Ford F150 Class Action Lawsuit Claims Pickup Trucks Consume Oil at Excessive Rates

Despite being marketed as “durable” vehicles, Ford F-150 pickup trucks have a defect that causes them to consume excessive amounts of oil, a group of owners allege.

A class action lawsuit filed by a group of Ford F-150 owners indicates that the longevity of the pickup trucks is affected by an oil consumption defect, which can damage engines, impair efficiency and lead to higher vehicle emissions.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Daniel Bryan, Victor Caballero, Nathan Dew and at least nine other plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on August 28, naming Ford Motor Company as the defendant.

According to the complaint, certain model year 2018 through 2020 Ford F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 5.0L engines suffer from a defect that makes the vehicles much less durable and dependable than they are advertised by the manufacturer.

In particular, the lawsuit alleges that the vehicles consume an excessive amount of oil, which is not good for the trucks’ longevity or safety, as the defect can cause greater engine wear, leading to expensive parts replacements, and in some instances engine stalls or failures, resulting in accidents, injuries or even deaths.

In their lawsuit, Bryan and the other plaintiffs allege that Ford’s marketing misled consumers, noting the company promoted the 2018 through 2020 F-150 lineup as “reengineered,” “upgraded” and “the most advanced F-150 engine lineup ever,” with promises of durability and efficiency that plaintiffs say are undermined by the trucks’ excessive oil consumption.

Instead, they argue that the affected Ford F-150 trucks cannot maintain proper oil levels, forcing owners to top off frequently. Even then, engines may leak internally, overheat, seize or fail, while overfilling risks crankshaft damage and gasket leaks.

Furthermore, the complaint indicates that Ford has been aware of this defect for years, due to complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the company’s own warranty and service records, and widespread owner reports online.

The complaint also cites Technical Service Bulletins and Special Service Messages issued beginning in 2018, which plaintiffs argue show the automaker knew of the issue well before the lawsuit was filed.

However, rather than provide permanent repairs, Ford allegedly tried to disguise the defect, the complaint claims, by rescinding earlier repair guidance and advising dealers to rely on temporary measures like redesigned dipsticks and more frequent oil top-offs.

Several named plaintiffs report repeated visits to dealerships, being told their oil loss was “normal,” and incurring significant out-of-pocket costs, while also suffering diminished resale value.

The lawsuit further alleges that the excessive oil consumption defect impairs fuel efficiency and increases harmful emissions by damaging catalytic converters and causing the trucks to fall out of compliance with state and federal standards.

“As a result of Ford’s unfair, deceptive and/or fraudulent business practices, owners and/or lessees of the Class Vehicles, including Plaintiffs, have suffered an ascertainable loss of money and/or property and/or loss in value.”

— Daniel Bryan et al v. Ford Motor Company

The plaintiffs are seeking class action certification of their lawsuit, with special subclasses for residents of Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, California and Florida.

Each subclass raises its own allegations against Ford, including fraudulent concealment and violations of various state laws. They are all seeking an order enjoining Ford from continuing its allegedly unlawful, deceptive, fraudulent and unfair business practices, as well as declaratory relief, awards of appropriate damages to repair or replace the vehicles, and disgorgement of profits Ford has received from the sale or lease of the affected vehicles.

2025 Ford F-150 Recalls

In addition to the engine defects mentioned by Bryan and his co-plaintiffs, Ford F-150 pickup trucks have been the subject of numerous recalls and investigations this year.

In March, NHTSA announced an investigation into the trucks, following at least 130 complaints, which reported that the vehicles unexpectedly downshifted and their rear wheels locked up.

Certain F-150 trucks were also the subject of a recall one month later, warning that certain vehicles from model years 2017 through 2018 may suffer brake loss, due to a brake master cylinder that could leak brake fluid from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

Throughout the summer, Ford F-150 trucks have also been included in recalls concerning rearview camera issues and fuel pump failures.

Last month, nearly 400,000 Ford trucks were recalled due to dashboard display panel failures. Ford has suffered from a record number of recalls already in 2025, with nearly 7 million vehicles affected.

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