Is the 2020 Ford F-150 reliable?

The 2020 Ford F-150 has 842 complaints filed with NHTSA (0.5x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: average. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2020 Ford F-150?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (307 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (129 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (87 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2020 Ford F-150?

Yes, there are 11 recall(s): TIRES:BEAD, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS, BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

Is the 2020 Ford F-150 often stolen?

Theft risk tier for the Ford F-150: above-avg. HLDI insurance loss data suggests higher-than-average theft claims for this model.

How much does it cost to insure a 2020 Ford F-150?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2020 Ford F-150 is approximately $1,703/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2020 Ford F-150

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2020 Ford F-150 has 842 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.5x the segment average of 1726. The most common issue is transmission problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: after 6 weeks of ownership and 1000 miles of usage, i had a few examples of potential transmission issues. first i had a couple of examples of clunks when beginning to drive immediately after start up. a couple days ago i had the worst experience yet. after pulling into a parking spot to wait for a . There are 11 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 18 crash reports 15 injuries

842

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

307 complaints

36%

• AFTER 6 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP AND 1000 MILES OF USAGE, I HAD A FEW EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION ISSUES. FIRST I HAD A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CLUNKS WHEN BEGINNING TO DRIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP. A COUPLE DAYS AGO I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE YET. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT TO WAIT FOR A
• THE GEAR WILL NOT GO INTO PARK AND ALLOW ME TO START. ALSO, THE DISPLAY INDICATES I AM IN THE WRONG GEAR DISPLAY SHOWS NEUTRAL BUT TRUCK IS IN DRIVE, DISPLAY SHOWS REVERSE BUT THE TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL. THIS ALL HAPPENED AFTER BACKING THE TRUCK UP IN REVERS, STOPPING AND SHIFTING TO DRIVE TO PULL FOR
• RATCHETING SOUND ON DECEL WHEN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE COLD. SOUND OCCURS WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED BETWEEN 800-1500 RPMS ON IMMEDIATE DECEL. TSBS EXIST FOR PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS WITH THE 10 SPEED TRANSMISSION BUT NOT THE 2020.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“AFTER 6 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP AND 1000 MILES OF USAGE, I HAD A FEW EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION ISSUES. FIRST I HAD A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CLUNKS WHEN BEGINNING TO DRIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP. A COUPLE DAYS AGO I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE YET. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT TO WAIT FOR A ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2020 Ford F-150

Based on 294 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 34K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

140

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

In line with typicalmedian 57K mi · 88 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

In line with typicalmedian 4K mi · 29 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

VISIBILITY

In line with typicalmedian 21K mi · 23 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 7K mi · 20 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

In line with typicalmedian 21K mi · 16 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

In line with typicalmedian 8K mi · 13 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (11)

TIRES:BEAD18/12/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

Risk: The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

Above-average theft risk

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2020 Ford F-150

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,703

Full coverage / month

$142

Liability only / year

$611

vs US avg

+2%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.06x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1703

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford F-150 Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2020 F-150, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 842 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: AFTER 6 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP AND 1000 MILES OF USAGE, I HAD A FEW EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION ISSUES. FIRST I HAD A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CLUNKS WHEN BEGINNING TO DRIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP. A COUPLE DAYS AGO I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE YET. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT TO WAIT FOR A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: DRIVE MODE MALFUNCTION MESSAGE APPEARS IN MESSAGE CENTER. VEHICLE CANNOT CHANCE DRIVE MODES, SUSPENSION STIFFENS UP, AND ENGINE WILL GO INTO LOW POWER MODE OR COMPLETELY STALLS. MESSAGE HAS RANDOMLY APPEARED ABOUT 6 TIMES NOW. FIRST ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED ON FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP AT 118 MILES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE BACK RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO REASON. THE TRUCK WAS SITTING PARKED AND LOCKED. IT SHATTERED AND BOWED OUTWARD FROM THE CABIN. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: BOUGHT TRUCK ON 05/25/2020 . TODAY'S 05/30/2020 . MY TRUCK HAS ONLY 355.7 MILES AND HAS A WARNING ALREADY ' CHARGING SYSTEM SERVICES NOW' . I BEEN DRIVING FROM GALVESTON TEXAS TO WEBSTER TX. AND THE WARNING KEEP POPPING OUT DRIVEN AND EVEN ON FULL STOP. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 11 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)