F150 Cold Air Intake Problems (4 Reasons + Solutions)

F150 is a very famous car. But a lot of people do face a lot of problems regarding cold air intake. 

You also might have f150 cold air intake problems. 

Cold air intake problems in F150 happen because of the dirt clogged in the air filter. There can also be water in your filter. It is named hydro locking. High idle is another problem. Changing the filter or cleaning it regularly keeps it good. Or letting the air evaporate also solves the problem. 

Stick to the end of this article to know more about the problems and solutions. 

Cold Air Intake Problems in F150 

The main purpose of using a cool air intake is to enhance your car’s performance. A cool air intake allows for more cool airflow in your vehicle. 

These cool airs flow in the engine and combustion chamber. This helps the engine boost power. It also increases efficiency. 

This happens because cool air contains more oxygen. The high density of oxygen in the cool air helps a lot. That’s why we use cool air intakes in F150. 

However, just using a cool air intake is not enough. Even this device causes a lot of problems for the F150. 

1. Engine Performance Reduction 

Cool air intakes are used to enhance your engine performance. But sometimes it is the reason for the engine giving a bad performance. 

Basically, it happens when the cool air intake is used for a long time. Cool air intake is used as an engine filter too. 

That’s why after a certain time if there can be a lot of dirt clogged in it. That’s when you face engine performance reduction. 

There can be some problems in the engine because of the cool air intake. Those are discussed below: 

Acceleration 

You can face problems regarding acceleration. You might fail to take accelerate your F150.  

This is a very frustrating moment for all of the F150 users. It is because of the dirty filter. The clogged dirt is preventing the acceleration. 

Fuel Efficiency

Your engine runs more efficiently when it has a cool air intake. But it takes a lot of electricity to create a cold air intake.

It will take a lot of fuel to function. And that’s why a lot of fuel is required when you’re using a cool air intake. 

But at the same time, you need to check whether you are using the right cool air intake or not. Because if you are using the wrong cool air intake then you might need more fuel. 

Reduction in Power 

A dirty cool air intake can gravely affect the engine performance. You won’t get the expected power after using it. 

That is again because of the clogged dirt. You need to check whether the filter is clogged or not. Because of the reduction of power, you will face fuel wastage. 

You will use more fuel to boost your engine. But you will not get a good performance. It is because there is a massive power loss in your engine. 

You can also use gas. But you might need to know f150 cold air intake mpg. 

Car Not Starting

The worst-case scenario for a dirty air filter is your F150 won’t start at all. Apart from acceleration problems, your car might fail to start. 

This can happens when your air filter is too clogged with dirt. 

Solution

The answer to this issue is quite simple. Change your old filter. Replace it for better performance. 

But remember prevention is always better than cure. Then you must take steps to prevent this situation. 

All you need to do is clean your air filter every time you change your oil. That can appear to be a lot of effort. But it is always better than your cool air intake being clogged by dirt. 

In this way, your cool air intake will have a long life. And so will your F150. 

2. Hydrolocking 

Hydrolocking happens when your cool air intake takes water instead of air. Now, why are we calling locking?

It is because when there is water in the filter, the air doesn’t get enough space to pass. That’s why there is a lock. 

Driving in rain doesn’t cause this problem. But you need to stay a bit aware while washing your car. 

Because while washing your car the water can get into the air filter. And it can cause hydrolock. Hydrolock affects the performance of your F150. 

Solution

If you drive the car for a long time, then it won’t affect you that much. That is because the moisture will evaporate after some time. 

You need to be careful while washing your car. You can remove the air filter while washing the car. But you can also cover them to prevent them from the water. 

3. High Idle 

Excessively high idle is a very common problem with cool air intakes. It indicates that there is a possible vacuum leakage in the f150. 

A lot of cool air intake has vacuum ports. These ports are for the routing of the original manufacturer. 

These ports can break. And then there is a vacuum leakage in the cool air intake. This causes the high idle in your F150. 

Solution

It is best for you to replace the cool air intake in this case. Because it is broken. Even if you fix it there will be always a vacuum leakage in it. 

So, renew your cool air intake. This will help you solve the problem. 

4. f150 Cold Air Intake Check Engine Light

Deposits in the engine are one of several causes for your check engine light to come on. When contaminants enter the engine, they can accumulate over time

And if they start to affect engine performance, generate a buildup that sets off the service light. 

Basically, illuminated check lights are you to inform whether there is any problem with your cool air intake or not. 

There can be water or clogged dirt. As soon as there is an issue, you will be informed. But there are also some problems that you won’t understand. 

That means you won’t see it visually. That’s when the illuminated check lights show their beauty. 

A lot of the time these check lights won’t work. That means you won’t be notified if there is a problem with your cool air intake or not. 

Solution

If you see the illuminated lights, then it is best to inspect the cool air intake. If you don’t see any visible problems then seek help from professionals. 

Because you might not understand the signals. Also if the lights are not working then also the mechanics can help. 

It is possible that there is some kind of interruption in the signals. Might be a faulty wire. Or lights going down. Which is very rare. 

But this is not a serious issue to worry about. It is best to learn about all the signs on the dashboard. 

Final Thoughts 

You might wonder whether cold air intake is worth using or not. It completely depends on the user. 

If you want a bit of boost in your f150 engine then cold air intake is a very choice. All you need to be careful of is dirt and water. 

A lot of the time old air intakes are overlooked and people face problems. You need to know when your intake is dirty or old enough. A small tip regarding this topic is the brown air intake. When you see your cold air intake has become brown or black, it means it is very dirty. 

Old intakes also have a very dark color. Using a cold air intake might be hateful but it is so much worth the hassle.

FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked queries curated for you-

Are cold air intakes a waste of money?

No, cool air intakes are not a waste of money. It boosts up engine power a lot. And your car might be able to give a lot better performance after using a Cool air intake. It also increases the longevity of the engine. But you do need to choose the right model of intake for your intake. If you choose the wrong intake then it will affect the engine. 

How much HP will cold air intake add?

A cool air intake can increase five-twenty horsepower in your automobile. The amount of power varies in the different models of cars. But in most cars, cold air intake does increase the HP and its performance. 

Does a cold air intake make your truck louder?

Cold air intake does create a bit of noise. But it is not exactly that much to make your truck louder. But if you consider noise, it is a very minor issue. You can literally increase your vehicle performance if you use cold air intake. It is totally worth it. Noise is not of a big issue in the cold air intake. 

Conclusion 

We value your dedication to this article. I appreciate your persistence until the end. Hopefully, you now have the solution to your f150 cold air intake problems.

The majority of issues are extremely easy to resolve on your own. Please let us know in the comments area if you continue to experience any issues.

Enjoy your day!

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