How Many Miles Does A 3.5 EcoBoost Last? Here's What Drivers Say

Horsepower is exciting, 0 to 60 mph times are thrilling, but longevity, reliability, and dependability? That's what most people want out of a car, as evidenced by the prevalence of reliability studies from the likes of J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. Ultimately, regardless of whether you're considering a cut-price commuter or a $250,000 supercar, there really is no point if you can't rely on a car when you need it.

One form of vehicle that is typically asked to work, and work hard, day in and day out, is the pickup truck. That's especially true in America, where 81.2% of all light vehicles sold in 2024 were pickups, with Ford's F-150 leading the way. While many of these examples will be tasked only with school runs and short commutes, it goes without saying that a decent number of them will also be used as workhorses, where a durable powerplant is necessary.

While Ford currently offers a wide selection of engines in the F-150, it's the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that gets a lot of attention. Not only is it capable of towing and hauling hefty loads, but it's a sensible choice in terms of performance and economy too. To confirm whether the 3.5-liter EcoBoost is reliable, we looked into the mileages owners have achieved and found good news, with many achieving well over 100,000 miles without major headaches.

At this point, we'll clarify that the F-150 isn't the only Ford model with a 3.5L EcoBoost V6 under the hood. Models such as the Explorer, Expedition, Flex, and Transit have all been offered with the powerful twin-turbo V6, but our research shows that F-150 trucks will more commonly hit high mileages — hence our focus on the ever-popular truck here.

Speaking of those higher mileages, there is no shortage of owners who have taken to Reddit to boast about the impressive odometer readings they've achieved in their 3.5-liter Ford F-150s. Many have broken past the 100,000-mile barrier, and a number are at over 200,000 miles and counting. Some F-150s have even soared past 400,000 miles, including one owner who boasted that their F-150 managed to hit 472,000 miles. More impressively, they achieved that feat with the original engine and original turbos intact.

Before you empty your bank account and secure an EcoBoost-powered Ford, it's worth also looking at the other side of the ownership experience. While the 3.5-liter V6 is clearly capable of going the distance, it's unlikely to happen without considerable maintenance. One owner of a 2013 F-150 FX4 with 215,000 miles had to change both turbochargers, only a month or so apart from each other, at a reported cost of $3,000 per side. Many owners also recommend oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, which is worth taking into account if achieving high miles is your goal. You could minimize costs by learning how to change your car's oil yourself at home, but still, the cost of quality oil and filters every few thousand miles will certainly eat up a considerable chunk of change — if you're covering huge distances each year.

Not all 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines are created equally, either. Earlier models suffered from costly timing chain issues, while later models are plagued with cam phaser trouble. For this reason, buyers must do their research into which years of 3.5L EcoBoost engines are worth avoiding and which ones are considered better than the rest.