How common are engine problems in the 2020 Ford F-150?

NHTSA lists 150 engine complaints for the 2020 F-150, accounting for 21% of all 727 complaints filed for that model year.

Is there a recall for the 2020 Ford F-150 engine?

No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint category.

At what mileage do 2020 F-150 engine problems usually occur?

The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this engine issue is 55,000 miles.

Are there safety incidents tied to these engine complaints?

NHTSA data tied to this engine category for the 2020 F-150 includes 2 crashes, 3 fires, and 2 injuries.

How does the 2020 F-150 compare to other years for engine complaints?

The 21% share for 2020 is lower than years like 2012 (34%) and 2019 (31%), but higher than 2021 (11%) and 2022 (9%).

2020 Ford F-150 Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 150 engine complaints for the 2020 Ford F-150, 21% of all complaints filed for the year, with a median failure mileage of 55,000 miles. There is no related recall listed for this engine issue.

Engine complaints: 150; 21% of 727
Crashes reported: 2
Fires reported: 3
Injuries reported: 2
Median mileage: 55,000 mi
Related recalls: 0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

Vehicle stalls or shuts off unexpectedly while driving, sometimes after a false 'auto start-stop, shift to P then restart' message appears even with start-stop disabled.
5.0-liter V8 engines consume oil rapidly, with some owners reporting a quart lost every 500 to 1,000 miles despite a dealer-applied fix.
Engine enters low power mode or the truck stalls entirely while a 'drive mode malfunction' message displays on the cluster.
Owners report engine compartment or dashboard fires occurring both while parked and while the engine was off.
Cruise control has failed to disengage when brakes were applied, preventing the truck from slowing down as expected.

When 2020 Ford F-150 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 8, 2020, latest Sep 17, 2026.

150 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2020 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q2 (14).

Engine recalls for the 2020 Ford F-150

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by F-150 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

2010169 (20%)
2011637 (29%)
2012600 (34%)
2013767 (26%)
2014266 (17%)
2015393 (23%)
2016411 (20%)
2017413 (29%)
2018639 (28%)
2019407 (31%)
2020150 (21%)
2021113 (11%)
202254 (9%)
202345 (11%)
202423 (12%)
202515 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2020 Ford F-150?: NHTSA lists 150 engine complaints for the 2020 F-150, accounting for 21% of all 727 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2020 Ford F-150 engine?: No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint category.
At what mileage do 2020 F-150 engine problems usually occur?: The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this engine issue is 55,000 miles.
Are there safety incidents tied to these engine complaints?: NHTSA data tied to this engine category for the 2020 F-150 includes 2 crashes, 3 fires, and 2 injuries.
How does the 2020 F-150 compare to other years for engine complaints?: The 21% share for 2020 is lower than years like 2012 (34%) and 2019 (31%), but higher than 2021 (11%) and 2022 (9%).