4-day-old 2022 F250 won’t start… WWYD?

A friend of mine just bought a brand-new 2022 F-250 Super Duty Lariat on Monday (1/9). Four days later, with less than 500 miles on it, the truck won’t start. It had to be towed to the local dealership. After a full day at the shop, the mechanics still aren’t sure what’s wrong.

He paid $84,000 for this truck, and now it’s just sitting there as an expensive paperweight. He’s already questioning whether buying a Ford was a mistake. Ford’s customer service hasn’t been helpful either, which makes the whole thing even more frustrating.

Anyone else had similar issues with this diesel truck? What would you do in this situation?

I’d give it a bit more time. Modern vehicles are basically rolling computers, and sometimes there’s just a glitch. Every brand has these issues every now and then. Let them figure out the root cause before making any big decisions.

I work as a Ford dealer tech, and this sort of thing does happen. When it’s a weird computer-related issue, we often have to involve Ford engineering, and they can be really slow. I know it’s frustrating, but a little patience goes a long way. These trucks have 30+ modules, and sometimes stuff just goes wrong.

It’s still under warranty, and the dealership has only had it for a day. I’d say give them more time to figure it out.

These trucks were being built during the chip shortage, and some of the computer modules were installed outside the normal process. It’s possible an overworked tech missed something during assembly. Mistakes happen—it sucks, but it’s not the end of the world yet.

@Jem
Exactly. Honest mistakes happen, and as long as the dealer handles it professionally, they’ll sort it out.

If it were me, I’d get a loaner and wait. This kind of thing can happen, but it’s not common. Your friend just got unlucky.

Miller said:
If it were me, I’d get a loaner and wait. This kind of thing can happen, but it’s not common. Your friend just got unlucky.

Is this normal for Ford trucks? Are there really that many brand-new ones having these kinds of issues? I’m not a Ford guy, but this kind of experience doesn’t exactly make me want to buy one.

I’d give it time. It’s frustrating, but sometimes waiting a bit pays off. Let them figure out the problem first.

My family used to own a Ford dealership, and once in a while, stuff like this happens. I’ve seen brand-new trucks have major problems right off the lot. That said, the 6.7 Powerstroke has a pretty good track record, especially post-2015. Lots of them make it to 500k miles or more.

Your friend might’ve just gotten a bad one. If the issue is resolved quickly, it could still be a great truck. But if problems keep popping up, he might want to consider trading it in. Sometimes these ‘bad day at the factory’ trucks just aren’t worth the headache.

Thanks for all the feedback. The dealership replaced the low-pressure fuel pump, and the truck is running again. The mechanic isn’t totally convinced that was the root of the issue, though. My buddy is relieved it wasn’t worse—at one point, they thought they might have to replace the entire fuel system, which would’ve meant removing the cab.

He’s still nervous about taking it on a long trip, but I guess time will tell. Appreciate everyone’s input!

Honestly, I’d get an older truck. Look on Craigslist for a 1980-1998 Bronco or F-150. I have two of them, and they always start.

Connor said:
Honestly, I’d get an older truck. Look on Craigslist for a 1980-1998 Bronco or F-150. I have two of them, and they always start.

People don’t like hearing it, but it’s true.

@Miller
It’s been my go-to advice for years. New vehicles are too complicated for their own good.

Connor said:
Honestly, I’d get an older truck. Look on Craigslist for a 1980-1998 Bronco or F-150. I have two of them, and they always start.

Yeah, or even an older F-250 or F-350. Those were solid trucks.