Ford F-150 Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 4,093 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Ford F-150. For the Ford F-Series (all variants), that's 0.37 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, close to the 0.44 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2013, 2018 and 2011.
Engine complaints
4,093
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.37
2015–2022 cohorts, Ford F-Series
Share of all complaints
19.7%
of 20,739 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
9
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Ford F-150 engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 76 | — | 20.7% | 7 | 08V523000 | 23 |
| 2009 | 51 | — | 15.7% | 4 | — | 26 |
| 2010 | 139 | — | 16.3% | 5 | — | 29 |
| 2011WORST | 506 | — | 23.7% | 13 | — | 51 |
| 2012 | 488 | — | 28.4% | 8 | — | 49 |
| 2013WORST | 547 | — | 19.6% | 13 | — | 54 |
| 2014 | 172 | — | 12.6% | 6 | — | 45 |
| 2015 | 252 | 0.44 | 17.7% | 6 | 20V09800019V27800018V894000 | 75 |
| 2016 | 315 | 0.46 | 17.5% | 8 | 20V09800019V27800018V894000 | 62 |
| 2017 | 323 | 0.43 | 28% | 6 | 19V27800018V894000 | 91 |
| 2018WORST | 536 | 0.62 | 27.7% | 12 | 19V27800018V89400017V672000 | 107 |
| 2019 | 306 | 0.39 | 29.8% | 2 | 19V27800018V894000 | 86 |
| 2020 | 112 | 0.2 | 19.8% | 3 | — | 60 |
| 2021 | 131 | 0.22 | 9.9% | 2 | 24V635000 | 55 |
| 2022 | 59 | 0.12 | 6.4% | 11 | 24V635000 | 33 |
| 2023 | 46 | — | 7.3% | 6 | — | 51 |
| 2024 | 24 | — | 9.1% | 3 | 25V19800024V851000 | 24 |
| 2025 | 10 | — | 7.1% | 1 | 25V34400025V19800024V851000 | 17 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Sales for the Ford F-Series cover every variant, so the per-1,000 column counts complaints for all of those variants, not just the Ford F-150. The complaint column is the Ford F-150 alone.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Ford F-150 engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 4,093 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Ford F-150 years to avoid for the engine
2013 Ford F-150
547 engine complaints (19.6% of the year's 2,796). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light.
2018 Ford F-150
536 engine complaints (27.7% of the year's 1,937), 0.62 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: knocking, ticking or rattling. Covered by engine recalls 19V278000, 18V894000, 17V672000.
2011 Ford F-150
506 engine complaints (23.7% of the year's 2,137). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Ford F-150 years to avoid.
Ford F-150 engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Ford F-150 model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 25V344000 · 2025-06-13 · 2025 models
The connecting rod and rod bearing components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
- 25V198000 · 2025-03-28 · 2024–2025 models
The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
- 24V851000 · 2024-12-20 · 2024–2025 models
The engines may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
- 24V635000 · 2024-08-23 · 2021–2022 models
The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.
- 20V098000 · 2020-02-21 · 2015–2016 models
The incorrect location could put the heater too close to hot engine components, possibly resulting in a damaged cable.
- 19V278000 · 2019-04-08 · 2015–2019 models
During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
- 18V894000 · 2018-12-18 · 2015–2019 models
Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
- 17V672000 · 2017-10-23 · 2018 models
The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.
- 08V523000 · 2008-10-08 · 2008 models
ROUSH IS RECALLING 213 MY 2007-2008 FORD F-150 TRUCKS ALTERED TO OPERATE USING LIQUID PROPANE INJECTION. THE HYDRO-CARBON PAPER AFFIXED TO THE INSIDE OF THE AIRBOX LID WITH ADHESIVE MAY BECOME DISLODGED DURING OPERATION.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2013 Ford F-150 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 547 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford F-150, 19.6% of all 2,796 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (188 complaints). 13 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2018 Ford F-150 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 536 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford F-150, 27.7% of all 1,937 complaints for that year, or 0.62 per 1,000 sold (Ford F-Series, all variants). The most common description is "knocking, ticking or rattling" (199 complaints). 3 engine-related recalls cover it: 19V278000, 18V894000, 17V672000. 12 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2011 Ford F-150 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 506 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2011 Ford F-150, 23.7% of all 2,137 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (214 complaints). 13 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Ford F-150 years have the most engine complaints?
2013 (547), 2018 (536) and 2011 (506), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Ford F-150 engine problems?
In the 4,093 engine complaints, owners most often describe misfire or check-engine light (26.7%), stalling or shutting off while driving (18.9%) and loss of power or limp mode (17.3%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Ford F-150 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration