The Ford F-150 is the best-selling new full-size pickup truck in the U.S. today. But some of the older model years of the F-150 are also popular. The 2009 Ford F-150 is a standout because it has been rated the Best Ford F-Series truck ever on Ranker.com.

But just how reliable is this model year? And if you want to buy one, how much should you expect to pay? Let’s look at what Consumer Reports and CarComplaints.com have to say — both good and bad — about this fan favorite.

What Consumer Reports says about the 2009 Ford F-150

On the plus side, Consumer Reports indicated that overall predicted reliability for the 2009 F-150 was reasonably good, with a rating of three out of five. Major engine trouble spots were predicted to be better than other vehicles, as were engine cooling and major transmission problems. Trouble spots that performed a little better than average were the electric system, suspension, exhaust, body integrity, and in-car electronics.

Other categories of trouble spots that had average predicted reliability were minor engine problems, minor transmission problems, problems with the drive system, fuel system, climate system, and power equipment. The F-150’s brakes and body hardware performed a little worse than average predicted reliability. The worst trouble spot was the paint/trim on the truck.

At four out of five, the rating for overall owner satisfaction supported the truck’s reliability rating. Driving satisfaction and styling rated high, with 73 and 72 out of 100, respectively. Owners also appreciated the F-150’s comfort and value and rated both at 64 out of 100.

Owners rated the comfort of the truck’s front and rear seats as four out of five. They especially liked the cargo area and rated five out of five. Usability, which is how well the truck was designed for use, also was rated highly at four out of five.

When asked if they would buy the 2009 F-150 again, 71% of owners complete the CR survey gave a “definitely yes” response. By comparison, 75% of Toyota Tundra and 50% of GMC Sierra owners gave the same response.

Reliability reports from CarComplaints.com

And now for the downside of the 2009 F-150. Keep in mind, it isn’t all that bad, as compared to certain other model years of the F150. The problems reported by 2009 F-150 owners numbered only at 106 with a total of 448 complaints, making it one of the least problematic among all model years. Only the 2017 and 2018 model years had fewer, with 65 and 54 problems, respectively.

There were 29 engine problems, 15 concerning interior accessories, and 12 about the truck’s transmission. Eight problems were about body and paint problems, eight for exterior accessories, 6=six for the truck’s fuel system. All the other problems added up to five or less in each category.

CarComplaints.com rated some of the F-150’s engine problems, such as the engine clattering like a diesel at a low rpm, spark plug ejection, and stutters at acceleration as “pretty bad”.

And 90 complaints were submitted to NHTSA about the engine. One problem having to do with vehicle speed control had 49 complaints reported to NHTSA, and seven crashes and one instance of crash-related injury reported. This problem had a severity rating of 10.0, which CarComplaints.com called “pretty awful.”

Still, the problems with this truck weren’t severe or numerous enough for it to receive an “Avoid like the Plague” or a “Beware of the Clunker” badge. These dubious distinctions were reserved for the 2004 and 2005 model years, respectively. 

Here’s another way to put this relatively small number of problems into perspective. Ford sold 413,625 F-Series trucks for this model year. We don’t know how many of these were F-150s, and we can’t be sure how many problems have gone unreported. But we can say that 106 problems for trucks numbering in the hundreds of thousands are not much at all.

How much you can expect to pay for a 2009 Ford F-150?

As you can see, the feedback gathered from Consumer Reports and CarComplaints.com for the 2009 F-150 is mostly positive. If you’re in the market for a good used F-Series truck, you might consider buying this one.

The average retail price for the truck ranges between $6,175 and $14,450. CR bases this range on condition level and options that you might select for this model. Where you live might and the amount of mileage also affect the truck’s price.

Because this price range is quite reasonable, though, you might be able to purchase a great, dependable truck for under $10.000. If you’re in the market for a used but reliable F-150, it’s definitely worth your while to look at the 2009 model year.