People love the Ford F150 because its body is appealing, the cabin is spacious and luxurious, the seats are comfortable, the design is sleek overall, and, on top of it all, this vehicle can withstand all kinds of road and driving conditions. This light duty truck from the Ford F series, that you can read more on if you go here, has become one of the most popular choices, as it meets the standards of not only style and luxury, but also performance. Does it always, though?
As it happens with every vehicle, this one can have its own issues as well. The problem occurs when the issues are far too serious to be neglected, or when there are so many of them that you can’t count. If you’ve bought such a Ford F150, be ready to get disappointed. Not all hope should be lost, though, because these issues have to be dealt with and, fortunately, there’s this nice concept called the Lemon Law that protects buyers from basically wasting their money on defective products.
Not all Ford F150s are lemons, though. If a vehicle is referred to as a lemon, it means that it is defective and that it doesn’t meet quality and usefulness standards, in which case you can file a claim and have the manufacturer either repurchase or replace the vehicle. I’ve mentioned that not all of these trucks are lemons, meaning that you could have luck and come across a perfect one when you decide to buy it, so don’t be discouraged from making the actual purchase. If, however, you notice that it is defective, and if the issues you’re having can’t be fixed after what’s called a reasonable number of attempts, you should look into the Lemon Law and make your claim.
Every U.S. state is covered by the Lemon Law, so to speak, meaning that you can file your claim regardless of your location. The specific jurisdictions, though, in different places will have a say in how much you’re actually protected and which goods will be covered under these laws. Vehicles, however, will be covered everywhere, and the introduction of these laws basically serves the purpose of holding the manufacturers accountable and making them honor the warranties that they’ve given out.
Here’s more on lemon laws: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/lemon-laws.asp
Now, you can suspect that your Ford F150 is a lemon, but you won’t act on it until you’re absolutely sure that it is and that you can get proper resolution of the issue when you final contact the manufacturer. Don’t forget, though, that a reasonable number of repair attempts has to be made before you can be eligible for a repurchase or a replacement, and make sure to keep all the proofs of taking your vehicle to a mechanic before filing this type of a claim. In order to be completely sure that you should file the claim, though, you’ll want to know which problems are covered under the Lemon Law, and which issues are likely to justify your claim in 2023. So, I’ll know give you the top 5 issues that justify that claim.
Various Engine Issues
Engine problems are always among the most serious ones for a vehicle. When it comes to the Ford F150, a few engine issues are quite common, and those include timing chain tensioner failure, mass air-flow sensor issues, coolant leaks, continuous running of the cooling fans and others. Those are all rather serious problems, and while you may not be able to name them, you’ll notice certain signs of malfunction, at which point you’ll take the vehicle to a mechanic. The professional will, of course, get to the bottom of things and name the problem for you. In any case, engine issues could qualify you for a lemon claim, so don’t ignore them.
Loss Of Power While Driving
Losing power while driving doesn’t only sound scary, it is scary. If this happens on the highway, you’ll basically have no control over your Ford F150, especially in terms of steering and assisted braking. Such a scenario is highly likely to lead to an accident, meaning that driving a vehicle with this issue is extremely unsafe. There are numerous reasons why this particular make and model tends to lose its power, and, once again, your mechanic will be the judge of the underlying issue. Whatever the cause, though, loss of power while driving will definitely justify a lemon law claim.
Leaks
I’ve briefly mentioned above that coolant leaks are also a common issue that can lead to this type of a claim and that can lead to you winning the claim, but those are not the only leaks to worry about. Water, oil and any kinds of fluid leaks can be serious safety issues, and ignoring them should never be an option. Driving a car that’s leaking can, among other things, cause serious engine issues. The Ford F150, although known for its great performance in general, can be prone to these leaks, and if they cannot be resolved quickly by your repair professionals, the vehicle should be regarded as a lemon.
Transmission Issues
Jerks and slips when shifting gears should be a clear sign that your vehicle has transmission issues. Hesitating between gears can lead to delayed reactions that you, as the driver, will have no control of, which can result in accidents. Unexpected lunging forward while in higher speed or while changing the gear is also a sign of transmission issues that need to be looked into and that will undeniably justify the lemon law claim you’re planning on filing.
Unusual Noises
Strange noises are never a good thing when it comes to vehicles. All of them, including the Ford F150, are built to have some noise, but that’s the recognizable noise that the drivers are all used to. Unusual noises such as banging, clunking and similar can be indicators of various types of problems, most often ones related to transmission or engine. Your mechanic will identify the underlying cause, but you have the task of filing a lemon law claim if those noises can’t be fixed.