2020 F150 - any common problems to watch out for

[BigL]

Got my eye on one that I may buy by the weekend. Any common problems to look for?

Has the 5.0l V8 engine.

I'm familiar with that engine since my 2011 has the same engine. My truck's engine is still great at 282k miles. but trans is starting to worry me. How is that 10 speed trans? How does it tow with the 3.31 axles compared to an older 6 speed trans with 3.55 axles? I believe it should do better in the lower gears. From what I read online here are the gear ratios

Gear ratios 10r80 - 4.69, 2.98, 2.14, 1.76, 1.52, 1.27, 1, 0.85, 0.68, 0.63
Gear ratios 6r80 - 4.17, 2.34, 1.52, 1.14, 0.87, 0.69

so a 10r80 9th gear with 3.31 is going to be about the same as a 6r80 6th gear with a 3.55 but everything before it is better. Is that real? I tow a 7500# travel trailer some with it. Not a lot but still want a truck that can do it. Most of my towing is in Texas and usually just a few hours from Austin with an occasional trip to Gulf Shores, AL.

[JakeM]

oil consumption. 18-20 its a common problem. There is a TSB out to fix it.

I have a 10r80 and wish mine had a 6 speed. I have the 3.31 gears and it gets good gas mileage but i prefer the 6 in my dads truck. Cant speak to the towing with the 3.31.

[Chase4556]

Look up the CDF drum failure in the 10r80. Just dealt with it in my 2019 F150 at 84k miles. If I didn’t have an extended warranty that would have been an expensive fix.

[Bayouboy]

No problem at all with mine.

[hchntr]

I've got a 2020 with eco boost, @86000 miles
its been a great truck

[Huntingfool]

I've got a 2020 with eco boost, @86000 miles
its been a great truck

same here - I have 78k -

[WItoTX]

The Coyote has some inherent problems with oil consumption. Not every motor, but some. The best fix I have found on my Coyote based motor (I have the VooDoo) is to find an oil the engine likes. Castrol has been awesome for me, cut down consumption significantly vs Motorcraft, but your motor may prefer something different. I am going to give Liquid Moly a shot next.

I believe that is the Gen II motor, which generally was pretty solid, and had a lot of upgrades from the Gen I. Google Gen I vs Gen II Coyote motor, and you will find a whole list. The Mustang forums would be a good place to read as it's the same motor with a different tune. With out getting into the weeds, the way the crank spins, it sprays oil foam up into the oil drainage channels on the left bank, which blocks up flow, and pushes oil into the breather tube, which then, without a oil separator installed, sucks back into the intake, and that is when oil is consumed on these motors. Also, these motors like heat, and I would refrain from pushing them too hard until the heads are at least 200 degrees.

Transmission, I've heard a lot of unhappy people. But I've not dug into it enough to separate fact from abuse. I assume your truck has the engine oil and transmission coolers, and I'd bet you will be just fine with that set up.

[Easttxbowman]

That year model 5.0 like others have said has oil consumption issues.

Regarding the 10sp trans, I don’t think I’ve heard of any going out per day but they 100% are quirky. Like hard shifts in 4th and 8th due to the adaptive learning.

Very solid trucks and I don’t know if I’d shy away from one but for sure things to keep an eye on.

[eastover53]

I've had a 2014 f150 with the 5.0 and 6 speed. Put 290,000 miles on it. It left me stranded twice(water pump and alternator). Also replaced the starter. No other issues until the transmission started to slip when you first started it. I knew that the transmission was about to go out and the motor was going to be soon after, considering the miles. I really liked the truck but did not like towing my pontoon. Would shift down to 4th gear and it sounded like you had the engine wound so high that it was going to blow. Pulling in these hills with a 25 MPH Kansas wind in your face really sucks.

Traded it on a 2020 f150 with the 2.7 ecoboost and the 10 speed and the higher gear ratio. It actually pulled the pontoon ok. Not great, but ok. Didn't have the issues where the RPMs were super high. Having the extra gears really made a difference. However, the paint started peeling at 40,000 miles. Took it back to the dealer and Ford gave me a bottle of touch up paint. (I'm still ****** about that.)

Traded that one in on a 2023 F150 with the 5.0 and 10 speed. Great combination. Pulls great, plenty of power, and always feels like it's in the right gear for towing. Only 8,000 miles on this one, but so far I am really happy.

[BigL]

The Coyote has some inherent problems with oil consumption. Not every motor, but some. The best fix I have found on my Coyote based motor (I have the VooDoo) is to find an oil the engine likes. Castrol has been awesome for me, cut down consumption significantly vs Motorcraft, but your motor may prefer something different. I am going to give Liquid Moly a shot next.

I believe that is the Gen II motor, which generally was pretty solid, and had a lot of upgrades from the Gen I. Google Gen I vs Gen II Coyote motor, and you will find a whole list. The Mustang forums would be a good place to read as it's the same motor with a different tune. With out getting into the weeds, the way the crank spins, it sprays oil foam up into the oil drainage channels on the left bank, which blocks up flow, and pushes oil into the breather tube, which then, without a oil separator installed, sucks back into the intake, and that is when oil is consumed on these motors. Also, these motors like heat, and I would refrain from pushing them too hard until the heads are at least 200 degrees.

Transmission, I've heard a lot of unhappy people. But I've not dug into it enough to separate fact from abuse. I assume your truck has the engine oil and transmission coolers, and I'd bet you will be just fine with that set up.

This truck has the Gen 3 version of the engine.

[cstrey18]

I had to have the oil pan and transmission replaced at 97k on my 2019. It also burns 2-3 quarts of oil between oil changes. I ended up getting a Ronin drain plug because the plastic plugs tend to leak.

I tow a 24’ center console boat with mine sometimes and I wouldn’t want to haul it very far. It does ok at 60 but any faster and it struggles a bit.

[BigL]

I've had a 2014 f150 with the 5.0 and 6 speed. Put 290,000 miles on it. It left me stranded twice(water pump and alternator). Also replaced the starter. No other issues until the transmission started to slip when you first started it. I knew that the transmission was about to go out and the motor was going to be soon after, considering the miles. I really liked the truck but did not like towing my pontoon. Would shift down to 4th gear and it sounded like you had the engine wound so high that it was going to blow. Pulling in these hills with a 25 MPH Kansas wind in your face really sucks.

Traded it on a 2020 f150 with the 2.7 ecoboost and the 10 speed and the higher gear ratio. It actually pulled the pontoon ok. Not great, but ok. Didn't have the issues where the RPMs were super high. Having the extra gears really made a difference. However, the paint started peeling at 40,000 miles. Took it back to the dealer and Ford gave me a bottle of touch up paint. (I'm still ****** about that.)

Traded that one in on a 2023 F150 with the 5.0 and 10 speed. Great combination. Pulls great, plenty of power, and always feels like it's in the right gear for towing. Only 8,000 miles on this one, but so far I am really happy.

Thanks. My 2011 f150 is very similar to your 2014. I agree with the towing in hills or high winds getting the engine wound really high. One time my now ex thought I was trying to blow the engine. Funny the engine outlasted her! I have 283k miles on it and transmission is doing the same as yours slipping until warmed up. I just changed my lead frame because my output sensor was starting to go out and go into the high gear Engagement (TSB 13-6-8) but too soon to say if that helped it (only 15 miles since it was changed). But the transmission is my concern and what got me looking around. I've been stranded 2x in it but one was a fan belt break due to I believe a mechanic mistake when putting it back on after replacing the radiator hoses. The other was the fuel pump fuse needing the relocation kit (TSB 15-0137). Simple fuse 27 relocation kit last year and back up and running great after.

its been a great truck but think its time to replace it. So when this 2020 with the 5.0l showed up, it got my attention. I think the main differences are the transmission and the gear ratio.

I'm going to say the 2020 and your 2023 are very similar since the Gen 3 version was in the 2018-2023 trucks. Thanks for your reply.

[Mexico]

That 5.0 Coyote will drink oil like nobody's business. Mine made it 170k ( 2018) miles then was done. Pretty disappointing.

[WItoTX]

This truck has the Gen 3 version of the engine.

The same issue persists across all generations, they didn't change the oil drainage setup. The Gen IV is slightly revised, but I've read it isn't different enough to make a huge difference.

IMO, it's kind of a toss up between the 3.5 and the 5.0. If I was in your shoes, it would be tough to pick. 5.0 has so many performance add's that can be done to it, but the 3.5 can be tuned to the Raptor. Internally, the 3.5 is the same in both the Raptor and F-150. But you can get a warranty on performance upgrades to the 5.0 too.

[BigL]

The same issue persists across all generations, they didn't change the oil drainage setup. The Gen IV is slightly revised, but I've read it isn't different enough to make a huge difference.

IMO, it's kind of a toss up between the 3.5 and the 5.0. If I was in your shoes, it would be tough to pick. 5.0 has so many performance add's that can be done to it, but the 3.5 can be tuned to the Raptor. Internally, the 3.5 is the same in both the Raptor and F-150. But you can get a warranty on performance upgrades to the 5.0 too.

Yea I've had the Gen 1 version for over 12 years and 282k miles. I already used to keeping an eye on oil levels.

I'm also buying used so kind of depends what's available. This one im looking at only has 27k miles