Ford F-150 Engine Problems: What You Need to Know

The Ford F-150 pickup truck is extremely popular for its hauling capacity, attractive design, and engine power. Nearly one million are sold each year, and there are over 16 million on US roads today. However, some of these trucks have issues with the 5.0L Coyote engines that could qualify under lemon laws in your state.

If your Ford F-150 has engine problems, here is what you need to know. Issues such as clicking, excessive oil consumption, or stalling could leave you with high repair bills. Robison Lemon Law Group is ready to help you understand how the law can work for you.  

History of the Ford F-150 Coyote Engine

Ford Motor Company has a long history of making many types of vehicles, but the F-150 pickup truck is one of its most popular and beloved models. In 2011, Ford introduced the 5.0L Coyote engine as a naturally aspirated powerplant for its pickup trucks. While it only gives an average of 16.5 miles per gallon of gas overall, the Coyote is versatile and also appears in Ford’s famous Mustang model.

The Coyote was made until 2020, with regular upgrades to address issues that arose, such as leaking head gaskets and misfiring spark plugs. This 5.0L engine is part of Ford’s line of Modular engines, designed to be powerful, reliable, and easy to manufacture. It is also available in a crate version for those who wish to swap the engine into other vehicles.

The six generations of Coyote engines are:

• Coyote Generation 1
• Coyote Generation 3
• Voodoo, Roadrunner
• Aluminator
• Predator

Vehicles That Use the Coyote Engine

Because of its increased power and fuel efficiency, the Coyote was made the base engine option for the Ford F-150 pickup truck and the Mustang in the US, and the Ford Falcon in Australia. The V8 style Coyote engine was produced to compete with Chevrolet’s 6.2L engine used in its Camaro model. The Coyote has a dual overhead cam (DHOC) design that fits into the mountings used for Ford’s previous 4.8L engine to allow easy swap-outs. 

Is the 5.0 Coyote in the F-150 a Good Engine? 

The 5.0L Coyote engine in the Ford F-150 is considered highly reliable by both the manufacturer and vehicle owners. Ford designed the engine to be versatile and to produce strong power and torque at a reasonable cost. It increases fuel efficiency due to its twin independent variable cam timing (Ti-VCT) system, which also reduces emission levels. The engine also has a long lifespan, easily lasting over 200,000 miles on average with appropriate maintenance.

Despite its popularity, the engine does exhibit some common issues that can range from inexpensive to extremely costly to repair. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that complaints from Coyote engine F-150 owners are highest for the following years in this order:

 

• 2013
• 2015
• 2016
• 2011
• 2007
• 2002
• 2010 

 

On the other side, the NHTSA reports the best years for Ford F-150s with the 5.0L Coyote engines are 2012, 2014, and 2018.

Problems With the 5.0L Coyote Engine in Ford F-150 Trucks

The Coyote engine has demonstrated common issues in the nine years of its distribution, such as stalling while driving. Other difficulties regularly reported with this model include:

 

• Malfunctioning electronic throttle
• Oil leaks and head gasket failures
• Failure in the ignition coil
• Faulty spark plugs 
• Failures with the exhaust gas recirculation valve
• Engine running roughly 
• Metal clicking in the transmission during gear changes
• Coolant leaks
• Gears skipping in automatic transmissions

 

While these issues can arise with any vehicle, the Coyote has been redesigned frequently to address these problems. However, if you have a truck that carries one of the earlier models, you may face repair expenses for engine problems that were the result of faulty design by the manufacturer. This means you could qualify to pursue a lemon law claim against Ford.

Contact Our Lemon Law Attorneys Today

While you may enjoy your Ford F-150 truck, you probably do not enjoy high repair costs that keep you from driving it. The Robison Lemon Law Group will listen to your story and explain how you can seek the compensation you may deserve. Use our online form to contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Click here to learn more about the PA Lemon Law, the NJ Lemon Law, or the NY Lemon Law.