The "Do Not Buy" Dilemma: Fact-Checking the Viral Warnings About New Fords and Toyotas
A viral report claims legendary carmakers are ruining their engines with "planned obsolescence." We dug into the engineering and the data to find the truth.
It began with a video from Scotty Kilmer, a mechanic whose YouTube channel boasts millions of subscribers and a reputation for unvarnished opinions. His warning was blunt: avoid the latest models from Toyota and Ford[1]. The Daily Mail amplified the message, suggesting that complex new engines and "planned obsolescence" were turning once-reliable trucks into ticking time bombs[2].
For buyers accustomed to Toyota’s legendary durability or Ford’s truck dominance, the claim is alarming. Are these manufacturers actually designing cars to fail, or is this simply the friction of technological progress?
To separate hyperbole from reality, Solid News analyzed recall reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)[3] and reliability data from major consumer advocacy groups. The answer, as it turns out, is a complicated mix of engineering truth and sensationalism.
The Core Accusations
The controversy centers on a few specific engineering shifts: the move from simple V8 engines to complex Turbo V6s, and the increasing use of plastics in critical areas. We broke down the four main claims circulating on social media to verify their accuracy using component analysis and industry standard practices.
Interactive Select a Claim to View the Fact Check
The Engineering Reality: Why Change?
If the old V8 engines were so reliable, why stop making them? The culprit isn't malice; it's regulation. Strict CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards effectively force manufacturers to downsize engines[4].
To maintain the power truck owners expect while using smaller engines, engineers add turbochargers. A turbo forces more air into the engine, creating big power from a small package. However, this creates a high-stress environment:
- Heat: Turbos can glow red hot, breaking down oil faster.
- Complexity: A V8 is simple. A Twin-Turbo V6 has intercoolers, wastegates, and miles of vacuum lines.
- Pressure: Internal engine components are under significantly higher stress per square inch.
What the Data Actually Says
While engineering theory supports the idea that complexity breeds failure, the actual failure rates tell a nuanced story. Despite the bad press, Toyota remains at the top of the industry reliability rankings.
Crucially, newer data from late 2025 contradicts the narrative that Ford is in freefall. In the 2025 Consumer Reports survey released in November, Ford climbed to #11, nearing the industry average and signaling that their initial quality control issues with the EcoBoost platforms are stabilizing[5].
2025 Industry Reliability Rankings
Composite score based on defect frequency (Higher is Better)
However, Kilmer is right about the "New Platform" Risk. When Toyota switched the Tundra from a V8 to a Turbo V6 in 2022, reliability plummeted.
While initially thought to be limited to early models, Toyota expanded the recall in November 2025 (NHTSA Campaign 25V-767) to include over 120,000 additional vehicles, extending into the 2024 model year[10]. This confirms that the "machining debris" issue—a manufacturing defect where metal shavings block oil passages—persisted longer than engineers anticipated.
The "Recall Expansion"
Major Powertrain Recalls: Toyota Tundra Timeline
Note: The second spike in late 2025 correlates with the expanded NHTSA Recall 25V-767, which added 2024 models to the "Do Not Drive" advisory lists[10].
The Verdict
Is it time to blacklist Toyota and Ford? No, but the rules of buying have changed.
The era of "change the oil whenever you remember" is over. Modern turbocharged engines are engineering marvels that deliver incredible power and efficiency, but they require strict maintenance. The recurring failure of the 2022-2024 Tundra engines was a manufacturing defect, not a proof of concept failure for turbos in general[9].
Our advice: Avoid the first three model years of this Tundra generation (2022-2024) until the recall work is verified. If you buy a modern Ford or Toyota, shorten your oil change intervals to 5,000 miles. Complexity isn't inherently bad, but it does demand respect.