It wasn’t that long ago that Ford couldn’t produce F150 trucks fast enough. But that demand seems to have slowed, perhaps because certain issues have cropped up again and again. Let’s quickly examine a few of the more common problems with the Ford F150 truck – ones that our certified technicians at Dakota Ridge Automotive in Littleton are all too familiar with.
Now, we’re not saying the Ford F150 is a bad choice if you’re in the market to buy a truck. According to a Forbes article, it has received many favorable reviews, including five stars from Car and Driver. And its switch to an all-aluminum body has earned it bragging rights for having the highest tow rating, biggest payload and best gasoline fuel economy in the half-ton segment.
But, problems with the Ford F150 truck, spark plugs to brake issues, could be causing Ford fans to look elsewhere. Here’s a review of the issues from our experts at Dakota Ridge Automotive in Littleton.
Spark Plug Gap Causes Ignition Coil Failure
When the check engine light on your F150 truck comes on, it might be because an excessive spark plug gap is causing an ignition coil failure. It could also lead to the engine sputtering or misfiring. The ignition coil transforms the Ford F150’s battery voltage into a higher voltage required to ignite fuel by the spark plugs. We can fix this problem by replacing the spark plugs, failed ignition coils and coil boots.
Spark Plug Ejection From Cylinder Head
The V8 F150 truck’s spark plug can get ejected from the cylinder head, damaging the spark plug hole threads. Ford issued a technical service bulletin about this issue, so if your truck is still under warranty, our Dakota Ridge technicians can replace the cylinder. If not, a thread insert repair can be authorized.
Brake Failure
Another one of the problems with the Ford F150 truck is currently being investigated by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Issues that have been brought up in complaints regarding certain 2015 and 2016 truck models include brake loss, the brake warning lamp illuminating, the pedal going to the floor before the brakes engage, and low or empty brake fluid levels. This may actually be linked to a previous Ford recall of 2013 and 2014 F150 models with master cylinder and brake booster issues.
Head Gasket Oil Leak
If you’re smelling burnt oil, it could be your truck leaking oil from the passenger side head gasket onto the starter. This can be caused by improper assembly, overheating, erosion and more. Our Dakota Ridge technicians will diagnose the issue quickly and make the proper repair, whether it requires sealing the leaking seams with an industrial-strength epoxy or replacing the head gasket entirely.
Rough Engine Idling
The full-size F150 truck engine is supposed to idle smoothly. Rough engine idling can be caused by an exhaust gas recirculation(EGR) sensor malfunction which results in the EGR valve not closing properly. Dakota Ridge auto technicians can fix this problem by replacing the EGR sensor and valve.
There are a lot of great things about this truck as noted in numerous reviews, but becoming an owner may mean dealing with some of the common problems with the Ford F150 truck. Now that you know what to look for, you can make your decision either way. Of course, if you already own an F150 and have any of these issues going on with your truck, our highly trained and experienced technicians at Dakota Ridge Automotive in Littleton know how to fix them. Call or contact us today for an appointment.
