2017 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 120owner reports
- 72,200median miles
- $5,957median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Mar 23, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
366 of the 1,441 complaints on this car are about the engine. 120 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 120 reports
Engine rattle on other F-150 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the cam phasers (97 reports) and the timing chain (13 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the engine cover the 2017 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
All 18 recalls on the 2017 Ford F-150, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the F-150
Loss of motive power. Closed oct 31, 2024, led to recall 24V-635.
Reduced power during hard acceleration. Closed apr 7, 2014.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed aug 31, 1994.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed jul 30, 1993.
None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.
What owners paid
9 of the 120 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $4,000 to $6,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 51,000 and 99,000 miles, from the 94 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 14 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Ford F-150 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2011-2024 Mustang and F-150 vehicles equipped with a 5.0L engine may exhibit a tick tap and/or typewriter ticking noise at idle after an engine oil change.
Some 2017-2020 F-150 and 2018-2020 Expedition/Navigator vehicles built on or before 30-Nov-2019 and equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a ticking/tapping or rattle type noise from the top front cover area of the engine on initial start-up after a ...
Some 2017-2020 F-150 2018-2020 Expedition/Navigator vehicles built on or before 31-Oct-2019 and equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a ticking/tapping or rattle type noise from the top front cover area of the engine on initial start-up after a ...
It may be possible that an undesirable noise may develop from the cam phasers in the 3.5L GTDI engine. This noise might occur as a rattle when starting the engine after your vehicle was turned off for an extended period of time, or as a knocking noise when ...
10 more on the 2017 Ford F-150 page.
What owners wrote
“Vehicle has a cam phaser rattle which is causing risk of significant engine damage. This is a known issue does refuses to fix with a proper recal. The original tab did not fix the problem”
Filed Oct 14, 2025
“Cam phaser rattle and need to be replaced on 3.5L eco boost. Ford had acknowledged this has been a larger problem and addresses a consumer report to notify public. Cam Phaser were upgraded in 2020 due to mechanical errors.”
Filed May 17, 2025
“Tapping noise coming from 5.0 engine from cold start. Ford dealership concluded it was a Cam Phasers that needed to be replaced”
Filed Jan 30, 2025
“Cam phasers make engine rattle at startup and idle. A recall has been put out but the dealer did not get the issue fix and sold it anyway. Also rear sensors don't work right.”
Filed Dec 24, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 120 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Timing chain or cam phaser rattles 164 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 162 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 114 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 101 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 99 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 82 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 69 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 58 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 54 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 47 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 45 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 44 reports
- Rear window shatters or explodes 44 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 37 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 30 reports