2020 Ford F-250 SD Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2020 Ford F-250 SD, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 69,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “7th gear” (6% of reports).
- 77power train complaints
- 69,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 46%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- 7TH gear: mentioned in 5 of 77 complaints (6%)
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 5 of 77 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 27 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 77 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Ford F-250 SD power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-250 SD | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2024 F-250 SD | 7 | 18% | 18,000 |
| 2023 F-250 SD | 7 | 16% | — |
| 2022 F-250 SD | 21 | 17% | 16,756 |
| 2021 F-250 SD | 25 | 15% | 56,000 |
| 2020 F-250 SD | 77 | 29% | 69,000 |
| 2019 F-250 SD | 46 | 4% | 21,000 |
| 2018 F-250 SD | 16 | 4% | 15,300 |
| 2017 F-250 SD | 25 | 2% | 50,000 |
| 2016 F-250 SD | 14 | 5% | 137,000 |
| 2015 F-250 SD | 19 | 6% | 38,400 |
| 2014 F-250 SD | 2 | 8% | 104 |
| 2013 F-250 SD | 2 | 10% | 76,500 |
| 2012 F-250 SD | 3 | 5% | 49,650 |
| 2011 F-250 SD | 10 | 8% | 45,000 |
| 2010 F-250 SD | 3 | 9% | 15,136 |
| 2009 F-250 SD | 1 | 4% | 9,880 |
| 2008 F-250 SD | 7 | 5% | 22,273 |
| 2007 F-250 SD | 3 | 6% | 28,000 |
| 2006 F-250 SD | 1 | 0% | 4,806 |
| 2005 F-250 SD | 16 | 5% | 43,000 |
| 2004 F-250 SD | 21 | 8% | 11,000 |
| 2003 F-250 SD | 20 | 11% | 50,000 |
| 2002 F-250 SD | 12 | 5% | 43,600 |
| 2001 F-250 SD | 45 | 16% | 67,500 |
| 2000 F-250 SD | 21 | 9% | 52,340 |
| 1999 F-250 SD | 23 | 9% | 75,055 |
| 1997 F-250 SD | 8 | 21% | 67,560 |
| 1995 F-250 SD | 1 | 11% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. A washer within the vehicle's transmission can disintegrate, causing metallic debris to become lodged in the 'Park' mechanism.
Risk: Debris lodged within the 'Park' mechanism may prevent the vehicle from achieving or holding 'Park,' increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway and a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace a gearset within the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 19, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S22.
Structure:frame and members:underbody shields; power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2022 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty vehicles equipped with gasoline engines and aluminum driveshafts. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
Risk: A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 7, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S09.
Power train:automatic transmission:torque converter
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Super-Duty F-250, F-350, and F-550 diesel pickups. The transmission torque converter damper plate was not tempered, resulting in a brittle damper plate that may fracture and cause the engine to stall or require increased brake pedal effort in order to stop the vehicle.
Risk: An engine stall or requiring additional braking effort to stop the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission assembly, free of charge. This recall began July 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S33.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Pulled into my driveway, put vehicle in park and vehicle rolled away. Dealer says transmission needs to be replaced. NHTSA bulletin 22s22 is a roll away risk for 2020 F-250 but my VIN is not included in this recall but I fear more vehicles were affected by this then what ford reported
The transmission can remain in 7 gear and not downshift when stopped. The only fix is putting it in park. The transmission also has intermittent rough gear changes and problems downshifting while stopping. Dealership updated the TCM which only made the issue worse. Ford stated that I should go to…
The transmission can remain in 7 gear and not downshift when stopped. The only fix is putting it in park. The transmission also has intermittent rough gear changes and problems downshifting while stopping. Dealership updated the TCM which only made the issue worse. Ford stated that I should go to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 Ford F-250 SDs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 77 owner complaints about power train for the 2020 Ford F-250 SD (29% of the 266 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Ford F-250 SD power train?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 69,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2020 Ford F-250 SD?
The most frequent phrase is “7th gear”, in 5 of 77 complaints, followed by “transmission failed” (5).
See all 2020 Ford F-250 SD problems or power train problems across all F-250 SD years.