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Ford · 13th gen (aluminum body) (P552) · 2015–2020

Ford F-150 (2015–2020): Problems, Reliability & Repair Costs

The aluminum-body F-150 made the best-selling truck in America lighter and more efficient, and the bones are genuinely good. But the engine and transmission you pick decide everything. The 3.5L EcoBoost is loved until the cam phasers start rattling, the 10-speed automatic (2017+) shipped with harsh, erratic shifting that spawned class actions, and the 2018+ 5.0L V8 can drink oil. There's also a safety brake recall and a door-latch recall on early trucks. Buy on powertrain and recall history, not on looks.

6/10 CarCaseFile
reliability score

Engines

  • 3.5L EcoBoost (1st gen) — 3.5L gasoline, 365 hp
  • 3.5L EcoBoost (2nd gen) — 3.5L gasoline, 375 hp
  • 2.7L EcoBoost — 2.7L gasoline, 325 hp
  • 5.0L Coyote V8 — 5.0L gasoline, 395 hp
  • 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 — 3.3L gasoline, 290 hp
  • 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 — 3.5L gasoline, 282 hp
  • 3.0L Power Stroke diesel — 3.0L diesel, 250 hp

Transmissions

  • 6R80 — automatic, 6-speed
  • 10R80 — automatic, 10-speed

Drivetrain

RWD / 4WD

Body

Regular Cab, SuperCab, SuperCrew

Should you buy a 2015–2020 Ford F-150?

Buy it on the powertrain and the paperwork, not the badge. A 2.7L EcoBoost or a pre-2018 5.0L V8 paired with the older 6-speed automatic is the low-drama combination on this generation. The desirable 3.5L EcoBoost is a great engine right up until the cam phasers start their cold-start rattle, and the 2017+ 10-speed automatic shipped with harsh, erratic shifting that Ford has chased with recalls and TSBs for years. On early trucks (2015–2018) confirm the brake master cylinder and door-latch recalls were performed. Get a clean combination with documented recall work and you have the best-selling truck in America for good reasons; ignore the powertrain lottery and you can buy someone else's problem.

Best years

2016, 2017, 2.7L EcoBoost or pre-2018 5.0L V8 (any year)

Years to avoid

2017 (first year of the harsh-shifting 10-speed), 2018–2020 5.0L V8 (oil-consumption complaints), Any 3.5L EcoBoost with an unaddressed cam phaser rattle

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

  • ☐Cold-start the truck after it's sat overnight: a 2–5 second rattle/tick from the front of a 3.5L EcoBoost is the classic worn cam phaser. Don't let a seller warm it up before you arrive.
  • ☐On any 10-speed (2017+), drive it 35–50 mph on light throttle and feel for hunting between gears, hard 1-2 or 2-1 shifts, and clunks. A test drive that's all highway hides this — make it shift in town.
  • ☐On a 2018+ 5.0L V8, check the oil level and ask for oil-change records; excessive consumption (a quart in ~1,000 miles) is the documented complaint. Look for the revised dipstick.
  • ☐Run the VIN on Ford's recall lookup (or NHTSA): confirm the brake master cylinder recall and the 2015–2017 door-latch recall were completed.
  • ☐Inspect the aluminum body for corrosion at panel seams and around steel fasteners (galvanic corrosion) and check prior collision repair quality — aluminum body work is specialized and expensive.
  • ☐On EcoBoost trucks, look for turbo-related condensation/coolant issues and listen for intercooler 'limp' stumbles under hard acceleration in humid weather.
  • ☐Check that any towing-heavy truck has clean transmission service history; the 10-speed and 6-speed both want fluid changes if it's worked hard.

Common Ford F-150 problems & repair costs

3.5L EcoBoost cam phaser rattle (cold start)

$1,500–$4,000
engine severe 2017–2020 (some 2015–2016) ~30k–80k mi

Symptoms: A ticking/tapping or rattle from the top-front of the engine for 2–5 seconds on the first cold start of the day (after sitting 6+ hours). It often starts mild and gets louder and longer over time; left alone it can progress to timing-component wear.

Fix: Replace the variable camshaft timing (VCT) phasers — Ford addressed this under TSBs (e.g., 22-2200 / 23-2143). At an independent shop it's a labor-heavy front-of-engine job; many owners report it can recur 40k–50k miles later, so confirm whether updated parts were used.

Sources: Ford TSB — 3.5L EcoBoost VCT (NHTSA), F150 Ecoboost Forum — cam phaser rattle, CarComplaints — 2018 F-150 engine

10-speed (10R80) harsh, erratic shifting and gear hunting

$200–$4,500
transmission severe 2017–2020 ~10k–60k mi

Symptoms: Harsh or clunky 1-2 / 2-1 shifts, jerking and lunging, hesitation, and gear 'hunting' (rapid cycling between adjacent gears, often 4th-5th-6th) at light throttle around 35–50 mph. Some owners report sudden unexpected downshifts.

Fix: First step is the latest Ford recalibration/TSB (software, e.g. TSB 24-2101) — often $0 if covered, a few hundred dollars otherwise. Persistent cases need valve-body or internal repair, where parts and labor climb fast. The harsh-shift issue is the subject of multiple class actions (O'Connor v. Ford).

Sources: ClassAction.org — F-150 10-speed harsh shifting suit, CarComplaints — 2018 F-150 transmission

5.0L Coyote V8 excessive oil consumption (2018+)

$0–$6,000
engine moderate 2018–2020 ~20k–60k mi

Symptoms: Oil level dropping fast — owners and lawsuits report up to roughly a quart per 1,000 miles — with no visible external leak. The low-oil/oil-change indicator can trigger well before the next scheduled change.

Fix: Ford's TSB 19-2365 reflashed the PCM and changed the dipstick rather than rebuilding the engine; critics (and a class action) argue it masks rather than fixes the burn. Realistically: top off and monitor, keep records, and budget for an engine/short-block only if consumption is severe and out of warranty.

Sources: Ford TSB 19-2365 — 5.0L oil consumption (NHTSA), ClassAction.org / Lemon Law Help — 5.0L oil consumption

Brake master cylinder seal leak (reduced front braking)

$0–$900
brakes safety 2014–2018 (3.5L EcoBoost)

Symptoms: Soft or low brake pedal and longer stopping distances; a rear master-cylinder seal can let brake fluid leak into the booster, cutting front brake function. A brake warning light may appear.

Fix: This is a Ford safety recall on affected 3.5L EcoBoost trucks — dealers replace the master cylinder (and the booster if it leaked) free of charge. Out of recall scope, a master cylinder replacement at an independent shop runs into the mid-hundreds. Verify the recall was performed by VIN before buying.

Sources: Consumer Reports — Ford brake master cylinder recall, Ford Authority — 2016–2018 F-150 brake recall

Door latches can open while driving

$0–$300
body safety 2015–2017

Symptoms: A door that appears shut but isn't fully latched, or won't open/close, after water gets into the latch or the actuation cable bends. The door can come open while driving.

Fix: Safety recall 17S33 (about 1.3 million 2015–2017 F-150 and 2017 Super Duty trucks). Dealers inspect the latch cables and install water shields free of charge. Confirm completion by VIN; a non-latching door is a real risk, not a squeak.

Sources: Consumer Reports — Ford door-latch recall, Ford recall 17S33 details

Electrical and SYNC / accessory gremlins

$100–$800
electrical minor 2015–2020

Symptoms: SYNC screen freezes and reboots, backup-camera dropouts, intermittent door/window/lock modules, and battery-drain complaints. Annoying rather than dangerous, but common enough to expect at least one.

Fix: Many issues clear with a SYNC software update or a module reflash; others need a specific switch, camera, or body-control module. Diagnosis time is the real cost — chase a single root cause rather than replacing parts on guesses.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2018 F-150 electrical

Day-to-day, the F-150 is cheap to live with: parts are everywhere, every shop knows them, and routine maintenance is straightforward. The cost risk is concentrated in the powertrain. A 2.7L EcoBoost or a pre-2018 5.0L with the 6-speed is genuinely low-drama. A 3.5L EcoBoost can hand you a four-figure cam phaser job, and a worked 10-speed can need valve-body work. Two aluminum-body realities to budget for: collision repair is more specialized (and pricier) than on the old steel trucks, and watch for galvanic corrosion where steel fasteners meet aluminum panels. EcoBoost turbos also want clean oil on schedule — don't stretch intervals.

DIY repairs & parts

Engine air filter + cabin air filter change

easy 20–30 min saves ~$60–$120

Tools: Flat screwdriver (airbox clips), Shop towel

  1. Pop the engine airbox clips, lift the lid, and note how the old panel filter sits.
  2. Drop in the new engine filter the same orientation, wipe out any debris, and re-clip the lid.
  3. For the cabin filter, open the glovebox and release the side stops so it drops fully down.
  4. Pull the cabin filter cover, slide out the old filter, and insert the new one with the airflow arrow pointing down/in.
  5. Reseat the glovebox and confirm it latches.

Parts

Spark plug replacement (V8 / EcoBoost)

moderate 1.5–3 hrs saves ~$150–$350

Tools: Spark plug socket (5/8 in), Torque wrench, Extensions + swivel, Dielectric grease + anti-seize

  1. Let the engine fully cool, then remove the engine cover and disconnect the battery.
  2. Unbolt and lift each coil-on-plug, labeling connectors so they go back in order.
  3. Blow out the plug wells with compressed air so debris can't fall into the cylinder.
  4. Remove the old plugs, gap and lightly anti-seize the new ones, and install them to the spec torque (don't over-tighten in aluminum heads).
  5. Reinstall coils with a dab of dielectric grease on the boots, reconnect, and clear any codes.

Parts

Front brake pad + rotor replacement

moderate 1.5–2.5 hrs saves ~$200–$400

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Lug + caliper socket set, C-clamp or caliper piston tool, Torque wrench

  1. Loosen lug nuts, lift the front, set stands, and remove the wheels.
  2. Unbolt the caliper, hang it from the suspension (don't stress the hose), and remove the bracket.
  3. Slide off the old rotor, clean the hub face, and fit the new rotor.
  4. Compress the caliper piston, fit new pads and hardware, and reinstall the bracket and caliper to spec torque.
  5. Pump the brakes to seat the pads before moving, then bed them in with gentle stops.

Parts

Some parts links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. We only list parts that fit this generation.

The short version

The 2015–2020 F-150 is the truck that went aluminum: lighter, more efficient, and still the best-selling vehicle in America. The chassis, the bed, and the everyday usability are excellent. What makes or breaks one of these trucks is the powertrain you happen to buy.

Three engine/transmission stories define this generation. The 3.5L EcoBoost is a fantastic engine until the cam phasers start a cold-start rattle that Ford has chased through several service bulletins. The 10-speed automatic introduced in 2017 shipped with harsh, erratic shifting and “gear hunting” bad enough to spawn class-action lawsuits and a run of recalls and software fixes. And the 2018-and-up 5.0L V8 picked up a reputation for drinking oil — up to a quart per 1,000 miles in the complaints — that Ford answered with a reflash and a new dipstick rather than an engine fix.

What that means when you’re shopping

The smart play is to shop the combination, not the badge.

A 2.7L EcoBoost or a pre-2018 5.0L V8, ideally with the older 6-speed automatic, is the low-drama setup on this generation. If you want the 3.5L EcoBoost — and it’s a genuinely great engine — cold-start it yourself after it’s sat overnight and listen for that 2–5 second front-of-engine rattle. On any 2017+ truck with the 10-speed, drive it around town at light throttle and feel for hard shifts and hunting; a highway-only test drive hides the problem.

Two recalls matter on early trucks. The brake master cylinder recall (3.5L EcoBoost) addresses a seal that can cut front braking, and the 2015–2017 door-latch recall (17S33) covers doors that can open while driving. Both are free at a Ford dealer — just confirm by VIN that they were actually done.

Everything else is ordinary F-150 ownership: cheap parts, every shop knows them, simple maintenance. Budget extra only for aluminum collision repair and EcoBoost turbo upkeep.

How this file is built: failure modes and cost ranges are compiled from NHTSA complaints and recalls, Ford’s own TSBs and recall actions, CarComplaints data, owner forums, and reporting on the active class actions, then sanity-checked against shop-floor experience. Cost figures are independent-shop estimates and vary by region. Spot something off? Tell us.

Viral car myths, checked

Frequently asked questions

Which F-150 engine is the most reliable in 2015–2020?

The low-drama picks are the 2.7L EcoBoost and the pre-2018 5.0L V8. The 2.7L is surprisingly capable and avoids the cam phaser reputation of the 3.5L, and the 2015–2017 5.0L predates the oil-consumption complaints. The 3.3L base V6 (2018+) is dependable but underpowered for towing.

Is the 3.5L EcoBoost cam phaser problem serious?

It can be. A short cold-start rattle is the early warning; left alone it can progress to timing-component wear. Ford addressed it under service bulletins, and a phaser job at an independent shop can run $1,500–$4,000. Always cold-start a 3.5L EcoBoost yourself before buying and confirm whether updated parts were already fitted.

Should I avoid the 10-speed automatic?

Be cautious with 2017+ trucks that use the 10R80. Early calibrations shift harshly and 'hunt' between gears, which led to multiple class actions and a string of recalls/TSBs. Many trucks are much improved after Ford's latest recalibration, so test drive in town (not just highway) and confirm the latest software was applied.

Does the 2018+ 5.0L V8 really burn oil?

Owners and class-action filings report consumption up to about a quart per 1,000 miles on 2018–2020 5.0L trucks. Ford's TSB reflashed the computer and revised the dipstick rather than rebuilding the engine. If you want a V8, a pre-2018 5.0L sidesteps the issue; on a 2018+, check oil records and monitor closely.

Is the aluminum body a problem?

Not for durability — it resists rust better than steel and saves weight. The catch is repair: aluminum bodywork needs specialized shops and costs more after a collision, and you should watch for galvanic corrosion where steel fasteners meet aluminum panels. Inspect prior body repairs carefully on any used truck.