Case file · FORD-F-150-2015-2020 · Field document

Ford F-150 2015–2020 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes — not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Cold-start the truck after it's sat overnight: a 2–5 second rattle/tick from the front of a 3.5L EcoBoost is the classic worn cam phaser. Don't let a seller warm it up before you arrive.

2. Check 02

   On any 10-speed (2017+), drive it 35–50 mph on light throttle and feel for hunting between gears, hard 1-2 or 2-1 shifts, and clunks. A test drive that's all highway hides this — make it shift in town.

3. Check 03

   On a 2018+ 5.0L V8, check the oil level and ask for oil-change records; excessive consumption (a quart in ~1,000 miles) is the documented complaint. Look for the revised dipstick.

4. Check 04

   Run the VIN on Ford's recall lookup (or NHTSA): confirm the brake master cylinder recall and the 2015–2017 door-latch recall were completed.

5. Check 05

   Inspect the aluminum body for corrosion at panel seams and around steel fasteners (galvanic corrosion) and check prior collision repair quality — aluminum body work is specialized and expensive.

6. Check 06

   On EcoBoost trucks, look for turbo-related condensation/coolant issues and listen for intercooler 'limp' stumbles under hard acceleration in humid weather.

7. Check 07

   Check that any towing-heavy truck has clean transmission service history; the 10-speed and 6-speed both want fluid changes if it's worked hard.