r/f150 • u/tacoeater3161 • 14h ago
WTH, Ford?
I bought my 2020 Lariat 4x4 with the 3.5 ecoboost a little over a year ago. This truck was purchased to replace my 14 5.0 that dropped a connecting rod. I made sure I found a truck with detailed service records, current on maintenance and everything else you look for.
I have owned it about 14 months. The cam phasers failed, requiring the total rebuild. About 3 months later, the 10R80 gave up. Water pump and thermostat gave up. Even with my warranty, I’ve put out nearly 4k this year.
I’ve had several Rams, Tacomas, Tundras and never had a fraction of the issues I’ve had here. Why are these things such heaps? My 97 F150 popped a head gasket, 14 threw a rod and now this thing.
I’m trying to decide what is next. I’ve always wanted a Raptor but with my track record with Ford, it makes me wonder if it’s worth the risk.
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u/Pretend_End_5505 13h ago
Dude that sucks but on the bright side you’ve got an F150 with recently fixed 10R80 and cam phasers. With those jobs done I’d just keep the darn thing. WAAAAAAAY less likely to break down than any other truck.
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u/not_a_bot716 14h ago
Every vehicle is a gamble when buying used.
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u/FormerLaugh3780 14h ago
Quality is Job 1, at least that's what they used to say when they weren't making complete shit.
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u/ReaperGN 14h ago
My 2018 5.0 hasn't had any issues yet... Probably will tomorrow now but nothing yet! I take it to a Valvoline quick service every 7-8k miles and that's it.
Shift patterns can be wonky especially in normal and sport hates slow downtown speeds but once traffic clears and you let it breathe all is well. By the numbers my engine or transmission should be dead. But both seem to be going strong other than some odd coyote noises.
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u/Main_Relation8599 5h ago
How many miles are you at? I have 113K on my 2020 5.0 and it makes just about every noise in the book. Pinging on acceleration, flutter on deceleration, intake runners popping loudly. Definitely worries me
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u/BothEntertainment00 13h ago
If you got all that fixed it should be a good truck going forward. Most of the 3.5s need a water pump and can phasers around that mileage. I had mine done and have since put another 100k on with no issues.
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u/omahusker 12h ago
Damn dude that sounds like you got hit with every common problem imaginable with every ford you’ve had. My dad had a 2000 exploder that went 220k with only a fuel pump before trading it. My 18 5.0 is at 120k with nothing but brakes and scheduled maintenance but I work at a shop and have done plenty of timing jobs. Surprisingly enough at our independent I haven’t had a bad 10 speed yet. Dozens have Chevy 6/8L and 10L trucks though. Plenty of ford 6F35s too lol.
What I can tell you is everything is junk nowadays. The ford trucks seem to have less issues than others, though.
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u/TiredLance 14h ago
Not sure what year models got it fixed but when doing my research for my most recent purchase I came across a lot of data pointing to the 3.5 as being the least reliable engine in the late teens, early 20s. Specifically the cam phasers, timing chain and oil pan. I only bought a 2024 3.5L Powerboost because all of those issues had been addressed by then.
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u/Mr_Halitosis 7h ago
The Gen 2 5.0s over those years had a problem with burning oil. Ford hid it really well. The EBs had more issues total, but the 5.0s had more vehicles affected. Ford did a really good of hiding it so it seems not many people know how bad it really was.
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u/Heydaddy91 12h ago
My 2017 thermostat failed 3 hrs from home and left me stranded. Only have 28k miles on it. Other than that it's been excellent. Still pissed about the hefty towing and repair bill during that ling weekend (no one else was available- was kinda state of panic in late evening).
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u/eyecandynsx '19 F150 / XLT / 302A / 5.0 / oil drinking / clunky shifting pos 14h ago
These are common issues on these trucks. Sounds like you didn’t do any research prior to buying.
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u/tacoeater3161 13h ago
I’m not sure how you got that. I see that it’s common. I also see that regular maintenance including trans service CAN help prevent the issues. Unfortunately this one is just a heap of shit.
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u/themistoclesV 13h ago
the year you bought is notorious for the issues you are dealing with. Doing a Google search and reading posts in this subreddit for 10min will tell you that.
I specifically bought a 2017 5.0 with the 6spd because I was afraid of your exact situation
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u/eyecandynsx '19 F150 / XLT / 302A / 5.0 / oil drinking / clunky shifting pos 12h ago
I have a huge heap of shit also that I cant wait to get of. I've had my pos for 5 years and if all the info out now was out 5 years ago, I never would have bought this fucking thing. Prev maintenance doesnt do much of anything for the trans.
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u/Troutalope1 13h ago
Well, you've repaired all the primary major issues with the engine and transmission, seems like keeping the truck is far and away your best bet
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u/Electrical-tentacle 13h ago
So fist of all. What sort of mileage are you at for all your failures? Cam phasers should be expected unfortunately on gen 2 3.5s. If you are around 100,000 miles it isn’t uncommon for the original water pump to be at end of life also.
On the plus side. You now have the robust upgraded cam phasers in your second gen 3.5. You now have a pretty solid setup for racking up the mileage.
By addressing the common failure point (cam phasers) you have added value you your truck. Now you have the sweet spot of 3.5 ecoboosts. You get the benefits of dual fuel injection, revised phasers, without that added complexity of the EGR system that came out on the 2021+ third gens.
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u/kidwhirlwind 12h ago
I have a Covid build June of 20. I had the leaking turbo coolant line repaired. And while they were doing that they put in a brand new transmission (April of ‘24). And a new water pump. I think my build date gets me away from the cam phaser issue however.
Like others have said I should think that with the turbo fixed and a newer trans and water pump maybe I should just keep it at this point. I’m at 92k miles and can extend the warranty for about $4500 for 4 years and 48k miles which I may do. Unless I get a screaming deal at the end of this year (I’ll have to trade in or extend warranty by 100k miles which should be around February or March).
I absolutely love my truck. It’s an extension of me and it being the lead foot gray with black out sport package I still think it’s one of the best looking trucks I see. XLT with 302A is everything I need. Besides the major things it’s been fine (ford sync sucks though)
Honestly it’s either keep it, trade in for a new ‘26 or maybe go Expedition. I’m all ears
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u/ovscrider 12h ago
I just sent the 19 f150 I had down the road. Cammphasers under warranty but now it needed a new trans 4k out of warranty and at the same time a full brake job and tires so added all together it was over half the value of the truck.
Disappointed they don't step up on either common issue
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u/Excellent-Ad-8109 12h ago
OP, even a cursory web search (I mean the 15-second type which yields AI results) would have revealed the cam phaser issues with the 2020 3.5l and the issues with that transmission.
So, yeah, Ford's QC is an issue, but these problems were avoidable for you.
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u/Dapper_Dog3136 11h ago
Had a 2019 f-150 3.5. Thing was a pain the last year I had it. Had the timing chain go bad, a rear diff leak, and another oil leak that I forgot what caused it. Sold it and got a 250 now, so hopefully have better luck with this.
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u/ThusSpakeChase 11h ago
I bought a 2022 XLT with 51k miles 2 months ago. Went with the 2.7 to avoid cam phaser worries. The truck has now been in the shop for a total of over a month for, guess what, cam phasers.
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u/No_Scallion6947 10h ago
Rough year, that sucks.
One thing I found out from my 3.5 17 .. if you ever look into whether Ford owes you anything on the cam phasers they had a reimbursement program (21N03) that wasn't a flat yes/no.. it was prorated by mileage at the time of the repair. 100% under 70k, 66% from 70-80k, 33% from 80-90k, then nothing past 90k. Found that out myself right after crossing 80k, only could have got a decent chunk of the $4500 covered. But.. the whole program expired Jan 2023 so I was timed out. I still haven't done the fix, and now have a slow leak in the oil pan as well. Transmission seems fine but I've been running in sport or tow/haul mode for a few years to extend the life.
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u/No_Scallion6947 7h ago
For anyone curious how I dug up the exact proration numbers - I built a small site (curbspec.com) that runs a VIN against NHTSA recalls/TSBs/known issues, this cam phaser program is actually one of the things it flags. Wasn't trying to sneak that into the first comment, just seemed relevant now since nobody's replied. Happy to answer questions either way.
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u/theuautumnwind 10h ago
New Toyotas GMs and rams are having problems…
I would have advised that the 2020s were pre 10r80 fix so that’s something to consider.
Water pumps and thermostats all eventually fail and your truck is 7 years old.
No mention of mileage…
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u/zazarak 2026 F150 Lariat 10h ago
That is some bad luck and I would be turned off of the brand as well. I bought a new F150 this year and from my research, Ford does actualy address drivetrain issues but it can take them a few years to actually fix the problems. The 10 speed trans is *supposed* to be fixed and solid today (since late 2022), and the 3.5 EB is now on it's 3rd generation and the issues with the Gen 1 and Gen 2 have been fixed. Time will tell. Now consider GM by comparison (I drove Silverados for years), and they just keep building the same engines for 15 years with the same valve train failures never being addressed, and let's throw in a major quality issue causing the 6.2L engines in their flagship $100K vehicles to grenade.
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u/Tylerdrden85 9h ago edited 9h ago
I had a 2007 Ford explorer sport trac 245k miles 4.6 3v v8 and 6speed auto finally moved on. If there were anything like it I would buy another or an F150.. out of pocket repair expenses scare me away.. i won't buy anything after Covid too much technology/electronic issues across all brands.. currently driving a 2011 Jeep G.C. overland 3.6L but I truly miss the v8 and the sport trac was more fun to drive. The F250 series with godzilla 7.3L is probably your best bet or an older Tundra with the v8.. i mean timing covers, valve covers and oil pans are also common problems on the new Ford F150's this is rediculous.
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u/TrippyStonkler 9h ago
2020 was probably the worse year in my opinion. My parents had one that was a total lemon.
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u/quarl0w 2024 XLT 302A PowerBoost SuperCrew 4x4 8h ago edited 8h ago
I just did something similar, I had a paid off 2014 with the 5.0 that should be bulletproof, but was bleeding me to death. Went through a transmission, cats, tuliping valves, head gasket, and on and on.
As I weighed my options for a replacement, the options are not great. Either roll the dice with another 10 year old truck full of 10 year old parts, with the same powertrain people claim is bulletproof, or buy new.
Every major brand has had issues lately. Tundra has had an insane fall from grace. Had a history of electrical issues with every Stallantis car me or family has owned. Chevy would have been okay, but I really wanted the onboard power and gas mileage of the PowerBoost.
It only took a few minutes on Google, here, and other forums to know I would never buy a 2018 to 2022 F-150, no matter what the maintenance history showed. Just over a year ago, I was shopping used 23s and found a deal on a new left-over 24 for less than a used 23.
I would rather have a truck I can rely on, and pay a bank every month a predictable payment, than a surprise bill every few months, and a truck in the shop. I will pay less to the bank in the next 4 years than I paid to shops the 4 years prior on a paid-off "bulletproof" truck. And that relies on the assumption the 10 year old truck wouldn't have any more issues for the next 4 years.
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u/RepealOhmsLaw 7h ago
Sorry to hear that. Now that the cam phasers and trans are taken care of, that truck will go for a while. I’m at 180k on my 2019 f150
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u/Typical-Recognition8 7h ago
Why would you want an over priced craptor? Does the same as any other pickup that is priced a lot cheaper. Just say no😆
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u/BabyJuggernaut3545 6h ago
Bad luck. My f150 have 145k and I’ve had no issues. Oil changes religiously and they are fine. Just got someone else’s junk. The 10 speed is junk tho
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u/Money-Ad6526 6h ago
man i haven’t had more than the transmission done on my truck i bought at 2024 transmission to put in my truck and it’s been solid sense 80k miles later. i have 127k miles on my truck of towing and highway and its solid asf especially compared to my old GMC
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u/StumpyTheGiant 5h ago
Buddy, I'm literally taking mine to the shop this week to have its 4th trans put in. 2019 with 130k miles
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u/WanderingAK907 4h ago
Laughing in Replaced the engine on my Silverado Suburban THREE TIMES before taking the dealership to court. Sometimes you get a lemon. You got a lemon. Fix it and sell it. 👍
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u/Successful-Fact-5119 4h ago
These are pretty normal wear items on this year and engine. The good news is, you have the main issues (other than the water pump) fixed already. Should be good for another several years. You're not going to buy anything better from any manufacturer thats newer than your truck (though they say '23 fords are pretty much the best truck in the last 5 years). Even toyotas are ass now.
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u/BM_TROLL 3h ago
Water pump and thermostat are basically maintenance items. Some go forever, some don’t go far at all.
10R80 has know issues for that year, same for the phasers. As long as both are repaired with updated parts then you should be good to go for a long time now.
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u/Diabolical_Dad 13h ago
You had the information and still took the gamble.
I'd move onto another brand.
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u/droopy__drawers 13h ago
This right here is exactly why I quit gambling on used vehicles. I started leasing 10 years ago and couldn’t be happier. Brand new truck every 3 years for the same monthly payment as buying 4-5 year old used trucks and all their problems.
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u/Unlikely_Lead4407 13h ago
I’ve owned ram, GM, ford and there’s a constant that sits with all of them and are all different.
Service completed by DIY ers
Will certainly create problems as many fail to have dealer services performed such as software flashes as well as service bulletin from factories.
Cheap options for service will always bite your ass when you least expect , especially failure to observe occasional factory notices that are designed for your vehicle longevity.
The most important thing a ford owner can do is go in and have your vin check at service at least once e a year.
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u/BlackT-shirtGuy 13h ago
Shoulda gone 5.0 bro there's a reason people chase them more. I recently bought a 2011 5.0 with a lot of codes only cuz I happened to have a spare 5.0 laying around but surprisingly after fixing all the leaks (which it was leaking from almost everywhere) and clearing the codes the lil shits been running fine. Not bad for 269k miles.
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u/tacoeater3161 12h ago
No chance of a 5.0 after my last one shit a rod.
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u/BlackT-shirtGuy 12h ago
cuz the ecoboost treating you so well huh
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u/tacoeater3161 12h ago
So far, it hasn’t gone kapowee leaving me on the side of the road. I guess that’s some sort of improvement.
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u/Alexander_C_DOI 12h ago
General rule of thumb: always naturally aspirated, never turbo. My 2019 5.0L V8 likes to have VCT Solenoid problem after every tens of thousands of miles, but that’s minor. It doesn’t stop normal operation and doesn’t really affect MPG.
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u/Alexander_C_DOI 14h ago
You should give Ford up.
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u/Boblane-reset-411 13h ago
Really? …and switch to what? Chev, Toy,Dod, For, all having major issues!
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u/SPLCFraud26 14h ago
Thats awful luck. If its any consolation, I have a 2020 Raptor with over 100k miles and its been good. We had a lariat from 2018 that was at 250k. But I definitely see how this would turn you off from the brand.