40 Pickup Trucks Drivers Avoid At All Costs

39: 1976-1977 Chevy Blazer Chalet

There was a period during the ’70s where just about everyone was trying to go camping or on an outdoor adventure. GM poked its head in a few different markets such as the rare GMC Motorhome and this Chevy Blazer Chalet is another attempt. This rarity in the pickup truck market was sold as either the Chevy Blazer Chalet or the GMC Casa Grande. The inside of the cab-over camper was quite comfortable with vinyl seating and a sleeping area. This isn’t going to replace a motorhome but it served a purpose at the time. Still, for general pickup truck usage, this is a model that should be avoided.

Rusting was quite common on this generation of the truck and the camper can be a pain to restore. Nevertheless, there will be outdoor enthusiasts that swoon over this pickup. This period for GM was where the company was at its peak of innovation, and some ideas were good and some were bad. The Blazer Chalet? Not one of the best ideas to come out of the factory.

38: 1967-1977.5 Ford F-250 “Highboy”

Long before there was “Big Foot” the monster truck, there was another tall Ford oozing attitude. That was the 1967-1977.5 Ford F-250 “Highboy.” This unique creation was the bulldozer before bulldozers even existed, and we have to wonder what the automaker was thinking. The most common problems for this generation of the Ford pickup truck were electrical shorts. Some of these resulted from a ground that was installed to the front fender. This problem is just one of many that would cause owners frustration in trying to rectify the problem.

These trucks could have 35-inch tires mounted without the need for a lift kit. This was appealing to a lot of people who enjoyed going offroad. But the reliability of the truck was questionable and the upkeep would be very expensive. You can expect to spend hundreds of dollars keeping the suspension in working order. Other than that, the 1967-1977.5 Ford F-250 “Highboy” was an interesting concept.

37: 1942-1959 Napco Chevy and GMC Trucks

Long before you would go to the dealership and select a 4×4 pickup truck, you would have to go out and order one. GM didn’t build in-house 4×4 pickups for a long period, instead, these were built by Northwest Auto Parts Company (Napco). The problem with these trucks is that the Napco replacement parts are difficult to come by. A lot of these trucks are either rusted away or in a junkyard and the odds of finding salvageable 4×4 parts are slim. Napco Chevy and GMC trucks are a rarity in today’s world.

Although finding a Napco Chevy truck in clean condition can be a fascinating find, the truck is best left avoided. Unless you can fabricate parts or you have access to replacement parts taking on a project like the Napco Chevy truck can be a tough find. Potential classic pickup truck owners should avoid this pickup truck altogether.

36: 1990 Rod Hall Signature Edition Dodge

The 1980s and early 1990s were an exciting time for Baja racing and the pickup truck market in general. Consumer interest in pickup trucks was growing at a rapid pace, and new technology was making trucks more comfortable than ever. The 1990 Rod Hall Signature Edition Dodge was a collaboration between the famed Baja racer and Carroll Shelby, who had several projects with Chrysler. The truck itself was based on the Ram 150 and featured the quintessential Baja racing paint scheme and features that you’d expect. There were only 33 of these trucks made which can make finding parts difficult.

In addition to that, the Ram 150 from this generation had a lot of reliability issues. Chrysler was on the verge of redesigning these pickup trucks and the Ram was on its way out. There are a lot of cool aspects of this truck that make it appealing. But this classic Chrysler rendition of the Ford Raptor is best left avoided.

The original Dodge Power Wagon was built for military applications in World War II. But the truck proved to be so popular that the company decided to build a civilian version of the truck. The 1946-1968 Dodge Power Wagon was known for having a powerful engine and setup that would be able to handle farm work with ease. These days these trucks are very rare to come by and finding parts can be even more difficult. It is a unique aspect of the pickup truck industry to see the original Power Wagon models. Reliability is questionable at best especially with the age that the truck has taken on nowadays.

This is a 70-year-old pickup truck and as such is a lot to take on. Nevertheless, some collectors will go for this specific pickup truck models. The original Power Wagon models were the first of a legendary product line for Dodge. The modern Power Wagons have been the pinnacle of off-road performance. This modern however is mostly worth avoiding unless you have the funds for the project.

34: 1972-1979 Datsun 620

The original Datsun trucks were some of the most popular compact trucks in the world. The American versions of these trucks were popular because they were great on gas consumption and could haul lumber or tools with ease. The 1972-1979 Datsun 620 had some drawbacks that make buying a used one troublesome. The rusting is the main problem that you’ll encounter with the 620 and it’s not uncommon for these models of the truck to have a rusted-out floorboard. This is just something that Datsun enthusiasts have learned to live with but rectifying the problem can either cost a great deal of money or just is not possible.

Rather than taking on a ticking time bomb, other newer Japanese trucks are worth looking into. To get a Datsun 620 that’s worth acquiring, you want an original owner truck that doesn’t have rust. Nevertheless, this can be quite difficult and a good portion of these trucks are already rusted out. It would probably be wise to avoid the 1972-1979 Datsun 620 unless you can find an immaculate model.

33: 1978-1979 Dodge Lil’ Red Express Truck

There’s no doubt that the 1970s had some pretty cool rides, and the Lil’ Red Express was a notable inclusion. The 1978-1979 Dodge Lil’ Red Express Truck was based on the existing Ram platform, and it featured some iconic exterior modifications. The double stacks that were sticking up from the truck bed gave the Lil’ Red Express a unique semi-truck look. The reliability of these trucks is questionable and the replacement parts are even harder to come by. The production of this truck was very limited, and its performance was great for the time.

Nowadays this truck would be better left avoided. The reliability of these engines is not as good as you’d expect. A lot of the exterior pieces can be hard to find replacements for as well as matching the original paint color. The bed is also prone to rusting and falling apart, so you’d want to find one of these trucks in original condition with low mileage. Otherwise, the Lil’ Red Express is worth staying away from as repairs could potentially be too costly.

32: 1989-1993 W-250/350 Dodge Power Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel

The Dodge lineup of trucks has never been as popular as the competition from Ford. But these trucks are known for being workhorses, and the Cummins Turbo Diesel was at the top of the food chain. The 1989-1993 W-250/350 Dodge Power Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel is a rare powerhouse that you seldom see often anymore. The reliability was questionable at best, even when the pickup truck was the best. These models have been prone to rusting in addition to the reliability issues with the diesel motor.

Interior quality was not the best on this generation of the Ram either, and the interior would often crack and was outdated compared to rivals. The 1989-1993 W-250/350 Dodge Power Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel is a truck you might avoid altogether unless taking on a diesel project is something that interests you. There are a lot of great pickup trucks on the market, but this generation of the Ram should be avoided.

31: 2005 Dodge Power Wagon

The modern Dodge Power Wagon was a big hit when it was released to the market in 2005. At this point, the Ram was experiencing a sales surge like never before. The modern exterior and interior were stylistic successes for Chrysler and pickup truck business in general. The 345hp 5.7L Hemi V-8 engine coupled with the bright red paint job made the truck a hit success and a blast to drive. But as the years have piled on these trucks are generally unreliable and the engines have a lot of issues with cooling and electrical.

You’ll expect the Dodge Power Wagon to handle the off-road trails well, and the built-in wench is a nice touch rated at 12,000 Lbs. Unless you can find a Power Wagon with low mileage this truck would generally be worth avoiding. There were updated versions of the Power Wagon on this platform that took care of some reliability issues.

30: 1957-1965 Jeep FC-150

Also known as the “Forward Control” the Jeep FC-150 was an interesting model. The truck had a big cab-over design, which you don’t see anymore. The truck was quite capable of going off-road, which made for a one-of-a-kind experience. Unfortunately, these trucks are very rare and the Willys-based design is hard to acquire parts for. There are a fair amount of enthusiast groups for these Jeeps, but overall you’d probably be better off finding another alternative from this era. The 1957-1965 Jeep FC-150 is perhaps one of the most unique aspects of the pickup truck industry.

You don’t see these trucks very often but they are also quite the project to undertake. For the average person who’s just trying to build a classic off-road rig, this particular Jeep might be worth avoiding. There are quite a few unique Jeep models that have been on the market but the 1957-1965 Jeep FC-150 is one that’s worth avoiding.

29: 1953-1956 F-100

Released early in the pickup truck market, the second generation of the F-Series truck was a groundbreaking vehicle for Ford. The pickup truck was becoming more of a mainstream vehicle and Ford was beginning to sell them like hotcakes. The 1953-1956 F-100 had a lot of things that made it an interesting find. The cab had a new design on the interior that made the truck more comfortable to live with. Little features such as the truck bed made for a winning combination of functionality and cargo capacity. Reliability for an original version of this truck is iffy and can definitely take a lot of maintenance.

It is most common for these pickup trucks to have a modern engine swap, and if you can accomplish that, reliability is much improved. But if you’re going to for an original model, you can expect to pay a great deal of money to keep it on the road. The flathead V8 is an iconic powerplant and the styling is quintessential Ford, but this truck is quite the project to take on.

28: 2004-2008 International CXT

Remember when you were a kid and you wanted a real-life Tonka Toy? Well, the 2004-2008 International CXT was indeed a real-life Tonka. The 12,000-pound truck was based on the same cargo hauler that we see going up and down the highways all the time. The truck was in a who’s bigger competition with Ford at the time, and the quad cab design of the truck made it a huge family hauler. The truck bed was also quite large and the truck had a massive design at the time, which made it a strong choice for many consumers.

In addition to the massive proportions of the truck, finding the time to service it can be costly. Not just any mechanic can work on one of these, and you can expect to pay a pretty penny in the long run. The 2004-2008 International CXT is a massive beast of a truck that will cost you more in fuel and repairs then it might be worth the money. Still, if you want to have the biggest truck on the block this is the choice for you.

For the majority of the pickup truck world, the 454 SS is a sort of legend. The first GM performance truck had a lot to offer, including a big engine that was crammed into a lightweight body. But once you got past the obvious power advantage the truck didn’t offer all that much in terms of design. The 454 SS nowadays is nothing more than an overpriced GM relic that only came in a single cab configuration.

Sure, the truck was fast, but it only came in one color and with one interior combo. Not to mention the fact that there were not a whole lot of these trucks made. The 454 SS has held its value for the most part over the year. But for the price tag, you can get a much better truck that you’ll be happier with in the long run.

You’ve probably never seen one of these, and for the most part, they are quite rare. The F-150 Flareside is a pretty unique truck in a lot of aspects. The one-of-a-kind stepside configuration is enough to sell the truck on looks, but the flareside was lacking in other features. The interior was rather bland in terms of design, and the truck had limited cargo capacity inside of the cabin due to the small size. The V8 engine is powerful and gives the truck a good deal of power, but the most common configuration you’ll see is the V6.

The flareside went on for a few years in production and it followed the redesign of the 1997 F-150 model. Stepside trucks have never commanded a large portion of the marketplace but there are still buyers for these trucks. What makes the stepside such a limited piece of the pickup truck market is the fact that the bed is a lot smaller than an average truck.

The S10 in itself was one of the best selling pickup trucks to come out of General Motors. The truck in conjunction with the GMC Sonoma pretty much defined the compact truck era during the ’90s. The body style was so popular that it ran well into the new millennium with minimal redesign. The Cameo was a special edition of the truck that offered a smooth exterior ground effects kit and a refined interior. The Cameo didn’t garner much attention from the buying public, which is why you don’t see it often.

Generally speaking, because of the rarity of the package, the Cameo is worth avoiding. The V6 engine of that period was known to have intake manifold failures. In addition, you can get a Syclone, which is not only fast but also a collectible. The Cameo will go down as a failed appearance package if anything.

The redesign of the Sonoma was big for the compact truck market, as the S10 was redesigned as well. But the first year for these models had a lot of reliability issues that made the trucks difficult to live with. Electrical problems galore throughout the cabin and the interior which made the truck a nasty project to fix. This also meant that mechanics would charge a premium to work on the thing. The Sonoma did have some positive attributes but the negatives far outweigh the positives for the first year of the new design.

Even getting a used one can be problematic if it hasn’t been taken care of. A lot of these first-generation trucks were abused and this caused an issue for the new owners. If you have been considering getting one of these first-generation trucks you’ll want to make sure that it has low mileage and maintenance records.

During the ’90s, Ford was into doing some pretty radical designs on their pickup trucks and the Ford Ranger Splash was one such truck. A cheap exterior paint design made the truck start prematurely fading early on. This caused a lot of frustration with new owners who were paying a premium for this truck. Then the power plant was underpowered at a time when Dodge was bringing on the new competition with the Dakota pickup truck. Overall, there were a lot of issues that just make the Splash a generally avoidable pickup truck.

If you have to get a Ford Ranger the years that ensued were a lot better in terms of quality. The Ranger itself is a standout track but the Splash just suffers from a few design flaws that make it a pain to live with.

Mazda has always had some sort of truck in the US market. The original Mazda trucks were cheap and gas efficient, while the letter models were clones of the Ford Ranger. The 1995 model introduced a new design to the world but there were a few design flaws that left a lot to be desired. The engine would have a good deal of electrical problems and the 4X4 mode is known to short circuit from time to time. The B Series, in general, was a good truck for several reasons but it would appear as though the 1995 model had a few shortcomings.

If you must have a ’90s-style Mazda truck the B-Series is worth avoiding in this model year. You can get trucks that offer a lot more in the price range and you’ll have fewer issues overall with the build quality.

The Dodge Dakota was an innovator in a lot of aspects, the overall design was the first of its kind. The Dakota was also the first truck to offer a V8 engine in this class. The 1996 model built on that with a new redesign that looked to attract more buyers. While the overall design of the truck was much improved, some issues caused drivers frustration. The V6 engine was full of reliability issues and this caused problems in the long term. There were spark plug failures and the transmission was also known to go quite often.

The Dakota lasted for two generations and it managed to sell quite well, but the 1996 model is best left avoided if you have to have a Dodge truck.

Long before the performance editions of the Ram hit the market there was the SS/T. This unique-looking sport truck had a stripe paint job that came in black, blue, or white. The truck looked good at the time with fog lights and a ground effects kit. If you had to have a custom Dodge Ram this was it. But the SS/T also had a lot of reliability issues which made the truck expensive to repair. Common issues for this truck are transmission failure as well as electrical failures that happen inside the cabin of the truck.

The SS/T was no Ford Lightning and there is not any substantial increase in performance to justify the truck’s high price tag, which means that you weren’t getting away with all that much to justify the truck.

The Silverado is one of the best selling trucks of all-time, and with that being said, there is no wonder that there would some reliability or mechanical issues. The Silverado three-door was the first introduction of the access cab, and it made having a family a whole lot easier. The most common issue with these trucks was electrical problems throughout the cabin. Older GM cars are notorious for this but it would appear that the Chevy trucks got the worst of it.

The infamous “Spider Injector” is another problem with the Vortec 5.7L engine and this has caused many problems for owners of this truck. This was a very costly repair and one of the major reasons why you want to avoid a high mileage CK/1500 from this generation like the plague.

The redesign of the Silverado was big news for GM and big news for the pickup truck community. Here’s what went wrong, first and foremost there were the same electric gremlins with this generation of Chevy truck as previous years. The 5.3L had a lot of improvements over the previous generation, but the first year of the truck had a lot of kinks that needed to be worked out down the road. That’s not to say that this generation of the truck is bad, but like with any new model, avoiding the first year is important to do.

This is relative to a brand new car. The Sierra of this year has the same issues attached to it and you are generally better off just waiting for a newer year. GM had a habit of rushing these pickups into production around this time and this was one of the reasons.

The 2000 GMC Sierra was the second year for the new design of the truck. For the most part, the truck was a well-appointed upgrade over the previous generation. Common issues for these trucks were relegated to electrical malfunctions and the like. These trucks also had problems with the lifters failing. While the generation had a lot of advantages over it the main drawbacks of the 2000 model year make this a truck that you should avoid. Although this generation of the Sierra / Silverado was one of the most reliable for the decade. The drawbacks made this truck more or less worth avoiding.

The mechanical aspects of the truck make it a bit expensive to maintain and drive. Which is why a good deal of owners tend to turn these trucks away. Especially on the used market, where repairing a high mileage pickup truck can end up being a pretty expensive thing.

Heavy-duty trucks have always had a pretty consistent buyer. When you look for a 3500 Heavy Duty truck, there are a few things that you’ll want to look for. The 3500 heavy duty is known for having a Duramax diesel engine and one of the largest payloads of its class. Electric issues are common on these trucks and the limited edition Quadrasteer models had a lot of issues as well which made the trucks expensive to repair. Interior derailments would happen in this generation of the truck as well, such as sensors in the seats and the AC condenser.

The Sierra 3500 was the first upper-end GM truck to feature a Denali trim level, and if you want to deal with the electric gremlins that this truck would experience then this body style was the best way to go.

The Lincoln Blackwood is among one of the rarest pickup trucks on the market. It was only made for one year and it was universally panned. Here’s the first problem with the Blackwood – it has a satin truck bed. What are you going to do with a satin truck bed? This was a problem for a lot of shoppers who liked the idea of a Lincoln truck but they wanted something a bit more versatile. The 5.4L in-tech V8 was also known to have issues with the valves sticking as well as the spark plugs shooting out of the sides of the engine.

The Lincoln Blackwood stands out from the crowd in terms of unique styling and a one-of-a-kind design. But the truck had a lot of shortcomings and this truck is meant to be stored as a collector’s item instead of being driven every day.

Harley Davidson and Ford have had a long-standing partnership, and it all started with this truck. It stands to reason that a good portion of F-150 buyers owns some sort of motorcycle, so the brand was able to do across branded promotional items which were the Harley Davidson F-150. But this truck is more than just an appearance package, it also featured a beautiful interior and a supercharged V8. The problem with this V8 engine was that it had a lot of reliability issues, the most common was the same as with the Blackwood which was sparkplugs shooting out of the side of the engine.

The Harley Davidson F-150 has gained a cult-like following. The truck offers a great amount of power for the price and a luxurious interior.

The Ranger has been a staple of longevity in the pickup truck world. What makes the Ranger Edge a unique offering is the fact that the truck came in some wild exterior colors. Coupled with the fact that the Edge was a flareside bed, and you have a cool ride. The original Edge was much like a Nissan Frontier Pro-X of today. Why the Ranger is worth being avoided is simply because of the 4.0 SOHC engine. This engine is notorious for blowing head gaskets, and that’s only half of the problem.

There were also abundant electrical problems that would happen in the cabin and around the rest of the truck. These problems would end up being a pain to fix and they would cost drivers a pretty penny.

The Dakota redesign was major for Dodge in a lot of ways because the Dakota was still a popular selling model. While the larger Ram pickup truck was upgraded to the Hemi V8 the Dakota was unfortunately stuck with the same 4.7L Magnum V8. This engine was severely outdated and had a good deal of reliability problems which made the engine cumbersome at best. The Dodge Dakota also had a very cheap interior when you compare it to previous generations and this was a problem for most new owners of the truck.

Overall, the Dakota from this generation is worth avoiding for several reasons. From the mechanical issues of the 4.7L Magnum to the cheap interior plastics that break down over time. Avoiding the Dakota from this generation is just an all-around good idea.

Lincoln tried to market a luxury truck once again in 2006. This was the Mark LT. The new truck was unique from the Blackwood in that it had a usable truck bet. In addition to that, the Mark LT was offered in a variety of trim levels. The first years for this truck are worth avoiding because of the valve problems that were not perfected at the time. Another expensive fix on these trucks is the air ride suspension that most Lincolns from this era used.

The Mark LT was the basis for what would become the Ford F-150 Platinum. The first year of this truck is generally best avoided just to be on the safe side. This can be a very expensive used car to try and fix.

The Raider was a great idea for creating a sporty truck, but for modern truck buyers, this one is best left avoided. The Raider had a very short shelf life and it’s easy to see why. The truck just had a lot of shortcomings that drivers couldn’t get over.

The Dodge Ram SRT 10 was an interesting concept, to say the least. In terms of sheer power, you cannot beat the SRT 10 because it has a Viper V12. But this miracle of engineering also brought a lot of problems for the truck as the engine was much too powerful for the truck’s drivetrain. Transmission failure is all too common on these trucks, not to mention the fact that the Viper engine isn’t suitable for daily driving.

The SRT 10 can end up being a very expensive toy to fix and thus a lot of drivers are better off just avoiding it altogether. Sure, you have one of the most iconic sports cars around crammed into a Dodge Ram, but that’s really about it.

The Dakota was redesigned one more time before its demise. The 2009 model had a lot of features that ironed things out. But for some reason, Dodge still decided to keep that Magnum V8, one of the more unreliable motors in Dodge history. The overall redesign of the truck was great and it made a lot of potential customers happy. But when you factor in the unreliable power plant the shelf life for these trucks was short. Then you have the fact that the country was in a recession at this time and very few Dakotas survived.

If you have to get a Dakota the earlier years are going to be the best option in terms of reliability. The 5.9 RT model was one of the most coveted and fun to drive models that you could get.

Yes, you read it right, for a short period the Colorado V8 was a production vehicle. Most mid-size pickup truck buyers would like the option to have a V8 engine. But Colorado was only offered in this configuration for a very short amount of time. What made the V8 one of the least reliable trucks is that it was taken out of the larger Silverado. There was not a whole lot of engineering that went into this feat and thus Colorado with the V8 had a lot of reliability problems because the truck just wasn’t ready for this kind of challenge.

Take into account the fact that oil pump failures are all too common on these trucks and you have an expensive money pit. Still, it was pretty cool that a Chevy Colorado of all things came with a V8 configuration.

The 2011 Silverado was one of those in-between redesigns that automakers tend to do to hold off the buying public until a brand new model hits the market. 2011 had a lot of cool features that made it worth looking into but the truck also has the notorious ticking sound that comes from the Vortec motor. In addition to that GM was just testing out the new wi-fi connected systems in their truck and thus the Silverado has a lot of electrical shorts. GM has never been the best company when it comes to electrical standards.

The 2011 model is more or less just better off being avoided, you’ll be happier in the long run and the next generation was an overall nicer truck anyway. With the electrical problems and the middle of the road design, this generation can be a pain to live with.

The Equator was a blip in the automotive world, and actually, the truck had more of a limited focus. Suzuki sells a lot of motorcycles and many of these are off-road types, so naturally, the company thought that it would be good to market a pickup truck to their customer base. And that’s it, the Equator didn’t have anything else going for it. The truck had all of the same faults that you find on the decade-old Frontier because it was a decade old Frontier. The Equator did manage to offer some pretty cool packages, and the truck was a final hurrah for the Suzuki brand.

If you have ever driven a Suzuki product you’ll know that the Equator was a well thought out truck. But the downfalls were just too much for many owners to handle and thus the truck didn’t sell well at all.

The redesigned F-150 was pretty cool in a lot of aspects and it offered a reasonably solid pickup truck. But here’s the problem. The F-150 still had a lot of the mechanical issues that plagued the rest of the truck generation. Electrical shortcomings are all too common for this truck and that is just the start of the problems. These trucks were notorious for the emblems fading and the valves in the engine getting stuck. Not to mention the fact that its automatic transmission also has a lot of issues.

The next generation of the truck was all new and a lot of these issues were addressed, but for most shoppers, it was time to move onto another truck brand. The F-150 will go down as one of the more iconic pickups in the market place.

2014 introduced more new features to the Silverado line. The competition was becoming more fierce the Silverado was evolving more and more. This generation brought with it a revised interior once more, which also featured a new infotainment system. These trucks had a lot of reliability issues because of the engine which used variable valve timing to save gas mileage. This is a common feature on a lot of pickup trucks nowadays.

The 2014 model is another one that you should probably avoid, as with most first-generation models that come out. You usually want to stay away from the very first year as it has the most issues.

The automotive world was in an uproar when the F-150 Aluminum hit the road. The truck was nothing like we had seen before and this created an uproar. Most traditional truck buyers didn’t know if an aluminum vehicle could handle the type of loads that pickup truck buyers were going to throw at it. The aluminum body of the truck is a notable feature that stood out from the crowd. But the first year truck also had a lot of new quirks and issues that were ironed out as time went on.

The most common issue for these trucks is for the transmission to go into limp mode and cause the truck to be not drivable. Aside from this, the F-150 Aluminum has had pretty good reviews and ratings from the automotive press so naturally, the truck will end up being a success in the long run.