Ford F-150 Nightmare: $60k Truck Now a Useless Paperweight – Where’s My $10k, Dealership?!

Jeff and Sabrina Veljkovic, a couple from Oakville, Toronto, Canada, faced an unexpected disaster when their 2019 Ford F-150, purchased brand new, suffered a catastrophic engine failure after just 93,000 miles. Jeff, who runs a concrete business, relied heavily on this truck to move equipment, making it an essential part of his livelihood. Having been a loyal Ford owner for many years, he trusted the F-150 to be the robust, reliable vehicle he needed.

“This was my dream vehicle and I worked hard and saved money to get it,” Jeff told City News. “Now it’s a $60,000 paperweight.”

The couple was meticulous about maintaining the truck, following every recommended service to the letter. Sabrina emphasized their surprise: “It was surprising to us at the time because he kept it so well maintained.”

Despite their diligent care, the truck’s engine failed, far below the expected lifespan of 150,000 miles for the six-cylinder EcoBoost engine. Knowing they were outside the warranty coverage, Jeff and Sabrina reached out to Ford Canada for assistance, hoping the automaker would stand by its product.

In response, Ford offered to cover 50% of the replacement cost, which was a welcome gesture given the staggering $20,000 price tag for a new engine and labor. The Veljkovics were instructed to pay a $2,000 deposit to begin the process, with the assurance that the new engine would arrive within a month.

But that month turned into eight grueling months of waiting, filled with repeated delays and broken promises. Sabrina shared their frustration: “What followed over the last eight months has been a series of broken promises. I’ve gone to the CEO, I’ve gone to numerous different social media channels just hoping to shed some light on the issue, and hopefully, maybe if they see us on the news, they’ll respond to us.”

The Veljkovics’ situation became so dire that they reached out to media outlets in an attempt to pressure Ford into fulfilling their promise. When contacted by City News, Ford Canada responded that the engine would arrive soon.

This issue is part of a larger problem with the V6 EcoBoost engine, which has faced scrutiny due to defective intake valves. According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these valves were found to become excessively hard and brittle during the manufacturing process, leading to engine failure. In response to these issues, Ford implemented a design change in 2021, switching to a more heat-resistant alloy for the valves.

In September 2024, Ford issued a recall for several models equipped with the V6 EcoBoost engine, including the Ford Bronco, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Aviator, due to these defective valves. For affected vehicles, the solution is an engine replacement at no cost to the customer.

The Veljkovics, however, remain cautious. Although Ford has promised that the replacement process will take two weeks, including time to send the engine offsite for repair, Jeff and Sabrina are understandably skeptical.

“We’ve been promised timelines in the past and they haven’t been met, so we just have to wait and see,” Jeff said.

This ordeal has left the Veljkovics in limbo, their once-prized truck now a costly and frustrating burden. As they await the promised repairs, their experience serves as a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of modern vehicle ownership, even for those who meticulously maintain their cars.