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What Is the Most Reliable Ford F-150 Engine?
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With over a century of history, Ford F-series pickup trucks have stood at the top of lists of the most popular vehicles for generations. The F-150 is the flagship of that series, and it has been the best selling truck in the United States for over four decades. The F-150 carries a reputation for durability and strength, and in recent years, some F-150 models rival luxury vehicles for comfort and extravagant appointments.
The F-150 isn't just one model of truck — rather, it's a line of trucks within the larger F-series family. Over the years, the F-150 line has relied on several different engines, with varying degrees of reliability. Here's a look at some of the F-150's most reliable engines of the present and within the recent past.
Most Reliable Overall: 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6
Among the current crop of engines that Ford features for the F-150 line, the most reliable one may come as a surprise. The 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 is the standard engine for many of the models in the series, and it represents a sweet spot between power and efficiency. This engine gives you an impressive 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, which can handle the needs of most pickup owners.
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Additionally, the 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 can help you save on gas, giving you around 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 miles per gallon on the highway, depending on the model year of your truck. That level of fuel efficiency is remarkable, but what's even more extraordinary is that owners have registered few complaints beyond minor issues. If you're looking for a reliable engine in the F-150, chances are you won't have to upgrade beyond the factory standard.
A Sports Car Engine in a Pickup
Sometimes you need a little more power than a standard factory engine offers, which is why Ford has experimented with its hefty 5.0-Liter Coyote V8 in some F-150 models. The Coyote is a regular feature of Ford's iconic Mustang GT, so you can imagine the power that this engine pushes out. In an F-150, you can expect a whopping 395 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque with the 2018 and up 5.0-Liter Coyote V8 engines.
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Needless to say, you'll have to trade a little fuel efficiency for power. With the Coyote in your F-150 4x4, you're looking at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway. Owners have mentioned occasional stalling and roughness, but those complaints are few and far between. If it's power you're looking for, you can't beat the 5.0-Liter Coyote V8.
The Most Reliable Engine of the Past
For nearly a decade and a half, Ford relied on the mighty 4.6L V8 in many of its F-150 models, and to this day, many experts consider it a giant among engines for reliability. The 4.6L V8 served as a powerful workhorse in trucks from 1996 to 2010, when Ford discontinued it.
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This engine had high marks for power and fuel efficiency, but what's truly worth noting is that it had few owner complaints aside from some spark plug issues in the middle of the 2000s. If you're in the market for a used F-150 that's reliable and you're willing to go a little older, look for a truck with the vaunted 4.6L V8 inside.
Engines to Avoid
Not every engine in the F-150 is as reliable as the best ones, and there are a few that you should skip altogether if you're looking at used models. As stellar as the 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 is today, it stumbled out of the gate when Ford first introduced it. Its first model year of 2011 saw a disheartening number of complaints, and Ford took a couple of years to get those kinks worked out.
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Among even older F-150 models, you'll do well to avoid a couple of engines. Between 2004 and 2010, Ford's flagship engine for the F-150 was the Triton 5.4-liter V8. The first couple of years of this engine were quiet, though not stellar, but in 2007 and 2008 the engine experienced loads of complaints, some of which required completely replacing the engine. The next two years were better but not great, so you would do well to avoid the Triton 5.4-liter V8 in older F-150s.
What About Electric?
Electric vehicles are all the rage these days, and with the advance of technology, it stands to reason that we should expect electric engines in pickup trucks before too long. Does Ford have plans to create an electric version of its iconic F-150? Ford has been teasing both hybrid and all-electric F-series pickups for a while now. While promising a hybrid truck sometime in 2020, there's no specific date yet for an electric F-150.
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Ford has invested half a billion dollars in Rivian, an upstart company that is working on developing all-electric trucks and SUVs. Chances are Ford will use Rivian's platform for an electric version of the F-150. While a date remains to be seen, you can bet that an all-electric model of the best selling truck would be a gamechanger, especially if it boasts power that rivals its efficiency.
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