The Lemon Index
Ford's 5.2 L supercharged V8, DOHC in the Shelby GT500 Mustang and F-150 Raptor R, model years 2020–2026. YouTube likes the 2026 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 48/100, #86 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Ford F-Series Ford F-150 Raptor R202320242025
- Ford Mustang Ford Shelby GT500202020212022
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. Owners filed 2 complaints with the government that we can tie to this engine's cars, 2020–2026, about any part of the car. Performance versions are mostly filed under their base model (a Shelby GT500 is filed as a Mustang), so we only count complaints whose model name or the owner's own words tie them to this engine, and lead with YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes.
Why the car page shows more: the GT500 page counts 225 complaints and 16 recall campaigns for 2020–2022, everything NHTSA files as "Mustang", other engines included. This page counts only the 2 complaints and 0 recalls we can tie to the Ford 5.2 supercharged Predator by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2026 (52) and least about the 2020 (46); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Shelby GT500 Mustang | 0 | 46 (74 videos) | 0 |
| 2021 | Shelby GT500 Mustang | 1 | 47 (66 videos) | 0 |
| 2022 | Shelby GT500 Mustang | 0 | 46 (64 videos) | 0 |
| 2023 | F-150 Raptor R | 0 | 50 (89 videos) | 0 |
| 2024 | F-150 Raptor R | 1 | 49 (86 videos) | 0 |
| 2025 | F-150 Raptor R | 0 | 48 (83 videos) | 0 |
| 2026 | F-150 Raptor R | 0 | 52 (89 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Engine problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 11 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- Some 2022 Mustang Shelby GT500 and 2023 F-150 Raptor R vehicles built on 1-Aug-2022 and through 20-Feb-2023…
- Some 2022 Mustang Shelby GT500 vehicles built on 27-Sep-2022 and through 04-Nov-2022, and 2023 F-150 Raptor R…
- Some 2020-2021 Mustang GT500 vehicles built on or before 30-June-2021 may exhibit a no crank/no start with no…
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Timing chain tensioner (2020) (Maker bulletin). On some 2020 cars built Dec 2019 to Dec 2020, the secondary timing chain tensioner may not have been activated at the factory. That can cause timing loss, misfires and engine damage. Fix: Dealers inspect the tensioner free under Ford program 21B26. 2 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (S550 GT500).
- Supercharger drive clutch (Maker bulletin). A failed one-way clutch in the supercharger drive pulley can cause a loss of power and a check-engine light (code P1228) on 2020–2021 cars. Fix: Ford now sells the supercharger drive as its own part, so the blower can stay. 5 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (S550 GT500).
- Valve cover oil leaks (2022) (Maker bulletin). Some 2022 cars can leak oil from the spark plug tube or cam timing solenoid seals. Fix: Ford says to replace both valve cover assemblies, not just the seals. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (S550 GT500).
Sources: Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21B26: 5.2L secondary timing chain tensioner (filed with NHTSA), CarGurus: Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 buying guide (Jan 2025), Ford SSM 50578: 2020–2021 GT500 lack of power, P1228, supercharger drive (CarComplaints summary), Ford SSM 51811: 2022 GT500 oil leak at spark plug tube / VCT seals (CarComplaints summary). The same list as on the GT500 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Ford Shelby GT500 Shelby GT500 Mustang · Ford Mustang, every year | 2020–22 |
| Ford F-150 Raptor R F150 RAPTOR R 4WD · Ford F-Series, every year | 2023–26 |
Engine code: Predator 5.2 (Shelby GT500); the Raptor R's Predator-based version is called Carnivore. Romeo Engine Plant Niche Line (GT500), Dearborn Engine Plant (Raptor R). Power: 700–760 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Ford Modular engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Ford 5.2 supercharged Predator engine?
In the US: the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, Ford F-150 Raptor R, model years 2020–2026. See the version table for each one.
Is the Ford 5.2 supercharged Predator reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 48/100, #86 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: the government files most performance versions under their base model. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Ford 5.2 supercharged Predator make?
700–760 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.