Ford F-350 SD Problems by Year
Ford F-350 SD years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical F-350 SD year: 2005, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2017 F-350 SD: 573 complaints, 13 recalls
- 2019 F-350 SD: 467 complaints, 11 recalls
- 2005 F-350 SD: 217 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1995 F-350 SD: 2 complaints, 1 recall
- 1997 F-350 SD: 3 complaints, 2 recalls
- 1998 F-350 SD: 3 complaints, 1 recall
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 SD problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 1,091 | 28 | 30 |
| Suspension problems | 868 | 25 | 14 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 368 | 24 | 7 |
| Electrical System problems | 332 | 28 | 10 |
| Power Train problems | 288 | 28 | 8 |
| Tires problems | 247 | 24 | 14 |
| Wheels problems | 222 | 24 | 8 |
| Engine problems | 220 | 26 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Diesel problems | 197 | 23 | 1 |
| Structure problems | 168 | 26 | 9 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 144 | 21 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 91 | 10 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 91 | 16 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 88 | 24 | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 71 | 20 | 2 |
| Air Bags | 46 | 14 | 18 |
| Visibility/wiper | 42 | 14 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 39 | 15 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 39 | 9 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 37 | 18 | 1 |
| Visibility | 29 | 12 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 22 | 7 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Other | 19 | 12 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 19 | 10 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 14 | 8 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 12 | 6 | 0 |
| Equipment | 12 | 11 | 1 |
| Parking Brake | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Seats | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat or Vehicle) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ford F-350 SD problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2020: power train (54)
- 2019: steering (266) · suspension (227)
- 2018: steering (102) · suspension (78)
- 2017: steering (292) · suspension (219) · wheels (59)
- 2016: suspension (81) · steering (76)
- 2015: steering (67) · suspension (66)
- 2003: engine and engine cooling (51)
All Ford F-350 SD model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-350 SD | 8 | 5 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2025 F-350 SD | 14 | 6 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 F-350 SD | 45 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 F-350 SD | 41 | 15 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 F-350 SD | 112 | 17 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2021 F-350 SD | 98 | 14 | — | Fuel System, Diesel | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2020 F-350 SD | 189 | 15 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2019 F-350 SD | 467 | 11 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 F-350 SD | 203 | 9 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 F-350 SD | 573 | 13 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 F-350 SD | 209 | 3 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 F-350 SD | 208 | 3 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 F-350 SD | 7 | 4 | — | Steering | |
| 2013 F-350 SD | 9 | 9 | — | Engine | |
| 2012 F-350 SD | 29 | 9 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 F-350 SD | 43 | 7 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 F-350 SD | 50 | 6 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 F-350 SD | 19 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 F-350 SD | 101 | 0 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 F-350 SD | 25 | 1 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 F-350 SD | 127 | 1 | — | Steering | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 F-350 SD | 217 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 F-350 SD | 130 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 F-350 SD | 132 | 4 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 F-350 SD | 124 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2001 F-350 SD | 158 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 2000 F-350 SD | 157 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1999 F-350 SD | 142 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 F-350 SD | 3 | 1 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 1997 F-350 SD | 3 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | |
| 1996 F-350 SD | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1995 F-350 SD | 2 | 1 | — | Electrical System |
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Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-350 SD years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2005 (217), 2015 (208), 2016 (209), 2017 (573), 2018 (203), 2019 (467) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical F-350 SD 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 SD?
Steering, with 1,091 complaints across 28 model years.
How many recalls does the Ford F-350 SD have?
78 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.