Ford F-350 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,579 owner complaints and 39 safety recalls on file for the Ford F-350, across 24 model years (1995–2019). The 1999 model year has the most complaints (413). The most reported problem area overall is steering.
.jpg){kind=link}
Ford F-350 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical F-350 year: 1999, 2000. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1999 F-350: 413 complaints, 12 recalls
- 2000 F-350: 304 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2001 F-350: 160 complaints, 5 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1998 F-350: 12 complaints, 1 recall
- 2009 F-350: 28 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2007 F-350: 36 complaints, 3 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Ford F-350 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 514 | 18 | 46 |
| Suspension problems | 397 | 18 | 9 |
| Tires problems | 382 | 18 | 22 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 313 | 18 | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 252 | 15 | 32 |
| Power Train problems | 237 | 19 | 16 |
| Engine problems | 162 | 17 | 2 |
| Electrical System problems | 152 | 18 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 111 | 18 | 11 |
| Wheels problems | 102 | 19 | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 85 | 14 | 3 |
| Air Bags | 76 | 15 | 60 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 75 | 14 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 64 | 15 | 0 |
| Structure | 61 | 17 | 4 |
| Service Brakes | 45 | 14 | 9 |
| Exterior Lighting | 33 | 12 | 3 |
| Visibility | 32 | 10 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 31 | 13 | 4 |
| Equipment | 28 | 11 | 1 |
| Parking Brake | 26 | 8 | 4 |
| Seats | 12 | 9 | 4 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 11 | 7 | 1 |
| Trailer Hitches | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| Interior Lighting | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ford F-350 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2012: steering (66) · suspension (65)
- 2011: steering (50)
- 2006: steering (51) · suspension (50)
- 2004: engine and engine cooling (64)
- 2000: tires (114)
- 1999: tires (93) · power train (64) · service brakes, hydraulic (64)
All Ford F-350 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 F-350 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2018 F-350 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2017 F-350 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2015 F-350 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2014 F-350 | 91 | 0 | — | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 F-350 | 76 | 1 | — | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 F-350 | 149 | 4 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2011 F-350 | 136 | 4 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2010 F-350 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2009 F-350 | 28 | 2 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 F-350 | 131 | 8 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 F-350 | 36 | 3 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 F-350 | 145 | 3 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2005 F-350 | 114 | 3 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2004 F-350 | 159 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2003 F-350 | 90 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2002 F-350 | 116 | 2 | — | Tires | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2001 F-350 | 160 | 5 | — | Tires | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 F-350 | 304 | 4 | — | Tires | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 F-350 | 413 | 12 | — | Tires | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 F-350 | 12 | 1 | — | Tires | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1997 F-350 | 155 | 3 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1996 F-350 | 130 | 3 | — | Tires | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1995 F-350 | 134 | 2 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | About as many complaints as other years |
More from Ford: all Ford models · Ford VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-350 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1999 (413), 2000 (304) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical F-350 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Ford F-350?
Steering, with 514 complaints across 18 model years.
How many recalls does the Ford F-350 have?
39 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.