2020 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 26owner reports
- 64,000median miles
- $5,000median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 8, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
137 of the 730 complaints on this car are about the engine. 26 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 26 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 (7 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2020 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
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 2020 model year.
What owners paid
6 of the 26 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $4,900 to $5,369.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 6,600 and 88,000 miles, from the 20 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 13 service bulletins or notices for the 2020 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 2019-2020 Edge/Nautilus vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost, 2020 Aviator vehicles equipped with a 3.0L EcoBoost or 3.0L plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) engine, 2020 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 3.0L EcoBoost, and 2020 F-150 vehicles ...
Some 2020-2024 F-150, 2021-2024 Bronco, and 2024 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L 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 cold soak of 6 hours or ...
Some 2020-2024 F-150 and 2021-2024 Bronco vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L 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 cold soak of 6 hours or more that may ...
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.
9 more on the 2020 Ford F-150 page.
What owners wrote
“The truck's cam phasers are rattling bad and getting worse. It used to only do it at initial start up in the morning and any time it sat for an hour or more , but now it seems to be rattling on every startup. Ford has newly designed cam phasers, but they are not offering to put those in unless I pay for it.”
Filed Jan 7, 2026
“dash screen went blank while driving engine has a sound like lifters rattling vehicle lost all electrical connectivity and then it finally came back on no other instances”
Filed Feb 10, 2025
“Cam phaser rattling along with timing chain is slipping. This same year, make and model has a known recall and is a known issue but because my specific VIN isnât showing it for will not resolve it. I bought the 2020 f150 in 2022 and this is unacceptable.”
Filed Nov 1, 2024
“When I went to do my 5,000 mile oil change at 91,000 miles; my dipstick was completely dry. After some research, I found that there is a TB on this issue, but I have to pay to have it fixed.”
Filed Aug 4, 2024 · 91,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 26 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 Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 193 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 86 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 75 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 66 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 44 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 32 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 28 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 25 reports