The 5.0 Coyote engine can develop various faults simultaneously, as it is with other engine types. The engine does not, however, develop these faults suddenly without signaling one symptom or another.
Here are the most common 5.0 Coyote engines problems below. Each of the issues requires swift action to get your engine running smoothly.
- Transmission Issues
- Rough Idling
- Stalling Problems
- Spark Plugs
- Faulty Ignition Coils
Apart from the most common problems mentioned above of the 5.0 Coyote, you may also notice other issues which may shorten the longevity of the engine. These may include stalling flaws, missing roll pin, faulty electronic throttle, oil leakage from the gasket, among others.
Table Of Contents
What Are The Most Common Ford 5.0 Coyote Engine Issues?
1. Transmission Issues
The 5.0 Coyote engine is built with extra strength, but, unfortunately, its auto transmission is below expectation.
This auto transmission has been a significant problem commonly associated with this engine. Even when you check online reviews about this specific problem, you may be provided with unconvincing search results.
The 5.0 Coyote engine is infamous for its slipping, clunking, and shuddering transmission system. Each time you attempt to shift the position of the gear or the speed of the vehicle, the transmission may shudder or clunk, or do both at the same time.
The main cause is that the transmission mount has lost its firmness due to cracks or fractures. Once the transmission fractures or is loose, it creates a gap that you can easily notice under the vehicle.
However, the 5.0 Coyote engine isn’t the only one faced with this specific issue, as it is common to other popular car engines. Unfortunately, many Mustang GTs are used to having this problem, including the 2018+ 10r80 10-speed auto transmission.
This submission may sound less inspiring with the engine, but all cars have their various faults. Problems associated with the 10r80 are not as painted as it is. Being a generally solid transmission, it remains excellent to maintain the 5.0 Coyote in its powerband.
What To Watch Out For
Issues do not just occur with this engine’s transmission, but before it does, it will signal any or some of the following symptoms:
- Vehicle Shudders: Generally, when your car transmission has gone bad, you’ll notice that the car shakes, vibrates, or shudders in a most uncomfortable way. This is unsafe for driving and idling and will further damage your vehicle.
- Slipping Or Missing Gear: One of the earliest signs of a bad transmission system is the impulsive slipping of the gear in and out of position when you’re driving. The best decision to make when this happens is to stop driving and let your technician diagnose and resolve the problem.
- Strange Noise: By a strange noise, you’ll observe as a clear symptom, clunking, whining or humming noises. They’re not great sounds to accompany a car when idling or at top speed.
- Slow Shifts: Unresponsiveness of the gear is a great indication that your 5.0 Coyote engine is in poor condition. The car won’t respond when it tries to change or shift gears, especially from drive to park and vice versa.
Other noticeable symptoms that indicate that your car is running on bad transmission include grinding or shaking, dragging clutch, leaking fluid, burning smell, neutral noise, and more.
What To Do
Timely detection of the above problems in your 5.0 Coyote engine requires a quick fix to avoid changing certain parts completely, as well as preventing further damage.
Some owners, however, fix these problems by having the power-train control module reset by dealers, indicating that any of the above symptoms of the engine can be linked to a software failure.
However, should the issue remains unsolved, you may need to rectify the faulty one or purchase a new transmission.
Fully replacing the damaged transmission with a new one is the way out and it doesn’t cost you breaking the bank. It doesn’t matter the condition of your car, you should park it once you notice the transmission has gone bad.
2. Rough Idling
Rough idling is a common issue with the 5.0 Coyote engines, and it is mainly noticed in revolutions per minute (rpm) of cars. If you observe a drop in your rpm after traveling certain miles, the fault is likely traceable to a faulty pressure sensor, and it alters the maximum functionalities of your engine.
When this happens, rough idle is noticed in the engine, and it usually starts by showing specific symptoms. Rough Idle is responsible for a sudden drop and rise in rpm.
However, it does not often happen, and whenever you notice it, the best thing to do is examine the fuel pressure sensor to prevent any potential deterioration. Finding out that a drop in rpm is due to rough idle, it is cost-effective to change it than purchasing a new engine.
Possible Causes Of Rough Idling
Most times, the 5.0 Coyote engine problems are not related to design flaws. One of such issues is rough idling as most cars are down with a common problem due to a number of things.
- Vacuum Leak: The hoses in a Coyote engine, like in most engines, help to create space for the passage and the correct mixture of air and fuel in the engine during combustion. Unlike in older engines in which the vacuum jerks the fuel into the engine, the Coyote engine system is different.
The engine comes with a throttle that’s responsible for regulating airflow as well as the speed of the engine. Lack of maintenance and age can wear out the hoses, causing them to develop some leaks.
Too much air-fuel mixture resulting in the hose may cause rough idle at higher RPM and the engine will misfire. - Incorrectly Installed Or Damaged Spark Plugs: Bad spark plugs can also be responsible for rough idling. If the spark plugs are incorrectly installed or damaged, it will cause the fuel to burn at an unpredictable and inconsistent rate.
Other causes are dirty or clogged fuel injectors and carburettor problems. Make sure you pay attention to the jerks and stutters and get them fixed before they deteriorate the life of the engine.
What To Watch Out For
The following symptoms mainly accompany rough Idle:
- A Sudden Drop In RPM: Rough idling comes with various signs but a sudden drop in the revolution per minute is one of the simplest and earliest signs. This drop may occur when you’re accelerating or your car is idling.
The problem may be due to a clogged or damaged idle air control valve. The immediate sign is that your vehicle will stall after releasing the throttle. It should be slow to an idle instead. - Jerking And Jumpy Sensation: When you notice that your vehicle jerks or stutters, the right definition is rough idling. Dirty fuel injectors are the first suspect when you notice that your vehicle jerks or jumps. Your accelerator becomes jerky, leading to the car losing power as you attempt to engage the throttle.
What To Do
Rough idle requires immediate attention upon detection. To fix this, quickly consider repairing the fuel pressure sensor. If this doesn’t end the problem, further issues may spring up in the 5.0 Coyote engine, resulting in fixing or changing other expensive engine parts.
3. Stalling Problems
Stalling is one of the common faults with these engines, a condition whereby the car refuses to stall. This problem, being primary 5.0 Coyote engine problems, is noticed when there is persistent power loss while driving, and this is mainly attributed to a throttle body filled with dirt.
Once spec of dirt piles up on the throttle body and is left uncleaned, it will affect the engine’s functionality. It will lead to an unsuccessful car start, whether the engine light comes up or not.
Frequently, the stalling problem can be a fluctuating process. It may cease to show for a certain period, and a few times later, it shows up again. Certain factors are responsible for this occurrence, such as a poor car battery. It is, however, best to run a check on the car battery.
What To Watch Out For
Below signs indicate stalling in your engine:
- Engine Hiccups: Engine misfire occurs naturally once there is a developing issue with your car. Although there is a wide range of reasons your car engine could misfire, stalling is one great cause.
Stalling itself is a consequence of more fundamental issues including lack of enough air, electric spark, low fuel level, or mechanical issues. - Dead Battery: Your car battery may have its electrical energy consumed completely during stalling. If you notice the battery is unable to power or ignite the engine, you might want to check if there is a stalling problem.
- Difficulties With Engine Start Or Turnover: When your Coyote engine is having stalling issues, you won’t be able to start your car. The response level of your car will be pretty low.
Dirty Throttle: A clogged throttle is both a major reason and consequence of stalling problems in a car.
What To Do
It is suggested that when your 5.0 Coyote engine begins to stall, you should find a means to clean the throttle body. Throttle body cleaning is a fun DIY, primarily for some enthusiasts.
Rectify this fault by using a throttle body cleaner by spraying it on its inside. Carefully brush the necessary parts to achieve perfect cleaning. Ensure to wipe out all gunk inside the throttle body for its effectiveness. Consulting your mechanic will also be an impressive option to fix this.
4. Spark Plugs
The 5.0 Coyote engine is prone to damaged spark plugs, just as you will find it in other car engines. Faulty plugs are another factor that may be responsible for the malfunctioning of your engine.
It is, however, easier to find out if your spark plug is still in good condition. Although damaged spark plugs may not cause further damage to your engine, they will, however, prevent it from performing its best function.
Before your spark plugs turn bad on your 5.0 Coyote engine, you will notice certain things in the functionality of your engine.
What To Watch Out For
Before you assume your spark plugs are bad, here are some of the symptoms you will notice below:
- Rattling Noise: Misfires under load are often accompanied by a rattling sound. A rattling noise can be disturbing when your car is idling or at high speed.
- Low Gas Mileage: If you have to visit the gas station more often than usual or normal, then something is seriously wrong with your car spark plugs. Don’t forget, a clogged or failed spark plugs are not the only issue causing low mileage.
What To Do
Spark plug issues are one of the most familiar problems in every engine. Thankfully, many 5.0 Coyote engine owners can quickly fix this problem within a few minutes.
Replacing these plugs requires you to lose all the knots used in tightening the cover. Remove the air tube assembly and hoses to reach where the plugs are located. Remove the faulty plugs by loosening them.
After replacing every dead plug, you are required to tighten them to enjoy their full effectiveness. To finalize this exercise, you should repeat the same process employed in loosening the plugs.
If you experience difficulty using this simple DIY method, you can reach out to your mechanic to avoid tampering with sensitive parts. However, most of these engine owners find it cheap and easy to fix it.
5. Faulty Ignition Coils
The 5.0 Coyote engine issues won’t be complete without mentioning the ignition issue. When the ignition coil is faulty, the spark will not get the required power, causing poor engine performance while in use.
Signs that your 5.0 Coyote engine has ignition issues are readily known, and when you do, fix it as quickly as possible to enjoy the engine in its best state.
What To Watch Out For
Should you notice any of the following symptoms in your 5.0 Coyote engine, your ignition coil may need a retouch:
- Power shortage.
- Engine misfire.
- Shaking at idle.
- Low gas-mileage.
What To Do
The solution to a bad ignition coil is an immediate replacement to get your engine in good health. Consult your mechanic for the ignition coil replacement.
However, replacing your ignition coil will last longer and develop a fault, having traveled 10k miles. Although the replacement can be expensive, it costs about $360-$460, including charges.
FAQs
1. Are Coyote Engines Found In All 5.0 Fords?
People often get confused with the 5.0 Coyote engine. The same engine is used in the F-150 and Mustang, but there is a slight difference in how they work.
2. Is Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve A Common Coyote Engine Problem?
Yes. Apart from the ones listed above, another common problem related to the Coyote engine is the poorly working exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGRV).
Coyote engines are typically built with high-performance capacity. This means that the exhaust gas recirculation valve can be prone to fast wear and tear if you don’t properly maintain the vehicle. The consequence is a build-up of carbon dioxide deposits in the engine.
Once the EGRV begins to fall apart, you’ll be lucky to notice any immediate sign, save for a drop in the performance level of your vehicle. The level of carbon dioxide will increase and the vehicle’s engine may start to misfire.
What you should do when you diagnosed the EGRV to be faulty is to go for a complete replacement of the component.
3. What HP Can The 5.0 Coyote Engine Hold?
The 5.0 Coyote is a significant engineering work, and it can handle about 400 plus horsepower, making it one of the best reasons owners love it. In terms of mileage, a 5.0 Coyote engine can last up to 200,000 miles. However, it all boils down to how faithful the driver or owner is to a good maintenance schedule.
4. What Are The General Features And Specifications Of The 5.0 Coyote Engine?
| Metrics: | Specs: |
| Engine Family | Modular |
| Displacement | 5.0 Liters |
| Configurations And Cylinders | V Configuration And Eight Cylinders |
| Valve Configuration | Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) With Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT) |
| Max Power @ RPM | 460 @ 7,000 |
| Camshaft Drive | Chain |
Final Thoughts
Car engines do not pack up suddenly but will have notified their users of a couple of symptoms before any breakdown. It is fair to say that solving specific 5.0 Coyote engine problems can be an easy task and help you save money.
Regular maintenance of your 5.0 Coyote engine will help lengthen its lifespan, giving you better functionality and an itch-free driving experience.
While the common issues discussed above are commonly associated with the engine require instant attention, other issues require swift attention too to keep the engine in a healthy condition.
Ensure to always take note of strange sounds in your engine and keep up with your mechanic from time to time if there is a problem you cannot fix. As a precaution, timely fixing will keep your engine in good health.