F-150 Owners Sue Ford Over Oil Consumption Issues
Ford’s popular 5.0-liter Coyote V8 is the focus of a new class action lawsuit, with owners claiming the engine burns oil at a rapid rate and accusing the automaker of knowingly concealing the issue.
Key Points
- Owners of 2018–2020 F-150s with the 5.0L V8 claim the engines burn oil at unusually high rates, hurting performance and reliability.
- The lawsuit accuses Ford of knowing about the defect, misleading customers with flawed manuals, and failing to issue a recall.
- A class action filed in Michigan unites drivers from nine states, seeking accountability for what they call a widespread defect.
Filed in Michigan, the suit brings together 12 plaintiffs who say their 2018–2020 F-150s burn through oil so quickly that it impacts both performance and long-term durability. The plaintiffs argue the oil consumption reduces efficiency, saps performance, and may cause lasting internal damage due to carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber.
The suit accuses Ford of failing to issue a recall and of instructing dealers to turn away warranty repair claims related to the problem.
The F-150 owner’s manual allegedly contains a mistake in stating the amount of oil the truck uses and when it needs to be replaced. Owners claim the trucks’ “intelligent oil life monitor” often suggests changing the fluid at just 3,000 miles, well short of expected service intervals.
"The oil change indicator may illuminate as early as 3,000 miles since a prior oil change, but under no circumstances does Ford recommend oil change intervals exceed 10,000 miles or one year between intervals," the lawsuit claims. "If the monitor fails, Ford recommends changing the oil every 5,000 miles."
The lawsuit also alleges problems with the Coyote's oil control system, with claims that the piston rings don't seal properly and allow oil to pass into the combustion chamber during the combustion process. Once in the combustion chamber, the oil is burned away rather than returned to the crankcase for lubrication.
The class action claims this not only causes a decrease in engine performance—although someone should ask the Mercedes F1 team about burning engine oil to increase engine horsepower—but also decreases fuel efficiency. Additionally, the plaintiffs complain that this causes carbon deposits to form, which impact the long-term health of the engine.
Lastly, Ford is accused of masking known problems with the Coyote 5.0L engine since August 2018. The proof is alleged to include several special service messages and technical service bulletins to dealerships about the 5.0L V8.
The plaintiffs are spread across nine states, including California, Michigan, Florida, and Kentucky. This isn't the first time Ford has faced this issue; the same lawyers brought forward a similar suit in 2021 that's still winding its way through the court system. The '21 suit focuses on oil consumption as a result of excessive crankcase pressure and poor sealing piston rings, causing blow-by—sounds like the 2001 Ford Taurus I used to drive.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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Just wondering why there just doing 18-20 years when they are 17 that are having problems like thus alos.
Im been asking my ford dealer about this ever since I purchase my truck, I must say it was a used truck, a 2019 purchased on 2021, it took me untill now to actually measure how much oil I was putting in the truck between the recommended oil changes, I was adding and additional 3 qtz on a 5000 mile interval. This past week i show the service bulletin and dealer said that they needed to reprogram something, that the valves were not closing soon enough and that this programing will fix it, I decide to do it, $348 including oil change, I need to bring in in 1000 miles so they can check oil consumption.