It can be very concerning if your Ford 150 truck feels sluggish when going up a hill, takes a while to pick up speed, or bogs down when accelerating. Usually, regular maintenance helps to prevent mechanical problems, but once in a while, machines fail. Fix the problem once you notice the issue to prevent it from becoming worse and being an expensive repair in the long run.
The most likely reason for your F150 is sputtering when accelerating is a failed fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter. If your Ford truck will not accelerate, but the RPM goes up, it could be an engine-related issue. The power is not making t to your rear wheels. But if the RPM stays down, there is an issue with generating power, usually motor-related.
Reasons Why the F150 Bogs Down when Accelerating?
Before checking for anything else, if your light engine is on, use the OBDII code scanner to check for the trouble codes stores in the computer system. These codes will help you narrow down the problem.
You will also need to research more on what these codes mean online or by calling your car dealer. We have narrowed down the most common reasons your Ford 150 or F250 loses power when accelerating and how to fix it.
- Mechanical problems such as dirty air filter, clogged fuel pump, clogged exhaust.
- Faulty sensors like the MAF sensor, oxygen sensor, camshaft position sensor, and all other sensors relative to the EFI system.
- Faulty actuators such as injectors, fuel pump, and spark plus.
Bad Wheel Alignment
A common problem that can prevent your Ford truck from picking up speed is unbalanced wheels. A shaking tire can cause shaking and bogging down when accelerating and can even lead to an accident if not fixed correctly.
Also, check if the lug nuts on the wheel are loose.
Solution
- Tighten any loose lug nuts on the wheels.
- Get your tired aligned and balanced on a balancing machine by a professional tire installer.
Low Transmission Fuel
If your F150 has an acceleration problem with the RPM going up, the most probable reason is low transmission fluid. The transmission fluid is responsible for transferring power from your engine to the road. It also allows your car to shift with ease.
Check the levels of your transmission fluid by pulling out the transmission dipstick. The dipstick in an older model F150 is a bright yellow ring usually found either on your immediate left or the passenger’s side.
Solution
- Refill your truck with the recommended transmission fluid for a Ford.
- We recommend that you change your Ford F150’s transmission fluid once every 30,000 to 60,000 miles or once every two to four years. The more your drive, the more you will have to change the transmission fluid.
Bad Fuel
If your F150 is lagging suddenly, especially after fueling, contaminated fuel would be the probable cause. Low fuel quality will lead to inefficient fuel combustion.
Solution.
- The gas-powered F150 has fuel treatments that will remove water from the gas in your fuel tank.
- If yours uses diesel, you can use a cetane booster to remove moisture and improve your engine’s overall performance.
Low compression (Gas & Diesel Engine)
During the fuel combustion process, your vehicle must have good cylinder compression to give your truck adequate energy to move and accelerate. So low compression means there will be low power in the engine.
There are several reasons you could be losing compression in your cylinder. Check out for a blown head gasket, broken pistons, piston rings, a worn-out timing belt, and leaking valves.
Solution
- Once you figure out the part causing low compression, replace or repair the leaking component, whether it’s the piston, piston ring, camshaft, head gasket, or valves.
Clogged Fuel Filter
You will find the fuel filter between the fuel injectors and fuel pump of your vehicle. It sieves the gas for any impurities and dirt. A clogged fuel filter will limit the amount of fuel going into the F150’s fuel injection system to reach a specific engine’s power demand. That is, your car will drive fine until you hit a certain speed.
If you have a code reader, the engine will send a P0087 trouble code, which shows fuel pressure is too low, usually caused by a clogged fuel filter.
Solution
- Replace your fuel filter, and remember to clean it periodically to prevent clogging too often.
Damaged fuel pump
The fuel pump takes fuel from the gas tank to the engine. A vehicle needs a constant supply of fuel and air for maximum performance. The fuel pump also delivers the fuel at the right pressure to meet the demand of an engine. A faulty fuel pump will prevent the vehicle from accelerating beyond a certain speed.
A simple way to check for a broken fuel pump is to turn the car on and listen for a humming sound. The pump is likely not working if you do not hear that sound.
Solution
- A bad fuel pump will require a replacement.
NOTE: The signs of a broken fuel pump and a bad fuel filter feels the same; making diagnosis between them challenging. A simple way of telling them apart is placing a pressure gauge on both sides of the line. A blocked fuel filter will have high pressure on the input side and low pressure on the output side, whereas a bad fuel pump will have low pressure on both sides.
Bad Air Filter
A car engine combines air and fuel in the combustion chamber to generate energy used to run the vehicle. The air gets into the engine through the air filter, which keeps out debris, dirt, and other contaminants that can damage the engine.
When the air filter of your Ford 150 gets clogged, it does not allow enough air to enter the combustion chamber leading to less energy produced to run your truck beyond a certain speed.
Solution
- Replace your air filter. You can use a reusable filter, which you can easily clean using the manufacturer’s directions.
Bad Clutch
A faulty clutch may be one reason your F150 has acceleration problems, especially if it has a manual transmission. A worn-out clutch has less surface to grip the flywheel and pressure plate, making it hard to transfer rotating power to the transmission. It is called a clutch slippage.
Solution
- Replace all the clutch system’s major components, not just the worn-out parts, with an expert’s help.
Clogged Exhaust Pipe (Gas & Diesel Engine)
There are two filters in the exhaust system; the catalytic converter is the most important since it regulates the amount of pollution produces after combustion while the muffler reduces the sound produced. If your exhaust is damaged or clogged, it will affect the engine’s performance and prevent the vehicle from accelerating.
An easy way to test for a clogged catalytic converter is to ask someone to run the vehicle’s RPM between 1800 and 2000 while placing your hand on the exhaust push with your hand from behind the tailpipe. A hot feeling of exhaust air means the converter is clogged.
Solution
- Unfortunately, you cannot repair a clogged catalytic converter. You have to replace it with a new one with the help of a professional mechanic.
Vacuum leak
The Ford 150’s engine creates a vacuum when it runs. This vacuum has to be carefully regulated by several hoses for the engine to run smoothly. Too much vacuum causes too much, which leads to a situation where no air; the MAF senses this and prevents the car from picking up speed.
The most common cause of a vacuum leak is a broken or worn-out hose, but several parts in your F150, such as regulators and valves, can break and cause the leak. You can use a code scanner to pinpoint where the issue break is.
Solution
- Inspect the hose for breaks and tears. Replace the broken hoses with more robust silicone hoses.
Timing chain or belt
The timing chain is located in front of the motor and attaches to a set of gears and pulleys. The timing chain should continuously rotate smoothly around the gears for the engine to fire.
Check this too: How Big A Camper Can An F150 Tow?
Unlike other vehicle parts, manufacturers have designed timing belts to last as long as the vehicle, but that doesn’t always happen. Over time, a higher-mileage Ford truck’s chain will stretch and wear out, making the engine’s timing to be out of place. This problem can even cause your Ford truck to cut out when accelerating if ignored for too long.
Solution
- Replace the timing chain.
As you can see above, there are several reasons why your truck cuts out when accelerating. These solutions apply to most Ford models, including F150 and F250. It is best to keep your regular servicing up-to-date to avoid some of these problems. It would be best if you did not ignore when your vehicle is sputtering when accelerating. It can worsen the existing issue leading to more expensive repairs or cause an accident.