Do you know who built the first-ever pickup truck? Yup, you may have guessed it – Ford! Therefore, it’s sad to hear that Ford’s F-Series, which are supposed to be durable, reliable trucks, suffer from so many different problems. Some of those aren’t just minor issues either, and it can be very expensive to repair.
For instance, many have reported strange engine noises, and to repair this, it takes an average of $7,000. However, despite being massive gas-guzzlers and unreliable, Americans continue buying them. In fact, it was the best-selling truck in the country in 2019 - by far!
Anyway, today, we have compiled a list of 15 glaring problems with Ford’s F-Series. Maybe you should stick to a Chevy or a Ram instead? If you end up buying one, don’t say we didn’t warn you! Let’s get to it!
15 Loss Of Power While Driving
EcoBoost engines are known to be unreliable, and the internet is stuffed with stories from angry owners complaining of a loss of power while driving. Typically, it costs around $2,300 to fix, but many people have had to change their engines entirely. You might want to avoid anything with an EcoBoost engine!
14 Windows Don't Roll Up
Many people have complained that their windows suddenly stopped rolling up in their F-series Ford. On Car Complaints, there are a total of 614 complaints relating to this, with the average repair cost being around $320. However, if you don’t want to pay for it, you can learn to fix it yourself.
13 Strange Engine Noise
One of the major issues with Ford’s F Series is a strange engine noise that sounds like a diesel at low rpm. This is more than just a mild annoyance, and it requires around $7,000 to fix. Wow! You could get another car at that price. There are many horror stories told by angry owners relating to this!
12 Problematic Airbags
In 2017, the good folk at Fork had to recall a bunch of F-150’s due to faulty airbags. This was because the airbags actually did the opposite of what they were supposed to do. Instead of protecting the passenger, they ruptured in a crash, showering the poor victim with metal shards. Ouch!
11 Unsupportive Suspension System
The Ford F-250s and F-350s from 2011, particularly, suffer from an unsteady or unsupportive suspension system. Users have experienced the truck not fully steady on its wheels, and some have reported this happening straight off the lot, in their brand new truck! How on earth did Ford let this happen?
10 Issues With Corrosion
In the early 2000s, the good folk at Ford began using aluminum in the hoods of the F-Series, and while it may look good, it wasn’t installed properly and it led to corrosion just months after buying the truck.
The worst part is that Ford knew about this problem but didn’t warn any customers about it. They were taken to court, but ultimately, the lawsuit was thrown out by the judge. Perhaps he’s a Ford aficionado?
9 Air Conditioning Won’t Turn On
The Ford F-Series decides when the air conditioning should be turned on, not the user. According to some angry owners, it sometimes takes up to ten minutes for it to turn on. To people who live in hot areas, this is definitely a deal-breaker. Imagine driving without air conditioning in Texas during summer, for example!
8 Useless Safety Belts
Safety features are absolutely crucial, so the problem with Ford’s safety belts is perhaps one of the most important. Three years ago, the American automakers had to recall a bunch of F-Series pickups as the safety belts were not put in position properly, which ultimately rendered them useless. Is it that hard to make proper seat belts these days?
7 Loose Power Seats
Aside from safety belt issues in manually-operated seats, the F-Series also have issues with the power-assisted seat. In the event of an accident, the seat risks being completely detached from the car, and needless to say, this is extremely dangerous. In 2016, Ford had to recall many of their trucks because of this issue.
6 Sliding Brakes
Power-assisted seats and airbags might be modern inventions, but brakes have been around since the very beginning. So, it’s surprising to hear that Ford still hasn’t managed to get it right. Many angry owners claim having experienced sliding brakes, while others complain about the brake pedal dropping to the floor.
5 Loud Cabin Noise
The interior of the F-Series is quite comfortable, but unfortunately, it is extremely noisy. Unfortunately, this is an issue that Ford has done nothing to resolve. When you go past the 45 mph mark, it begins to make a strange rattling sound, and it only gets worse as you keep going faster.
4 Made Of Light Metal
Ford has always been known for the reliability and ruggedness of its trucks, but sadly, in recent years, that has started to change. As mentioned earlier, Ford began to use aluminum for the body of their trucks, which is lighter and less durable. Many people claim that this is the main reason why F-Series has suffered from a decline in sales.
3 Faulty Spark Plugs
Issues with spark plugs are easy to resolve, and even somebody who knows virtually nothing about cars or pickups can change them themselves. However, the ones in the F-Series randomly eject themselves, and this usually leads to an expensive trip at the garage to find the missing piece.
2 Broken Door Latches
This is definitely one of the major problems with the F-Series, so much that the good folk at Ford had to recall two million F-150’s four years ago because of broken door latches. The problem was that once water gets into the latch, it can lead to freezing and car doors opening at random times, even while the truck is moving. How dangerous is that?
1 Sudden Engine Failure
Do you know Ford’s motto? Yes, that’s right – Build Ford Tough. However, those only seem to be empty words. So many angry customers have reported their engine stopping on them randomly, and the problem was so bad that even the U.S. Government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration inquired about it.