What are the best years of the Ford F-150?

Among its newer years that came out Worthy, away from any Maybe or Pass year, the 2020, 2024 and 2025 Ford F-150 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA against a typical year of the Ford F-150 at the same age. A year few people bought can look the same. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Which Ford F-150 years should I avoid?

The 1997, 2004 and 2005 Ford F-150 are the years to avoid: Pass years come first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA against a typical year at the same age. 1997 and 2004 came out Pass. 2005 came out Maybe. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold. Have any car inspected before you buy.

How do you decide which Ford F-150 years are best?

Each model year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA are held up against a typical year of the Ford F-150 at the same age, never against another model. The typical year leaves out years that were high themselves, so a run of bad years cannot set its own bar. A year with at least 5 complaints and under 2 times a typical year (1.2 times when most are about costly parts such as the engine) is Worthy, unless its complaints about costly parts alone reach 2.5 times a typical year's, or the years on both sides of it came out Maybe or Pass. A Maybe or Pass on its complaints needs enough more of them to rule out chance. The best years named are the newer Worthy years with the fewest complaints for their age, never right next to a Maybe or Pass year, and the years to avoid are the Pass years first, then the Maybe years. The newest 2 model years are too new to judge. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Best and worst Ford F-150 years to buy

Every model year, judged against the others.

Best and worst F-150 years

Look for 2015, 2016, 2020 to 2025, the newest Worthy years. Skip 1997 and 2004. Careful with 2005, 2011 to 2013 and 2018.

Best years

Of the newer years to look for, the ones with the fewest owner complaints for their age. A year few people bought can look the same.

Years to avoid

Pass years first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints against a typical year at the same age.

From owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Only years old enough to judge. Still have any car inspected.

Every year at a glance

24Worthy
5Maybe
2Pass
2Not judged

1995, high confidence, Worthy, 721

Newest Worthy years

The most recent judged years that came out Worthy, none right next to a Maybe or Pass year.

Worthy
0.9× a typical year

Lightest for their age

Worthy years with the fewest owner complaints against a typical year at the same age, none right next to a Maybe or Pass year. A year with few sales can look the same.

Worthy

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

How we judge a year

Each year’s owner complaints, held up against a typical year of the F-150 at the same age. Popular cars collect more complaints just by selling more, so a year is never compared with another model. The typical year leaves out years that were high themselves, so a run of bad years cannot set its own bar.

Worthy: At least 5 complaints, and under 2 times a typical year (1.2 if most are costly parts).
Maybe: 2 times a typical year or more, with at least 15 complaints. Or 2.5 times a typical year’s complaints about costly parts, with at least 25 of them. Or 1.2 times, with at least 25, most about costly parts. Too many to be chance each time. A year with a Maybe or Pass year on each side is Maybe too: it sits inside a run of problem years.
Pass: 3 times a typical year or more, with at least 25 complaints, too many to be chance.
Not judged: Too new (the newest 2 years), too few complaints, or too few to tell a real problem from chance.

Every rule, in full

Gathering every model year from NHTSA. The first look at a model can take a little while.

Best and worst F-150 years

Look for 2015, 2016, 2020 to 2025, the newest Worthy years. Skip 1997 and 2004. Careful with 2005, 2011 to 2013 and 2018.

Best years

Of the newer years to look for, the ones with the fewest owner complaints for their age. A year few people bought can look the same.

Years to avoid

Pass years first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints against a typical year at the same age.

From owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Only years old enough to judge. Still have any car inspected.

Year	Verdict	Owner complaints	Recalls	Top problem area
2027	Not judged	0	3	None on file
2026	Not judged	14	8	Brakes
2025	Worthy	110	14	Driver assist and cameras
2024	Worthy	195	11	Transmission and drivetrain
2023	Worthy	419	13	Transmission and drivetrain
2022	Worthy	605	23	Transmission and drivetrain
2021	Worthy	1,043	291 do not drive	Transmission and drivetrain
2020	Worthy	563	11	Transmission and drivetrain
2019	Worthy	1,022	9	Transmission and drivetrain
2018	Maybe	1,930	19	Transmission and drivetrain
2017	Worthy	1,150	18	Transmission and drivetrain
2016	Worthy	1,799	14	Transmission and drivetrain
2015	Worthy	1,425	14	Brakes
2014	Worthy	1,362	81 do not drive	Transmission and drivetrain
2013	Maybe	2,796	3	Transmission and drivetrain
2012	Maybe	1,717	4	Transmission and drivetrain
2011	Maybe	2,137	6	Transmission and drivetrain
2010	Worthy	851	1	Windows, wipers and visibility
2009	Worthy	324	2	Cruise and speed control
2008	Worthy	369	1	Engine
2007	Worthy	492	7	Engine
2006	Worthy	589	14	Engine
2005	Maybe	1,121	14	Windows, wipers and visibility
2004	Pass	2,036	16	Windows, wipers and visibility
2003	Worthy	464	11	Engine
2002	Worthy	957	10	Engine
2001	Worthy	1,347	19	Engine
2000	Worthy	1,216	17	Electrical
1999	Worthy	1,167	18	Engine
1998	Worthy	1,457	18	Wheels and tires
1997	Pass	2,991	26	Engine
1996	Worthy	376	7	Electrical
1995	Worthy	721	7	Brakes

Best and worst F-150 years

Best years

Years to avoid

Every year at a glance

Newest Worthy years

Lightest for their age

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Best and worst F-150 years

Best years

Years to avoid

Every year at a glance

Newest Worthy years

Lightest for their age

Think twice