Last updated on October 18th, 2023 at 06:08 pm
Used Pickup Trucks to Avoid at All Cost, if possible.
Although used pickup trucks are among the most popular modes of transportation, rising prices over the years have made it increasingly difficult to find a reliable vehicle for a reasonable price leaving shoppers more and more dependant on the used vehicle industry. While purchasing a vehicle second-hand is undoubtedly more cost-efficient, internal mechanical issues are more prevalent within used pickup trucks and are not so obvious to detect. It’s very common to purchase a used pickup that drops in performance as time passes regardless of its good appearance at the time of purchase. These repairs are often time-consuming and more costly than what the vehicle is worth. While it may be impossible to predict whether or not your pickup will give you issues down the line, extensive research has led us to provide a guide on trucks with a bad track record to make purchasing a second-hand vehicle as easy as possible, so on we go to the list of v6 engine or v8 engines pickup trucks you should avoid at all cost.
Chevrolet Colorado
Years: 2004-2005, 2008, 2015
The 2004 ,2005 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon has been recalled three different times for a variety of reasons, mostly having to do with the exterior brake lights and lack of proper instructions on where to place the child seat. Many owners have also reported issues with the ABS system where the ABS light is constantly on. Water leaks have also been reported during heavy rain. Additionally, it is common for the AC unit to malfunction.
Later models share many of the same issues as the earlier model Chevy Colorado including the recalls. In addition to those issues, the 2008 model has issues with emissions where it may not pass its emissions test. The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado had a total of six recalls over the years due to problems with the frontal airbags, power steering, brake fluid leaks, seat-frame attachment hooks, and the airbag module. Drivers also report numerous issues with the transmission that leaves the vehicle reluctant to shift
Chevrolet Silverado
Years: 2000-2008, 2014-2015
Millenium model Silverado’s have had many issues over the years with some years having had up to 20 recalls since production. The 2007 Silverado is a particularly bad model with some drivers reporting having had to add oil every 1,000 miles. Like other model Chevrolet’s, 2014 and 2015 Silverado’s continue to experience issues with the AC unit in addition to having transmission failures within automatic models.
Chevrolet Avalanche
Years: 2002-2005, 2007-2008
Drivers consistently report these vehicles having problems with the ABS system where the light is constantly engaged and repairs have been expensive. The dashboard has also been known to crack in later models in addition to being excessive when it comes to oil consumption, even worse if your engine control module is failing too.
Dodge Ram 1500
Years: 2001-2003, 2011, 2013-2014
Dodge Ram vehicles are notorious for the electrical issues, transmission, and engine failures. Many driver’s report having to have their transmission or engine rebuilt completely.
Dodge 2500/3500
Years: 2006-2007, 2012-2015
Electrical problems continue in 2500/3500’s with erratic instrument clusters. Fuel injectors have also been reported to be faulty as they need to constantly be replaced.
Dodge Dakota
Years: 2000, 2002, 2004-2006
Factory bought upper and lower ball joints are known to get worn easily and replacements become necessary, the brakes are also known to be exceedingly faulty and the calipers are known to seize requiring sufficient maintenance to have them work properly along with the brake lines. Later model Dakotas report having the same brake issues where the calipers need maintenance and cause severe pad and rotor damage. Torque Converter issues have also been reported in 2006 year Dakotas.
Ford F150
Years: 2004-2005
Many drivers report having had to have the transmission completely rebuilt or replaced, rough shifting and the truck slipping out of gear have also been reported. There have also been instances where the ford f150 vehicles would not go into reverse causing some oil sludge.
Ford F250/F350
Years: 2006, 2008, 2011
One of the most serious problems with the 2011 Ford F250 is its “death wobble” issue resulting from faulty suspension which causes your vehicle to wobble massively out of control. This issue is widely reported and hard to manage when having it repaired so it is best to avoid this year altogether. 2008 F250 ‘s are reported to have serious issues with the EGR system.
Toyota Tacoma
Years: 2005-2013, 2016
2005-2011 year Tacomas brought recalls on leaf springs for hundreds of thousands of vehicles due to them being prone to corrosion which causes damage in other areas of the vehicle. Acceleration problems and power failures were known to occur in later model Tacomas as well. 2016 Toyota Tacomas saw problems within the transmission which led the vehicle to shift very roughly, particularly when downshifting to a lower gear. The vehicle is reported to become very sluggish when shifting gears in general.
Toyota Tundra
Years: 2005-2008
The toyota tundra have been subject to issues with the driveshaft resulting in constant loud noises and vibrations that often leads them to being replaced within the first 16 months!
Nissan Frontier
Years: 2005-2008
Nissan Frontiers had major transmission problems where coolant would leak into the transmission causing irreversible damage and require radiator replacement as well as transmission replacement or repair. Unfortunately this was due to a severe design flaw and it is best to avoid these models entirely.
Nissan Titan
Years: 2004-2006
2004 Nissan Titans had major issues with their brake system where the ABS light would come on and the brakes would grind or drag causing you to lose your braking capacity. These year Titans also are reported to have cracked exhaust manifolds. Brakes continue to be problematic through 2005.
Honda Ridgeline
Years: 2006-2008
The 2006 Honda Ridgeline is a particularly poor model vehicle for a number of reasons. Common issues include: the power steering hose and failure in the #4 cylinder which results in most owners requiring a new engine altogether. Issues with the catalytic convertor are also present within this vehicle as well as problems with the o2 sensor.
