I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
The 2011-2017 models are pretty solid. You might encounter some coolant leaks as the mileage increases, but nothing major. The 2018-2020 models tend to burn oil, but not all of them. I haven’t worked much on the 2021 and newer ones. Personally, I’d go for the 2016-2017 models; the engine and transmission are mostly reliable, and they come with the Sync 3 infotainment system and an aluminum body. I’m a Ford dealer tech, so that’s just my two cents.
JosephDavis said:
The 2011-2017 models are pretty solid. You might encounter some coolant leaks as the mileage increases, but nothing major. The 2018-2020 models tend to burn oil, but not all of them. I haven’t worked much on the 2021 and newer ones. Personally, I’d go for the 2016-2017 models; the engine and transmission are mostly reliable, and they come with the Sync 3 infotainment system and an aluminum body. I’m a Ford dealer tech, so that’s just my two cents.
You can put the Sync 3 system in the 2010-2014 models easily too.
JosephDavis said:
The 2011-2017 models are pretty solid. You might encounter some coolant leaks as the mileage increases, but nothing major. The 2018-2020 models tend to burn oil, but not all of them. I haven’t worked much on the 2021 and newer ones. Personally, I’d go for the 2016-2017 models; the engine and transmission are mostly reliable, and they come with the Sync 3 infotainment system and an aluminum body. I’m a Ford dealer tech, so that’s just my two cents.
My main concern with the newer models is that the oil pump is driven by a wet belt. Why did they switch from the chain?
I’ve got a 2013 FX4 with a coyote engine. It’s at 293,000km now. Aside from regular maintenance, I’ve only needed to replace the starter and water pump, which is pretty normal for an 11-year-old truck.
The company I used to work for ran the coyote engine in their half-tons. They analyzed everything by numbers and ended up sticking with the 5.0 engine for being the most cost-efficient. That engine paired with the 10-speed transmission has some real power.
The 5.0 engine might be cheaper to maintain, but it’s not as good for towing and hauling compared to the 3.5L engines. That low-end torque from the 3.5L really helps. Both engines can be retuned though, with some models of the 3.0L now getting close to the 3.5L numbers and even matching the 5.0 in some F150s.
Ford tech here. The 2011-2017 V8s are pretty reliable if you keep up with basic maintenance. Higher mileage engines might have some coolant leaks, but that’s typical for any brand. The 2018 and up models can develop a ticking sound, but it’s considered normal (sounds like a typewriter). If possible, get one with the 10-speed transmission—it’s a solid transmission, and I’ve only seen one break after the owner tried crossing a creek deeper than expected. For towing, the 3.5L ecoboost is great, but make sure the cam phasers have been updated. The 2.7L is good for highway and city driving, but it’s not as strong for towing compared to the 3.5L or 5.0L. The fuel economy isn’t much better either.
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
I had a 2011 with the 5.0 coyote engine. Wasn’t too impressed. Curious to see how they run nowadays.
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
I had a 2011 with the 5.0 coyote engine. Wasn’t too impressed. Curious to see how they run nowadays.
I had a similar experience with my 2013 until the Transmission Software Recall. After the update, the truck felt much more responsive.
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
Cylinder deactivation caused major problems in GM trucks, but Ford seems to have figured it out. The 2021 models are getting high mileage now, and I still haven’t heard of any issues with cylinder deactivation.
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
Cylinder deactivation caused major problems in GM trucks, but Ford seems to have figured it out. The 2021 models are getting high mileage now, and I still haven’t heard of any issues with cylinder deactivation.
I haven’t heard any complaints about the oil pump either.
Grace said:
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
Cylinder deactivation caused major problems in GM trucks, but Ford seems to have figured it out. The 2021 models are getting high mileage now, and I still haven’t heard of any issues with cylinder deactivation.
I haven’t heard any complaints about the oil pump either.
We probably won’t hear about the oil pump until these trucks hit 150k miles and the belts start failing. I don’t think internal belts belong in engines meant for durability.
Carly said:
Grace said:
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
Cylinder deactivation caused major problems in GM trucks, but Ford seems to have figured it out. The 2021 models are getting high mileage now, and I still haven’t heard of any issues with cylinder deactivation.
I haven’t heard any complaints about the oil pump either.
We probably won’t hear about the oil pump until these trucks hit 150k miles and the belts start failing. I don’t think internal belts belong in engines meant for durability.
I think the 2.7L has the same design, while the 3.5L still has a gear-driven oil pump.
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
From what I’ve seen, the 2018-2020 models tend to have turbo issues. My 2020 model went through two sets of turbos in 177k kilometers, so I traded it for a 2023 5.0.
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
From what I’ve seen, the 2018-2020 models tend to have turbo issues. My 2020 model went through two sets of turbos in 177k kilometers, so I traded it for a 2023 5.0.
I’ve got an 18 with 90k miles and haven’t had a single issue. Turbo failures don’t seem that common.
Chase said:
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
From what I’ve seen, the 2018-2020 models tend to have turbo issues. My 2020 model went through two sets of turbos in 177k kilometers, so I traded it for a 2023 5.0.
I’ve got an 18 with 90k miles and haven’t had a single issue. Turbo failures don’t seem that common.
Are you in any F150 groups outside of this forum? Turbo issues seem pretty common for the 2018-2020 models.
Mackenzie said:
Chase said:
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
From what I’ve seen, the 2018-2020 models tend to have turbo issues. My 2020 model went through two sets of turbos in 177k kilometers, so I traded it for a 2023 5.0.
I’ve got an 18 with 90k miles and haven’t had a single issue. Turbo failures don’t seem that common.
Are you in any F150 groups outside of this forum? Turbo issues seem pretty common for the 2018-2020 models.
Yes, I am. The 3.5L is the most common engine in F150s, so naturally, you’ll hear more about issues with it. There are simply more trucks with that engine on the road.
Chase said:
Mackenzie said:
Chase said:
Mackenzie said:
Noah said:
I’ve started my search for a pickup truck and have been looking into options from Chevy, Toyota, and Ford. Recently, I’ve been leaning towards getting an F150 with the coyote engine. Does anyone have experience with the other brands that can share some insights, especially when it comes to reliability?
Go for the ecoboost instead. The 2023 5.0 now has cylinder deactivation and an internal belt-driven oil pump, which raises some concerns. On the other hand, the 3.5 cam phaser issue has been solved, and it’s a very reliable engine.
From what I’ve seen, the 2018-2020 models tend to have turbo issues. My 2020 model went through two sets of turbos in 177k kilometers, so I traded it for a 2023 5.0.
I’ve got an 18 with 90k miles and haven’t had a single issue. Turbo failures don’t seem that common.
Are you in any F150 groups outside of this forum? Turbo issues seem pretty common for the 2018-2020 models.
Yes, I am. The 3.5L is the most common engine in F150s, so naturally, you’ll hear more about issues with it. There are simply more trucks with that engine on the road.
I think you’re talking about the 2.7L engine. They’re very different from the 3.5L.