Ever since American farmers began installing custom flatbeds and boxes on cab-and-chassis cars in the early 1900s, the pickup truck’s primary purpose for existence was set in stone. Pickup trucks they were meant to be rugged, reliable vehicles that could haul farm produce every day of the week and still be ready for weekend trips with family and friends.
Over the past century, pickup trucks have steadily evolved from simple utility vehicles to more sophisticated and powerful machines that can be used not only for work and transportation, but also for competitive activities on the track and everything land
Last year 2022, the pickup truck segment accounted for nearly 20% of all vehicles sold in the US, making it the second best-selling vehicle type in the country (next to crossover SUVs). In addition, the best-selling vehicle in the United States for more than 40 years has been an American line of pickup trucks: the Ford F-Series.
Popularity, however, does not equal reliability. Some American pickup trucks failed miserably to deliver on their implied promises of quality, durability and reliability to their owners. Based on cross-referenced data from JD Power, CarEdge, Consumer Reports (CR), Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book (KBB), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), here are 10 unreliable American pickup trucks that you should avoid driving. home
10 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – Mediocre 78/100 reliability, 20 recalls
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a half-ton model from Chevy’s pickup truck stable. Over the past decade, most Chevy trucks have proven to be quite rugged and reliable, often earning “great” (81-90 out of 100) quality and reliability ratings.
The 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500, however, underperformed compared to other model years. JD Power gave the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado an “average” quality and reliability rating of 78/100. Additionally, this model year Chevy Silverado received 20 NHTSA recall notices and 1,351 formal consumer complaints over the past decade. If you own this specific Chevy Silverado model year, be aware that the NHTSA has a permanent “Do Not Drive” warning until you receive Chevrolet’s special recall services. Among the major problems with this Chevy truck were faulty seat belt pretensioners, power steering failure, ignition and electrical system mishaps, a malfunctioning transfer case, and overheating exhaust components. of the engine
9 2015 GMC Canyon – Reliability 74/100 mediocre, 8 recalls
The GMC Canyon is a mid-size pickup truck from the GMC premium division of General Motors. Although it prides itself on being a “luxury” truck, the GMC Canyon has been in the middle of the pack in reliability ratings for most of the past decade. The 2015 GMC Canyon was the worst, scoring 74/100 for quality and reliability. In addition, this model year Canyon received 8 recalls, the last of which came right in 2021.
The biggest problems with the 2015 GMC Canyon can come from a fractured fuel pump weld, a problematic power steering system, leaking brake fluid, unsecured seat frame fittings, and faulty airbags.
8 2018 Ford F-150 – Mediocre 74/100 reliability, 15 recalls
The 2018 Ford F-150 is an example of how even the mighty Blue Oval can spoil the plate of America’s best-selling pickup truck from time to time. With a quality and reliability score of just 74 out of 100, the 2018 F-150 was like the black sheep of the 13th generation of the half-ton nameplate. Most model years of this generation of the F-Series achieved “great” quality and reliability scores of at least 81 out of 100. In addition, the 2018 Ford F-150 also received 15 NHTSA recalls and 893 complaints customer formalities.
Major issues with the 2018 Ford F-150 include leaking brake fluid, faulty gate mechanisms, broken ball joints, weak tire sidewalls, a malfunctioning transfer case, and apparently a transmission that seems to have a mind of its own.
7 2018 Ford F-250 Super Duty: Mediocre 74/100 Reliability, 11 Recalls
Even though the Ford F-250 belongs to the Super Duty line of the Blue Oval group, it still attracts some customers who like to have pickup trucks as their daily drivers. However, the 2018 model year will disappoint many of its target customers. With a quality and reliability score of 74/100 and 11 NHTSA recalls, the 2018 Ford F-250 hardly qualifies as a reliable pickup truck.
Some of the top issues with the 2018 Ford F-250 include drive shaft fractures, a malfunctioning steering mechanism, faulty tailgate latches, an overheated engine, and weak tire sidewalls. That’s quite a long list, considering the Ford F-250 already has an expected annual repair and maintenance cost of $1,430 over its first 10 years of operation. There is also a 44% chance that the F-250 will require major repairs during the same period.
6 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 – Reliability 74/100 mediocre, 3 recalls
The GMC Sierra is the sleeker corporate twin of the Chevy Silverado, and with the price premium the GMC pickup commands over the Chevy truck, you’d expect the former to be more reliable, to say the least. That’s not the case with the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500, which only managed a JD Power Quality and Reliability score of 74/100. Owners complained about this truck’s smooth transmission and poor forward visibility.
Although the 2018 GMC Sierra only received 3 recalls from the NHTSA, one of the recall notices was very alarming. At speeds between 41 and 60 mph, a possible wheel speed sensor failure and software error can cause the vehicle’s body control module (BCM) to automatically apply brakes to one of the front wheels. This will cause the pickup truck to veer suddenly to one side while traveling at highway cruising speeds and could result in a major traffic accident.
5 2017 Chevrolet Colorado – Reliability 71/100 mediocre, 1 recall
The Chevrolet Colorado is the Chevy Silverado’s little, medium sibling. The second-generation Colorado from 2015 to 2020 had “average” JD Power reliability scores (between 70 and 80 out of 100), but the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado was the worst of the bunch with a poor quality and reliability of 71/100 .
Some 2017 Chevy Colorado owners complained about the vehicle’s faulty oil hoses, poor air conditioning, and frequent transmission and torque converter problems. Consumer reviews submitted through Edmunds had a low overall score of 3.4 out of 5, caused by several 1.0 out of 5 ratings in the reliability category.
4 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 – Poor reliability 66/100, 5 recalls
While it would be beneficial to include only the worst years of each pickup truck model on this list, the GMC Sierra half-ton deserves a second mention. The 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 earned a quality and reliability score of 66/100, the first on this list to fall below the “average” score range. While a score of 66/100 still qualifies as “fair” by JD Power’s rating, it’s a ridiculous rating compared to other GMC Sierra model years. For example, the 2020 and 2021 models received 86/100 and 84/100, respectively.
Edmunds’ expert rating (3.5 out of 5) and consumer rating (3.6 out of 5) seem to line up with JD Power’s reviews. Additionally, as NHTSA recall records show, the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 also suffers from the problem of automated brake application causing the vehicle to veer to one side while traveling at highway speeds. Four other recalls were issued for problems with airbags, child seats and the brake assist system.
3 2011 Ram 2500: Poor reliability 70/100, extremely high maintenance costs, 4 recalls
The Ram 2500 HD is a 3/4-ton pickup truck that has achieved a “Great” reliability rating from JD Power for the past 3 years. In 2011, however, right after Dodge Ram changed its name to Ram Trucks, the Ram 2500 HD model fared quite badly. With a quality and reliability score of 70/100, the Ram 2500 was barely in the “average” bracket. Although NHTSA issued only 4 recalls for this Ram HD truck, the problems were quite alarming, including tie rod assembly failures, loss of steering control, and engine overheating. Official NHTSA reports also reveal that you can accidentally shift the transmission lever in the 2011 Ram 2500 HD without even stepping on the brake pedal or even without a key in the ignition.
That’s a lot of reliability issues, considering the Ram 2500 already requires the second highest maintenance and repair costs ($2,546 per year!) among all passenger vehicles currently sold in the US. What’s more, CarEdge tells us that there’s a mind-boggling 79 percent chance that a Ram 2500 will need a major repair within its first 10 years of operation.
2 2019 Ram 1500: Poor Reliability 69/100, Very High Maintenance Costs, 24 Recalls
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Among all light trucks in the American auto market, the Ram 1500 has the highest expected maintenance and repair cost ($1,768 per year for the first 10 years). This means that even without crash repairs, the Ram 1500 is about 70% more expensive to repair and maintain than the Ford F-150. In addition, there is a 55.8% chance that the Ram 1500 will need a major repair during its first decade of operation, about 33% more than the average half-ton truck.
With all those expensive parts and services you have to pay for regularly, you’d expect the Ram 1500 to be pretty reliable, and they have been for the last 3 years (2020-2022). The 2019 Ram 1500, however, had a poor quality and reliability score of 69/100. Also, this Ram 1500 model year has already been filled with 24 NHTSA recalls and 712 official complaints in just 4 years, and the complaints are still coming in April 2023! The most pressing issues include a poorly installed transfer case, high pressure fuel pump failure, cracks in the EGR cooler, faulty airbags and seat belts, and intermittent loss of electric power steering.
1 2014 Ram 2500: Poor Reliability 68/100, Absurdly High Maintenance Costs, 16 Recalls
The Ram 2500 HD once again disappointed owners with the 2014 model year, receiving a low quality and reliability score of 68 out of 100. Additionally, this Ram truck has already accumulated 16 NHTSA recalls during the last 9 years Major issues include loss of steering due to a fractured steering linkage, inability to cancel cruise control, cases of wheel/rim fractures, inadvertent deployment of airbags, and random loss of instrument panel lighting.
In addition, the 2014 Ram 2500 also carried over the transmission problem from the 2011 model: You can accidentally shift gears even without the keys in the ignition and even without pressing the brake pedal.
Sources: JD Power, CarEdge, Kelley Blue Book, Consumer Reports, Edmunds, NHTSA
