Ford F-150 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2004 draws 5.22 complaints per run and the 2007 1.78, a 2.9-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 76.1% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine and Engine Cooling, with 1,706 complaints, typically at 5.6 years.

Ford F-150 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Ford F-150 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2020	1.19	50	42	yes
2019	1.38	58	42	yes
2018	1.29	85	66	yes
2017	1.35	66	49	yes
2016	1.36	91	67	yes
2009	1.91	294	154	yes
2008	2.08	323	155	yes
2007	1.78	412	231	yes
2006	2.01	505	251	yes
2005	3.51	942	268	yes
2004	5.22	1634	313	yes
2003	1.86	337	181	yes
2002	2.41	639	265	yes
2001	2.91	987	339	yes
2000	2.42	880	363	yes
1999	2.3	800	348	yes
1998	2.25	1080	479	yes
1997	3.1	2232	720	yes
1996	1.87	264	141	yes
1995	2	485	242	yes
1994	2.13	516	242	yes
1993	1.8	480	267	yes
1992	1.72	389	226	yes
1991	1.39	238	171	yes
1990	1	18	18	yes
1989	1	10	10	yes

ROWS 26·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2004 F-150 asks a median $4,975, against $5,300 for a 2005, the next model year: about 6% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 7 Ford F-150 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2004, 2005, 2001; the three worth hunting are 2007, 2006, 2002.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Ford F-150 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	1082	9.1%	covered
1 year	904	16.6%	covered
2 years	867	23.9%	covered
3 years	1120	33.3%	you pay
4 years	1098	42.5%	you pay
5 years	1199	52.5%	you pay
6 years	1070	61.4%	you pay
7 years	899	69%	you pay
8 years	812	75.8%	you pay
9 years	607	80.9%	you pay
10 years	628	86.1%	you pay
11 years	467	90%	you pay
12 years	355	93%	you pay
13 years	351	95.9%	you pay
14 years	315	98.6%	you pay
15 years	171	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 23.9% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 76.1% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 22% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Ford F-150, the early trouble is Service Brakes — reported at around 3.8 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine And Engine Cooling at 5.6 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Ford F-150 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine And Engine Cooling	1706	5.6 yrs	21	182
Fuel System	1632	8.6 yrs	12	53
Gasoline	1551	8.7 yrs	11	50
Electrical System	1303	6.2 yrs	21	583
Power Train	1292	5 yrs	73	11
Vehicle Speed Control	1274	6.3 yrs	107	548
Service Brakes	1254	3.8 yrs	142	52
Visibility	1235	4.6 yrs	6	6

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the F-150's vehicle class. Per production run, the Dodge Ram draws 2.54, the RAM 1500 3.06 and the Chevrolet Silverado 3.05, against 2.5 for the F-150. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Ford F-150 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the F-150	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Dodge Ram	10,632	188	1994–2012
RAM 1500	10,420	201	2013–2026
Chevrolet Silverado	15,453	445	1999–2026
GMC Sierra	6,907	419	1989–2026
Ford Ranger	8,575	280	1982–2026
Nissan Frontier	1,377	142	1998–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Ford F-150

Recalls466 campaigns Fuel economy72 mpg best Common problems18,750 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices35,696 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ford F-150 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.5 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which F-150 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2004, 2005, 2001. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2007, 2006, 2002. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do F-150 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Engine and Engine Cooling, typically at 5.6 years, followed by Fuel System.

Will the warranty cover F-150 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 23.9% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 22% of the complaints here.

Is the F-150 more reliable than the Dodge Ram?

Yes: 2.5 complaints per production run for the F-150 against 2.54 for the Dodge Ram.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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