As with any vehicle, Ford is known to have maintenance issues, but some model years have more problems than others. If you’re in the market for an F-150, you’ll want to keep things in mind. What model years Ford F-150 should you pay special attention to when you hit the auto dealership?
2004 Ford F-150
It compiles maintenance and repair complaints about Ford F-150s going back to 1977. The model year shown at the top (or at the bottom, depending on how you look at it) is the 2004 truck, which in terms of complaints received. The company counted more than 1,000 complaints about this model year.
submitted by consumers. He counted more than 600 complaints about the truck.
Again, unsurprisingly, window problems ranked high on the 2005 F-150. Many of these relay problems are attributed to a failed power window regulator, a problem that has been reported nearly 200 times. Dozens of reports were also received of a window falling into the door.
Engine problems were also a major concern, with a knock problem for second place in 2004 passing a spark plug problem for first place in the 2005 model. The typical repair cost for these issues was a whopping $4390, which means consumers should definitely beware of additional costs potential before purchasing one of these 2005 trucks. In fact, Automotive Complaints rates the seriousness of these concerns as “Very Bad.”
2018 Ford F-150
Finally, the 2018 model year was mentioned as problematic not because of the number of complaints received but because of the potential cost of the problems and the fact that the problems occur at relatively low mileage.
The worst is “hard shifting,” which can cost a whopping $7,000 to repair and tends to happen at only about 15,000 miles. No one wants to get a newer pickup only to run into that repair bill so quickly. Poor suspension has also been reported as an issue that appears early in the truck’s life. The problem can arise at only 5,000 miles and cost the truck owner in the neighborhood $700 to fix.
Rounding out the top three on the 2018 Ford F-150’s worst problems is a soft brake pedal, which, like a weak suspension, can show up at around 5,000 miles and costs about $800 to remedy.
In general, if you’re shopping for a used Ford F-150, you’ll want to factor in the potential need for repairs as you consider different model years. It’s always best to stay away from potential lemons.
