I wanted to share my experience to help others understand what they’re getting into before buying a used Ford F150. Here’s what happened with my 2022 F150 XLT (3.5L V6) I bought in January 2024 with only 16k miles.
Metal in My Engine Oil
I do my oil changes myself, so I was shocked to find a ton of metal shavings in the oil. Took it to the dealership, but they said it was normal and wouldn’t even drop the oil pan or look at the truck. The metal just keeps getting worse, and I’m waiting for another appointment to check it out.
Transmission Issues
I don’t tow heavy loads, just the occasional snowmobile trailer. But my transmission has been rough from the start, with clunky shifts and strange behavior. I’ve had it relearned 3 times and even had the valve body replaced, but that made things worse—loss of power, service lights, and strange noises. I’m now waiting for a transmission replacement.
Radio Problems
The radio had dead pixels when I bought it. The first dealership tried to fix it with a software update, but that didn’t work. The second dealership replaced the radio and other parts, but I still lose audio and have to restart the truck to hear anything.
Rattling Noises
When the engine is hot, I hear a rattling sound when I shut the door. The dealership replaced the heat shields and zip-tied them, but it didn’t help. They have no idea what’s causing it and reported it to Ford engineering.
I’ve only had the truck for less than a year and it already has 32k miles. This is unacceptable, and I’ve had multiple bad experiences with Ford’s customer service. I’ve filed two warranty cases and a lemon law claim, but Ford declined it.
Does anyone have advice on how to get a new vehicle without losing a lot of money? I’d really appreciate any suggestions.
TLDR: F150s are terrible. Don’t waste your money. Customer service is awful.
Ah yes, the classic post where one person’s bad experience means all Fords are bad. Hope it didn’t take too long to type, because that was a waste of time.
Bright said:
Ah yes, the classic post where one person’s bad experience means all Fords are bad. Hope it didn’t take too long to type, because that was a waste of time.
‘Don’t buy a Ford because I had a bad experience!’
Bright said:
Ah yes, the classic post where one person’s bad experience means all Fords are bad. Hope it didn’t take too long to type, because that was a waste of time.
F150s sell over 650,000 units a year since 2015. Even if 8% of them have issues, that’s still a lot of trucks. Other brands like Tundra or Ram have fewer issues because they produce fewer trucks.
My 2023 F150 has about 18k miles and hasn’t had any problems. Very reliable, and the dealerships have been really helpful with any servicing. So, I’d say buy a Ford if you want a reliable truck!
I wonder if the oil change you did was the first one since the truck was new. That could explain the metal shavings if it hadn’t been changed in a while.
Tate said:
I wonder if the oil change you did was the first one since the truck was new. That could explain the metal shavings if it hadn’t been changed in a while.
No, it had regular oil changes at 5,000-mile intervals before I bought it. I checked the CarFax to confirm that.
Honestly, it might be time to cut your losses. Try selling it to CarMax or Carvana. I had a similar issue with a GMC and was relieved to get rid of it. It’s just luck of the draw with most brands now. My F150’s been great, but I know many others have problems.
That rattle could be the wastegate rattle if your truck has a turbo. Ford transmissions, especially the 10-speed, are known to have issues. I also had a horrible experience with Ford’s customer service—it was almost enough to make me consider a lawsuit. Hopefully, things improve for you!
That’s what happens when you buy a used car or truck. Now it’s about the specific truck you get, not the brand. Some last 300,000 miles without issues, and others barely make it past 50,000. The first owner probably knew the truck had problems from the start.
Sam said:
You should consider getting a lemon law lawyer involved. They can look at all your issues and see if you have a case.
Does lemon law apply to used vehicles?
Yes, in Massachusetts it does. You have 90 days to file if the car has under 40k miles. I tried filing after the 90 days and even though the issues started within that time, it was denied.
@Auden
Did you test drive the truck before buying it? You probably would’ve noticed some of those issues like the radio, rattle, and transmission problems. Maybe you should’ve kept looking for a better truck.
@Chen
Yep, I test drove it and didn’t notice any problems at all. I have family members with 2019+ F150s, so I knew what to look for. None of these issues came up until after I bought the truck and picked it up from the dealership.
