What You Need to Know Before Buying or Living With This Truck
The Ford F350 Lariat sits in a weird middle ground. It is a one-ton dually capable of 20,000-plus pounds of towing, but it has leather seats and upgraded interior trim that makes it usable as a daily driver without feeling like you are sitting in a utility vehicle. Most people buy these thinking they need the payload capacity. They rarely do. The real question is whether the compromises are worth it for the capability you actually use. I have owned and worked on three of these over the years. Two were fleet purchases where the company expected actual work out of them. The third was my own truck, bought used with 68,000 miles on it. Here is what I have learned from putting roughly 90,000 miles on them across different configurations.
The Unstoppable Workhorse Ford F350 Lariat
The 2017 through 2022 model years are the sweet spot for this generation. They use the 6.7L Power Stroke V8 turbodiesel paired with either the 10-speed automatic or the earlier 6-speed. The 10-speed is noticeably better for both fuel economy and longevity under load. Avoid the 6-speed if you can, especially if you plan to tow anything over 10,000 pounds regularly. The 6-speed runs hot, shifts too frequently under heavy throttle, and the transmission cooler mounted on the engine block is a known weak point. I replaced the cooler on two separate trucks before I stopped buying them with that configuration. The diesel itself is generally solid if you follow basic maintenance. The injectors on the 2017-2019 models are the high-pressure common rail type that can develop carbon buildup in the glow plug ports. Not a catastrophic failure, but it causes hard starts in cold weather and rough idle that makes people think the injectors are shot when they really just need a proper cleaning cycle. I use a fuel system cleaner with Pea Crystal technology every other tank and the problem goes away. Cheap fix that most mechanics will try to upsell you on. Four-wheel drive on the F350 uses a transfer case with an electronic shift module. The front axle disconnects at highway speeds to reduce drag and improve efficiency. This system works fine most of the time. The failure point is the front axle disconnect actuator on the driver side. It is located low on the frame rail, exposed to road debris and moisture. When it fails, the front wheels stay partially engaged and you get a noticeable drag that shows up as reduced fuel economy and premature front tire wear. I learned about this the hard way when my 2019 Lariat went from 22 mpg to 16 mpg on highway runs without any other changes. Replaced the actuator for about $180 in parts and two hours of my time. The dealer wanted $900 to do it.
One thing people underestimate is the suspension tuning on the Lariat trim specifically. Ford added some comfort-oriented calibration to the Lariat over the base XL or XLT work truck versions. That means slightly softer spring rates and more compliant bushings. It rides better empty. It also means more body roll when you are near your maximum payload capacity. If you are genuinely loading this truck close to its limit regularly, the XLT with the heavy-duty towing package is a better starting point. You can add comfort features later. You cannot easily soften a suspension that was tuned for payload from the factory. The infotainment system in these trucks uses SYNC 3, which is actually decent compared to the older SYNC 2. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the 2018 and newer models. If you are looking at a 2017 or early 2018, check whether the navigation package was added as an option. Some trucks came with the base screen that does not support smartphone projection. Upgrading the head unit is possible but it is a pain on these trucks because of the integration with the backup camera, trailer brake controller, and climate display. A complete replacement unit runs about $600 to $900 installed and you lose some of the truck-specific functions unless you buy a very expensive module to bridge the gap. Just buy a truck with the right screen to begin with. Diesel particulate filter regeneration is another area where owners get nervous for no reason. The truck will pull into a driveway and refuse to restart because it is in the middle of a parked regen cycle. This is normal. Do not interrupt it. Let it finish, which takes about 20 to 40 minutes depending on soot load. If you find yourself having to do this regularly because you only drive short distances, you are using the wrong truck for your needs. A diesel F350 needs highway miles to stay healthy. The DPF will clog if you never get the exhaust up to operating temperature for extended periods. I have seen trucks with 80,000 miles on them that had DPF issues because the owner used it as a suburban runabout. That is not a truck problem. That is a use-case problem.
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The 6.7L Power Stroke got a significant update in 2021 with improved turbocharger routing and a relocated EGR cooler. If you are choosing between a pre-2021 and a 2021 or newer model, the post-update engines are measurably more reliable in the long run. The EGR cooler on the earlier models is the most common point of failure, and it is not cheap to fix because it requires removing the intake manifold to access. Replacement runs around $1,400 to $1,800 at a shop. The 2021+ redesign moved the cooler to a more accessible location and improved the cooling flow enough that failures dropped significantly. Braking performance with the diesel engine is adequate but not exceptional. The standard brakes on the Lariat are good for normal driving but if you are towing near the maximum rating regularly, you will want to upgrade to the heavy-duty brake package. The standard rotors are 15 inches in diameter. The upgraded package moves you to 16 inches with larger calipers. Stopping distance with a loaded trailer improves by roughly 8 to 12 feet at 60 mph. That difference matters. I added the upgrade to my personal truck after my second trailer brake job where the rotors were already showing deep scoring at 45,000 miles. Fuel economy figures vary wildly depending on driving conditions. Expect 15 to 18 mpg city, 18 to 22 mpg highway when empty. Tow a 15,000-pound trailer and those numbers drop to 10 to 13 mpg depending on terrain and wind. The 40-gallon fuel tank gives you about 300 to 400 miles of range empty and 200 to 260 miles under load. Refueling at diesel pumps with a tank this large is not a frequent occurrence, which is one of the advantages over the half-ton trucks. But when you do fill up, expect to spend $160 to $240 per tank depending on local diesel prices.
Interior space in the Lariat crew cab is genuinely comfortable for five adults on long trips. The seats have heating and ventilation, which matters more than you might think when you are sitting in a truck with minimal sound deadening at highway speeds. The noise level at 75 mph is about 72 decibels with the windows up. That is louder than a midsize SUV and noticeable on conversations with passengers in the back seat. Ford added some sound deadening material in later model years but it is still a diesel truck with a solid axle in the rear. It will always be noisy compared to a light truck on independent suspension. Parts availability is excellent. Every major parts store carries filters, brakes, and common wear items. Dealer-specific parts like the axle disconnect actuators and EGR components are more limited but nothing exotic. The truck is popular enough that aftermarket support is extensive for suspension upgrades, exhaust systems, and performance tuning. If you are interested in tuning, stick with reputable companies like Slick Craft or S&B. Cheap programming boxes that claim to add horsepower can destroy your transmission and engine if not calibrated properly for your specific configuration. The 10-speed transmission is especially sensitive to improper torque converter clutch engagement settings. Resale value holds reasonably well. A 2019 F350 Lariat with 70,000 miles in good condition typically sells for 55 to 65 percent of its original MSRP. Diesel trucks depreciate slower than gas equivalents in this class. The market for used diesel duallys remains strong because there are not a lot of alternatives at this price point that offer comparable capability. GM and Ram have their own heavy-duty options but the Ford dealer network is wider in most parts of the country, which matters when you need service in a rural area.
The Lariat trim adds practical features like the trailer backup assist, which uses the steering wheel to control the angle of a trailer while backing up. It sounds gimmicky until you have to back a 30-foot fifth wheel into a tight space for the first time. Then it becomes indispensable. The system has a learning curve and it does not work perfectly in all conditions, but it prevents a lot of costly mistakes. Also worth noting is the integrated trailer brake controller built into the dash. Some trucks require an aftermarket unit. The Ford one is functional and calibrated to the truck's ABS system, which provides better modulation than most add-on controllers. One ongoing issue with these trucks is the fuel quality sensitivity. Modern diesel with low sulfur content is standard in most markets, but contaminated fuel or fuel stored too long in the tank can cause injector issues. If you live in an area where diesel quality is inconsistent, consider adding a fuel conditioning additive regularly. It costs about $15 per gallon treatment and can prevent thousands in injector repairs. I treat every fill-up on my last truck. It is cheaper than waiting for a problem. The tow mirrors on the Lariat are powered and heated, which is useful but the power folding mechanism can fail in cold climates. I have seen multiple units where the folding motors seized due to water intrusion. Once they fail, they need the entire mirror assembly replaced. About $400 per side in parts. If you live somewhere with heavy road salt, consider disabling the power folding feature and folding them manually to reduce stress on the mechanism.
Overall, the F350 Lariat is a truck that does most things well without excelling at any single one. It is not the most refined ride in its class. It is not the most fuel-efficient diesel truck. It is not the cheapest to maintain. But it tows well, carries heavy loads competently, has a reasonably comfortable interior, and is supported by a massive parts and service network. For someone who needs genuine work truck capability without wanting a bare-bones utility vehicle, it is a solid choice. Just buy the 2021 or newer model if you can, avoid the 6-speed transmission, and take care of the DPF by doing highway drives whenever possible.
