Buying a used truck can feel like the only way to get the space and towing you need without taking on a house-sized payment. But one bad choice can turn that โdealโ into a money pit, between surprise repairs, rental cars, and missed work.
Some pickups on the used market have more than the usual risk. Weโre talking active federal investigations, repeated recalls, and reliability scores that are way below average. Those costs donโt show up on the window sticker, but they show up in your bank account.
If youโre shopping used in 2026, these trucks stand out for chronic problems. Not every single one will fail, but the odds of a big, expensive headache are high enough that you may want to skip them or be very picky about which one you buy.
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Table of contents
- 2015โ2017 Ford F-150 (six-speed automatic)
- 2021โ2025 Ford F-150 Hybrid (PowerBoost)
- 2022โ2025 Ford F-150 Lightning
- 2021โ2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (6.2L V8)
- 2021โ2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2L V8)
- 2019โ2024 Ram 1500
- 2022โ2024 Toyota Tundra
- 2023โ2025 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2023โ2025 GMC Canyon
- 2024โ2025 Toyota Tacoma
- 2022โ2025 Rivian R1T
- 2024โ2025 Tesla Cybertruck
2015โ2017 Ford F-150 (six-speed automatic)
If youโre eyeing an older F-150 to save money, pay close attention to 2015โ2017 trucks with the six-speed automatic. Federal safety regulators opened a preliminary investigation into about 1.3 million of these pickups after 138 owners reported sudden, unwanted downshifts into a low gear at highway speeds. That can cause the truck to jerk, slow down fast, and even briefly lock the rear wheels, which is terrifying in traffic.
Earlier model years with similar transmissions were already recalled for the same problem, and 2014 F-150s saw a separate recall covering roughly 668,000 trucks for unexpected downshifts into first gear. The fix is a software update to how the transmission reads a speed sensor, but not every truck has been brought in yet.
A transmission that slams into first at 65 mph isnโt just a safety issue, it can destroy internal parts and lead to a multi-thousand-dollar rebuild. If your budget points you to these years, verify recall work by VIN, take a long highway test drive, and have a trusted mechanic scan the transmission for stored fault codes before you sign anything.
2021โ2025 Ford F-150 Hybrid (PowerBoost)
On paper, the F-150 Hybrid sounds perfect: big towing numbers with better fuel economy. In reality, the complex PowerBoost system has earned one of the worst reliability records of any modern truck. A major 2025 reliability ranking that scores trucks from 0 to 100 gave the F-150 Hybrid just 7 points, dead last among all pickups measured.
Owner surveys point to problems in the hybrid battery pack, 10-speed transmission, electrical system, and drive system. An in-depth comparison of full-size trucks even called out the PowerBoost as โplagued with issuesโ and highlighted a recall over rear axle hub bolts that can break and lead to a loss of drive or a rollaway risk.
A broader reliability survey of more than 300,000 vehicles found plug-in hybrids and complex hybrid systems have far more problems than conventional gas or non-plug-in hybrids, and specifically named this truck as that brandโs least reliable model. Translation: if something fails outside warranty, you could face four-figure repair bills. If you absolutely want this truck, look for one with full service records, check that every recall has been done, and plan a healthy repair fund.
2022โ2025 Ford F-150 Lightning
The Lightning is still new tech, and the repair data shows it. That same 0-to-100 reliability ranking gives the 2025 Lightning only 28 points, near the bottom of all trucks. Surveys of hundreds of thousands of owners also note that electric vehicles, on average, have more problems than gas trucks, mostly in electronics, charging systems, and drive units.
On the safety side, one recent recall covers about 272,000 vehicles, including 2022โ2026 model-year Lightnings, because a defect in the park system can keep the truck from actually staying in Park, raising a rollaway risk if the parking brake isnโt set. Another recall covers more than 100,000 2023โ2025 F-150 trucks for rear axle hub bolts that can fail and cause loss of drive or a rollaway.
Because most Lightnings will still be under factory warranty in 2026, you might not feel these costs right away. The bigger risk is owning one after coverage ends, when a failed battery module, inverter, or drive unit could cost more than a year of truck payments. If youโre stretching to afford the payment already, thatโs a risky bet.
2021โ2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (6.2L V8)
Recent Silverado 1500s with the 6.2-liter L87 V8 have landed in the repair spotlight. A reliability table covering all 2025 pickups gives the Silverado 1500 just 39 out of 100 points, below even some mid-size trucks. On top of that, federal safety regulators opened an investigation into 877,000 GM vehicles with this engine after 39 drivers reported sudden engine seizure or major internal damage from connecting-rod bearing failures.
GM followed up with a safety recall and stop-sale for 2021โ2024 Silverado and Sierra trucks with the 6.2L V8, warning that defects could cause loss of propulsion, engine damage, or complete engine failure. Repair shops that see these trucks every day also report a long run of lifter failures and oil-consumption problems in certain V8s, especially in 2014โ2024 models.
An out-of-warranty engine replacement can easily cost five figures once you add towing, rental, and shop fees. In 2026, if youโre looking at a used Silverado with the 6.2, get the exact engine code, check for open recalls, and have a mechanic inspect for bearing noise and lifter tick before you agree to buy.
Ready to buy a car, but you have low or no credit?
Auto Credit Express is a quality lender:
- Better Business Bureau rating of A+
- In business since 1999
- For new or used cars
- Auto loans and refi for buyers who have low or no credit, or who have gone through bankruptcy or had a vehicle repossessed
- Pre-approval within 30 seconds
24 hours to a car loan with Auto Credit Express >>
2021โ2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2L V8)
The Sierra 1500 shares its frame, engines, and many parts with the Silverado, which is good for parts availability but bad when thereโs a design problem. The same 6.2-liter V8 thatโs under investigation for bearing failures in the Silverado also powers many Sierra 1500s from 2021โ2024.
A 2025 reliability rundown gives the Sierra 1500 the same 39-out-of-100 predicted reliability score as the Silverado. Thatโs before you factor in the recall that covers 2021โ2024 GM trucks and SUVs with this 6.2-liter engine for defects that can cause sudden loss of power or complete engine failure.
These arenโt minor annoyances. Bearing failure often means a full engine teardown or replacement. When youโre shopping used, that risk belongs to you, not the first owner. If you love the Sierraโs looks and ride, consider models with smaller engines, or at least insist on a pre-purchase inspection that includes an oil analysis and detailed engine check.
2019โ2024 Ram 1500
Ram 1500s ride well and have great interiors, but their reliability picture is mixed. One 2025 breakdown of pickup reliability scores gives the Ram 1500 just 37 out of 100 points, with the first model year of this generation clocking 27 separate recalls according to federal data.
Safety is part of the problem. Over 1.2 million Ram 1500 pickups from the 2019 and 2021โ2024 model years were recalled because the electronic stability control can stop working, increasing crash risk. Another recall targets about 33,800 2025 Ram 1500s for damaged front wheel hub encoder rings that can also disable stability control, violating federal safety standards.
Beyond recalls, independent repair data and owner reports point to electrical problems, from dead batteries and alternator issues to glitchy infotainment systems, that can be tricky to diagnose. When those show up after warranty, you pay. If youโre buying a used Ram 1500, push for a model with a clean recall history, have a shop scan it for stored electrical faults, and budget extra for potential electronic gremlins.
2022โ2024 Toyota Tundra
Toyotaโs full-size truck used to be the safe โbuy it and forget itโ choice. The all-new 2022 redesign changed that. A 2025 reliability ranking gives the Tundra only 32 out of 100 points, placing it at the bottom of the full-size truck list. Another study of brand reliability notes that this truck, along with a couple of other models, dragged its parent brandโs scores down because of below-average reliability.
The big issue is the new 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6. In 2024, the company recalled about 102,000 2022โ2023 Tundra and related SUVs for engine defects tied to machining debris left in the crankcase. In late 2025, that recall was expanded, with reports of โcatastrophic engine failureโ and thousands of affected trucks, including 2022โ2024 Tundras.
Thereโs also a separate recall covering nearly 394,000 2022โ2025 Tundras and related SUVs because a software glitch can make the backup camera screen go black, which is a safety issue in tight parking lots. These trucks can still be good workhorses, but in 2026 youโll want iron-clad proof that all engine and software recalls have been completed, and be ready for the possibility of long waits if more fixes roll out.
2023โ2025 Chevrolet Colorado
The redesigned Colorado is one of the lowest-scoring trucks in recent reliability tables. A 2025 ranking that compares every pickup gives it just 15 points out of 100, tied for the worst score in the truck segment. Another breakdown of mid-size trucks also shows the Colorado and its twin at 15/100, behind the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma.
Safety recalls add to the concern. About 55,755 2023 Colorado and Canyon trucks were recalled because the automatic emergency braking can โphantom brakeโ, slamming on the brakes even when thereโs no obstacle detected. Another recall covers 2023โ2024 Colorados for front seat belt buckle bolts that may not have been tightened properly, which could keep the belt from restraining you in a crash.
On top of that, a 2025 problem summary for this truck points to brake issues, including warning lights, master cylinder defects, and even reports of brake failure, plus scattered engine and electrical complaints, even before the truck has been on the road long. If youโre trying to avoid repair drama, this is a model where itโs smart to wait a few more years for the bugs to get worked out.
2023โ2025 GMC Canyon
The Canyon shares its platform, powertrain, and most systems with the Colorado, and the reliability data reflects that. In a 2025 side-by-side list of every pickup, the Canyon also scores just 15 out of 100 for predicted reliability, again at the very bottom of the pack.
Like the Colorado, the 2023 Canyon is caught up in the automatic emergency braking recall that can cause unexpected hard braking when the system falsely thinks thereโs an obstacle. Thereโs also a separate recall for 2024 Canyons whose headlights may flicker while driving, putting them out of compliance with federal lighting standards. Another campaign covers seat belt buckle bolts that werenโt tightened correctly on some 2023 trucks.
Taken together, thatโs a lot of safety-critical systems needing fixes in the first couple of years. In 2026, most of these trucks will still show up as relatively new and โaffordableโ on used-car lots. Before you bite, run the VIN through the official recall checker, ask for proof that all campaigns are complete, and think hard about whether you want to be the one owning this platform as it ages.
2024โ2025 Toyota Tacoma
The Tacoma has a huge fan base, but the latest redesign isnโt as trouble-free as older generations. One 2025 analysis of pickup reliability gives the new Tacoma a predicted reliability score of just 29 out of 100, along with multiple early recalls on the first model year. Another reliability study notes that the 2024 Tacoma dragged its brandโs scores down, thanks to reports of transmission problems, noises and leaks, and potential steering and suspension issues.
Thereโs also a fresh safety recall for about 6,000 2025 Tacoma 4WD trucks because some front driveshaft joints used sub-standard material. The joints can deform or break, which can affect steering and, in some cases, let the truck move even when in Park if the parking brake isnโt set.
Compared with some other trucks on this list, the Tacomaโs problems arenโt catastrophic, and some ratings still call its overall quality average or better. But if youโre buying used in 2026, understand youโre not getting the bulletproof old-school Tacoma legend. Youโre getting a new powertrain and chassis still working through its first round of failures and fixes, with more unknowns ahead.
2022โ2025 Rivian R1T
The R1T is fun and fast, but itโs also one of the least reliable trucks you can buy right now. In a 2025 ranking of pickup trucks, it earns just 20 out of 100 points for predicted reliability, worse than every gas truck and even some other EVs. Earlier reliability pages for the 2022 and 2024 models label them โmuch less reliable than other carsโ from the same year, and show 9 recalls for the 2022 and 4 for the 2024 model.
Those recalls arenโt minor. A 2024 breakdown of R1T issues lists multiple campaigns for problems that can cause loss of control, including steering issues, seat belt defects, and adaptive cruise control faults. In 2025, regulators announced a recall of about 24,000 vehicles, including 2025 R1T trucks, for a driver-assist software defect that can fail to detect other cars and increase crash risk, with at least one collision already linked to it.
One large reliability survey also found EVs have, on average, significantly more problems than gas vehicles, and ranked this brand dead last for reliability. If youโre buying used, remember that out-of-warranty fixes on a luxury electric truck can be brutally expensive, and service centers are still limited in many areas.
2024โ2025 Tesla Cybertruck
The Cybertruck is flashy, but its repair history is already rough. In the same 2025 truck ranking that crushes the R1T, the Cybertruck scores just 27 out of 100 for predicted reliability. One analysis of recall data noted that, by late 2024, the Cybertruck had already racked up six recalls and was โworse than 91%โ of 2024 vehicles in terms of recall count.”
Since launch, nearly every Cybertruck built between November 2023 and February 2025, about 46,000 trucks, has been recalled because the stainless-steel trim can loosen or fall off at speed. There have been additional recalls for failing windshield wiper motors, accelerator pedals that can jam wide open, critical drive inverters that can cause sudden loss of propulsion, and even software issues with tire-pressure monitoring.
Most of these fixes are free under recall, but they still cost you time, and thatโs while the truck is new. Long term, the combination of complex electronics, unique bodywork, and a shaky quality record makes the Cybertruck a risky used purchase if youโre trying to keep your car budget under control.
