failures…

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The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds under 25 MPH, the vehicle experienced jerking and shuttering. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission assembly was replaced but the failures continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 29,000.

NHTSA ODI #11620326

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2024
Power Train

On [XXX] while attempting to take a trip to WV we were traveling on [XXX] nearing Waynesboro, VA. While driving up the mountain on [XXX] near the Rockfish Gap overlook I noticed our F-150 seemed to mis-shift or slip. As we’d experienced issues during a previous trip that required the transmission to be serviced under warranty I …

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On [XXX] while attempting to take a trip to WV we were traveling on [XXX] nearing Waynesboro, VA. While driving up the mountain on [XXX] near the Rockfish Gap overlook I noticed our F-150 seemed to mis-shift or slip. As we’d experienced issues during a previous trip that required the transmission to be serviced under warranty I switched the display to the transmission temperature near 245 degrees. I attempted to put the truck in eco mode and slowed below the speed limit to the top of the mountain. While going down the west side of the mountain I left the truck in cruise. Past the [XXX] exit I noticed smoke which began to increase. I then checked the temperature again which reported 267 degrees. The wrench warning light came on indicating reduced power. I also received the notification on the Fordpass Application. The truck quickly slowed down and would not accelerate forcing me to hastily move to the shoulder in heavy traffic. We pulled over at stopped right in front of mile marker [XXX]. A large amount of transmission fluid observed pouring out from above the bell housing onto the exhaust. It appeared and smelled like it was possible to catch on fire so I did not park over grass, remaining on the concrete shoulder. After a dealer tech simply reset the computer and stated it was fine we drove the truck home, but did not feel safe or sure that it would make the trip. The transmission temperature remained below 220 the trip home but did have delayed shifts. The next day I had three incidents after exiting the interstate of a failure to find a gear for a moment as I attempted to take a turn. Our dealer that we trust has already completed two TSB actions related to the transmission. The other dealer cleared the computer and did nothing to repair the issue. They also attempted to charge me for a diagnostic fee, even though it’s under warranty and clearly had issues to include gear ratios being wrong and ECM/PCM and BCM communication failures. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA

NHTSA ODI #11619978

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2024
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

The transmission slips when giving it gas. I lose power when I excelerate Sometimes. Sometimes the truck excelerates when I'm not giving It throttle. Transmission jumps all over. The transmission seems to be very rough shifting back and forth

NHTSA ODI #11619502

Official recalls

11

26V373000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Jun 9, 2026

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V097. When the headlight switch is turned from "Autolamps" to "Headlamps On," the Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Daytime Running Lamps that do not dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: ,Dealers will reprogram the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.

25V442000 · Back Over Prevention:software

Jun 27, 2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

24V852000 · Equipment:other:labels

Nov 8, 2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

22V250000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages

Apr 14, 2022

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S26.

20V575000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Sep 23, 2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.

20V467000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly

Aug 10, 2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 vehicles. An incorrect attachment nut may have been used to attach the battery positive (B+) power supply cable to the starter motor, possibly affecting the electrical conductivity, resulting in excess heat and electrical arcing.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Electrical arcing can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the starter motor B+ power supply attachment nut, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S40.

20V197000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Apr 3, 2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.

20V097000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 21, 2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from the "Autolamps" switch position to "Headlamps On." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.

19V903000 · Tires:bead; Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire

Dec 18, 2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

Consequence: The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

Tires:bead

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

Consequence: The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

19V805000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery:cables

Nov 12, 2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and braking or steering assist. The engine could also stall.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S40.

19V633000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner; Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Aug 28, 2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Seats:front Assembly:recliner

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ21002 · Rearview Camera Fmvss 111 Noncompliance

Opened Aug 3, 2021 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rear Visibility. Ford's recall described the noncompliance as insufficient electrical conductivity within the printed circuit board (PCB) internal to the camera leading to intermittent rearview camera operation. The supplier of the cameras was Magna Electronics.According to Ford's chronology in the Part 573, during the period February-April 2020, Ford identified and monitored warranty claims pertaining to intermittent or inoperative rearview cameras. Ford reviewed supplier product changes, focusing on changes introduced by the supplier in the October-November 2019 time frame. The Part 573 stated that the issue was brought to Ford's Critical Concerns Review Group (CCRG) for review on May 12, 2020.On July 7, 2020, NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Testing Center (VRTC) informed the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of a trend of MY 2020 Escape vehicles with rearview camera malfunctions. ODI contacted Ford the next day, providing five Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging inoperative rearview cameras. On July 15, 2020, Ford met with NHTSA to discuss the rearview camera issue. In a subsequent August 24, 2020 meeting, ODI and NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) met with Ford to discuss the recall status and additional VOQs. Ford presented rate and scope data for many of its MY 2020 products during the August 2020 meeting indicating high failure rates for certain models.This RQ is being opened to investigate both the timeliness and scope of Ford's rearview camera recall (20V-575), and Ford's compliance with reporting requirements.The subject reports referenced in the opening resume are identified by the following ODI reference numbers which can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov: 11349813, 11344126, 11342696, 11341486, 11340254, 11337274, 11331444, 11330875, 11329235, 11316960, 11343521, 11341884, 11337226, 11344018, and 11339573.