f150 suggestions

[ford4v429]

just got a 22 lariat 3.5 a couple weeks ago, have a 19 lariat 3.5 also...

 

I drove the 19 yesterday for first time since getting the 22, and gotta say a couple things...

the most touched parts when driving are the steering wheel and shifter. the leather in the 19 is 'grippy', like most leather wheels, kinda shiny, almost squeaks when your hands grip it...the 22 leather feels like cardboard. the shifter in the 19 isnt the best i've ever had, but its a great ergonomic layout - drive modes/manual mode/shift buttons- everything feels 'right'... the 22, they moved the 'mode' button to the dash, gotta let go/look away...they moved the 'manual' button from a detent, to a flat button- again, gotta move hand/look away...the +/- buttons are above/below, requiring you to lift your hand kinda awkwardly to hit the + button... worse yet the motorized thing feels flimsy compared to the 19.

 those are big 'feel' things to a driver- yes it iS a great driving truck, and has a lot of improved features - but theres a lot of great driving vehicles out there...the 19 is a better feeling truck in comparison though if just driving down the road looking out the windshield...the doo-dads are nice, but the steering wheel/shifter you actually drive with, deserved quality materials at least equal to the late models...

  those are actual 'feel' items to a driver- but along with the incredible torque curve of the 3.5 in lariat-up trim, the '19 had a extremely effective active noise cancellation/fake engine noise feature that really completed the 'feel' - driving, it feels and sounds like a old bigblock, ... the 22? the thing sounds like a XLT 3.5 at light throttle...piston slap, near 'knock' racket that is a necessary evil companion that comes from a loose fitted high boost aluminum motor...the 22 lariat is not a pleasant sounding vehicle from the drivers seat at light throttle...the 19 was incredible- still a little engine rattle, but nothing compared to the 22- which seems odd as the 22 has extra door seals/less highway wind noise, but sounds as if there is no insulation under the carpeting- hit a puddle in the 22 it sounds like a pressure washer, in the 19 its quiet. tried turning off the fake engine noise in both, they are comparable, both sound like my kids 19 XLT did- after he drove my 19 for a week on vacation, he hated his XLT so bad he turned in his lease and bought a loaded 19 lariat, mostly because of the sound making it 'feel stronger' in everyday driving. "for a extra hundred a month, I can drive the truck I always wanted" was his logic, and due to the market, he didnt get beat up on the lease he turned in

 

please- consider next OTA update to these trucks- to add on/off for fake engine noise for those who dont want it- and the 19 sound profile- the weak one in the 22 is horrible unless youre into the throttle, even then its kinda weak. its a silly thing to complain about unless you have actually driven both- it changes the 'feel' from the drivers seat same as a full exhaust would...just because it dont attract attention on the outside, dont mean it cant sound better inside.the 22 is not the nicest 150 in the driveway. I have been putting 'leather honey' on the 22s wheel, its beginning to soften up after a few applications, but still has no 'gloss' and sounds like cardboard as it slides under your hands, but is a little better. leather on the shifter seems much better quality than on the wheel, it actually feels better now- just still oddly laid out

 

 in any event gotta say, nice as it is- kudos on the dash, materials, automated features for sure- that going back to the 19 after a couple weeks, the feel of the steering wheel/shifter/sound of actually driving it vs pushing buttons on the nice big screen, that the 19 is a better truck from the drivers seat. only 'oops' in the 19 was the lack of heated wheel button- always hated having to look 3 menus deep or on/off the radio to get a button to pop up- they did address that in the 22 with a button you can get to easily by feel, so thanks for that one

 

heres the 4 in the family- younger sons red 3.5 xlt, my white 19 3.5 lariat, my space white 22 lariat sport, older sons ingot silver 19 lariat 3.5 he bought used after getting rid of his leased blue xlt 3.5- the white and the silver trucks sound awesome to drive, the red xlt and space white sound like a darn V6, even with that incredibly addictive torque curve of the 3.5

 

red xlt will be gone soon as son's 2.7 bronco shows up- his biggest concern on the bronco was that it would have the fake engine sound too, as he is also no longer a fan of the sound of his 3.5 without it... crazy, my kids have done pretty well all on their own, having vehicles nice as these at their ages...destined to be car poor ford fans too I guess

Edited May 21, 2022 by ford4v429

[ford4v429]

followup if anyone from fords F150 group still browse in here, or care for any feedback...

 

have had the trucks quite a while, the 22 has been flawless so far, the 19's been in the shop more than all the vehicles ive had combined the last 40 years...

 

that said, I still love that darn 19... the 22? meh. 

 

ford coulda fixed the phaser and 10r80 issues, put a larger screen in the older model, it would be better than the 22. shifter/mode/manual ergonomics of the idiotic folding shifter are terrible compared to the 19. leather quality in the 19 is way way better. muting the ANC/fake engine noise made the 22 as boring as a windstar to drive...whoever decided to mute it on the 3.5 lariats instead of letting owners decide, should be canned... same with steering wheel button layout. nothing on the truck besides the shifter is really 'new', just different... moving every steering wheel button? why? moving lock button on outer handles? why? have had it a few years now, and still find it a inferior vehicle from the drivers seat to the 19...

 

seems like 'all new' was - 'change everything/keep it the same though'.

 

only think on the 22 i like better is the hood shape, as its perfectly shaped for the red/black 3.5 twin turbo emblems...i wanted to put them on the 19 also, but hood shape is inverted... the 19 headlights dont glare as bad- why on the steerable headlights are the low beams low mounted??? glare is terrible compared to the 19, and the 22s intense brightness reflects so bad on roadsigns my old eyes much prefer the 19's more uniform/less glaring light...never ever get flashed in the 19, in the 22 all the time...

 

all first world problems, and yeah, just one bitchy customer, continue on if you want...but if ANYONE in the f150 design group gives a damn about ergonomics, try something: drive a 19 3.5 lariat in sport mode for a week. try actually using manual mode, push the up/down buttons, etc... start up, tap thumb button 5x without looking at it, leave dash buttons in 2H... do that daily, see how natural it all works.

 now drive a new one, same thing- start up, put in sport, put in manual mode, put in 2H... try doing it without looking, count the freaking steps, and how many times you gotta look away from the road... 

  ask yourself honestly which one works logically/without having to look? try the manual up/down shift buttons- can you bend your thumb that far without lifting your hand off the shifter? can you even grasp the shifter normally without lifting your elbow off the console? try the 19 shifter again...hmm. how did these 'features' get past initial design phases???

 

 listen to the racket of the newer 3.5 lariat... listen to the subtle v8 sound of the 19 3.5 lariat in sport mode, tell me which one 'feels' more powerful in normal driving... see what I mean?

 

lets rehash:

say your wife drives both, just starts/drives in default

you get in and prefer 2wd sport mode

 

2019-

touch start

put in gear and tap thumb button 5x for sport (stayed in 2wd)

drive a great sounding truck

if you want manual, pull back one click

+/- buttons are naturally positioned right at your thumb, forward/backward

 

2022-

touch start

look at dash, turn knob left 5 clicks

wait for it to shift to 4wd

look at dash, push 2wd

wait for shift to 2wd

put in gear-may need to lift elbow -unless limp wristed- to fully grasp shifter

drive windstar sounding truck

if you want manual, look at console for unlit/flush mounted M button and press it

if still on the road, use the awkward placed vertically stacked +/- buttons- lift hand off shifter if needed

 

thoughts on which seems kinda ergonomic?

 

suggestions:

try and drive new/old/use most functional layout

let truck remember modes by keyfob, like seat position.

just scrap the stupid folding shifter...useless without work surface, just use column shift for those.

 

other suggestions:

low beams should be mounted high...they look better and glare less to the poor car in front of you, as they aim down a little

softer rear door seals. years later, kids still have to slam rear doors twice every time

better steering wheel leather- most touched part of the truck, new stuff feels like cardboard.

leather shifter like the older ones.

add buttons to backside of steering wheel for audio, like GM...its just better.

fire whoever signed off on the max tow axle bolt design... that was a idiotic mistake

go back to thicker tranny fluid. aluminum spools/aluminum body/ulv fluid is black by 50k miles... loosen that crap up a thou, run real oil, the issues will go away.

 

rumor has it, the fiber engine diaper is actually a oil catcher, hiding drips to get past warranty... make it durable if needed, make valvecovers aluminum so they dont crack and leak for no reason. increase hot idle rpm so adequate pressure for phasers is always there, plus reduced chain slap to make tensioners life easier... most notorious problems will go away. mpg is zero idling anyway... cop vehicles especially that idle a lot, will last forever idling at 800

 

just some suggestions from a old ford fan, that honestly is simply fed up with preventable issues and what I feel were stupid designs...sorry- America needs Ford... but Ford needs to try harder. the cost of these recalls are nothing compared to folks like me whose brand loyalty is gone... 2 new trucks, older one is great but was unreliable-till upgrades put in, newer ones been reliable so far, but i do not trust it more than the other- still has the old CDF bushing/soft drum... and its boring/awkward unless just soccer mom mode...shouldnt be this way.

 

anyone who cared to read this far, thanks for taking the time... by the way- last vehicle i ordered was a 23 widebody challenger... yeah, I also used to joke 'dodge' means 'to avoid'... honestly i'd trust that mopar more than these trucks, and it cost a lot less. afraid Ford needs to try harder or they aint gonna make it... not here to just bitch, here to point out the guys in charge need to focus on product better.

 

ergonomics.

durability testing.

tech input on crap/good design ideas.

'feel' of materials and controls.

sound- and owner selectable if synthetic. 

 

these cost relatively nothing, could save billions... how much has ford blown on phasers? 10r80 valve bodies? 10r80 CDF bushings? 10r80 soft aluminum drum splines? 'max tow' axles?

these NEED recognized as completely avoidable issues, and quit hiding behind TSBs because 'experts' with actuary tables say its cheeper to ignore. 

 

those experts see dollars, not pissed off buyers that no longer see ford as durable, and worth the extra money. 

had i known that fake engine noise was muted on the 22 i'd have ordered a hemi dodge for less money

 

 

Edited December 29, 2025 by ford4v429