2020 Ford F-350 SD Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2020 Ford F-350 SD, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 64,750 miles. The words owners use most often: “satisfaction program 21b03” (9% of reports).
- 54power train complaints
- 64,750median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 48%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.
- Satisfaction program 21B03: mentioned in 5 of 54 complaints (9%)
- Limp mode: mentioned in 5 of 54 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 54 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Ford F-350 SD power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-350 SD | 3 | 38% | — |
| 2025 F-350 SD | 5 | 36% | 1,400 |
| 2024 F-350 SD | 6 | 13% | 25,500 |
| 2023 F-350 SD | 4 | 10% | 9,500 |
| 2022 F-350 SD | 14 | 13% | 42,164 |
| 2021 F-350 SD | 10 | 10% | 89 |
| 2020 F-350 SD | 54 | 29% | 64,750 |
| 2019 F-350 SD | 13 | 3% | 30,000 |
| 2018 F-350 SD | 4 | 2% | 4,009 |
| 2017 F-350 SD | 23 | 4% | 49,000 |
| 2016 F-350 SD | 17 | 8% | 25,300 |
| 2015 F-350 SD | 17 | 8% | 51,408 |
| 2014 F-350 SD | 1 | 14% | 9 |
| 2012 F-350 SD | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2011 F-350 SD | 4 | 9% | 34,000 |
| 2010 F-350 SD | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2009 F-350 SD | 2 | 11% | 9,275 |
| 2008 F-350 SD | 11 | 11% | 27,750 |
| 2007 F-350 SD | 2 | 8% | 63,600 |
| 2006 F-350 SD | 5 | 4% | 29,350 |
| 2005 F-350 SD | 13 | 6% | 33,400 |
| 2004 F-350 SD | 6 | 5% | 31,500 |
| 2003 F-350 SD | 13 | 10% | 24,665 |
| 2002 F-350 SD | 7 | 6% | 39,391 |
| 2001 F-350 SD | 28 | 18% | 49,781 |
| 2000 F-350 SD | 8 | 5% | 100,500 |
| 1999 F-350 SD | 15 | 11% | 47,382 |
| 1998 F-350 SD | 1 | 33% | 70,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
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:axle assembly
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-350 Super Duty pickup trucks equipped with 6.7L diesel engines and Dana model 275 rear axles. The rear axle housing may not support the load of the pickup truck and deform, which could result in driveshaft separation.
Risk: Driveshaft separation may result in a loss of drive power, or unintended vehicle movement if the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the axle housing for deformities, and repair or replace the housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 21S31.
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.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-350 SD. The contact stated that while driving and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle lurched forward, and the brake pedal was depressed with more force for the vehicle to respond as intended. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the…
Vehicle extended cranking without starting while the vehicle is parked, and once started it was loss of motive power while driving and almost was in accident because of this. Sheehy ford see its a recall and see its exactly what the recall is stating but refusing to fix it and want to charge almost…
The transmission began malfunctioning by having hard shifting issues and losing power in some gears. An indicator on the dash lit up resembling a mechanics open-end wrench. Research online showed that the vehicle should not be driven and taken immediately to a mechanic or dealership. If driven…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 Ford F-350 SDs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about power train for the 2020 Ford F-350 SD (29% of the 189 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-350 SD power train?
Yes: 4 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 64,750 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2020 Ford F-350 SD?
The most frequent phrase is “satisfaction program 21b03”, in 5 of 54 complaints, followed by “limp mode” (5).
See all 2020 Ford F-350 SD problems or power train problems across all F-350 SD years.