2020 Ford F-350 SD: problems, recalls and reliability
16 recalls and 186 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (28% of complaints); the 2021 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 6 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Mar 2026
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 186 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“1. High Pressure Fuel Pump 2. All safety is good 3. It has been taken to the dealership and blaming it on the water separator (water/rust in fuel) The codes thrown are towards the High Pressure Fuel Pump 4. No there were no warning lights or messages prior to the failure. 5. Dealership did not provide the inspection report”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jul 2026
“The backup camera on the tailgate fails about 50% of the time when shifting into reverse. The screen is black. When it fails, I can sometimes get it to work by opening, then slamming the tailgate. I suspect that there is an intermittent open circuit in the camera system. This presents a dangerous situation when trying to back this very large dual rear wheel vehicle. This is not related to the current recall for another issue with the camera when backing into a darkened area.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-350. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealers were contacted; however, the parts were on back order until late September. Another local dealer was contacted (Kendall Ford of Anchorage|1950 Gambell St, Anchorage, AK 99501); however, the distance was far to great in a remote area. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”Owner report · Fuel System, Diesel · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“While towing any trailer with electric brakes it appears the integrated trailer brake controller is briefly applying trailer brakes unexpectedly. Very brief but very hard, resulting in an extreme rearward pull on the truck. It happens at exactly 60 minute intervals, at any speed, uphill, downhill and level flat road. I've had the trailer 7 way plug and wire inspected, no problem found. Next step will be to have Ford dealer inspect truck electronics.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jun 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure.”Owner report · Fuel System, Diesel · Apr 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while parked and turned off, he observed a loud explosion noise while he was inside his residence. The contact stated that he left his residence to investigate, and he observed the front of the vehicle and the cabin of the vehicle engulfed in flames. The fire department was called, and they extinguished the fire. Medical attention was not needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed, repaired, or moved. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2026
“Box Separation from the box side to the box rear. box integrity compromised. Truck has always been used under the capacity ratings. I have 2 ford doing the same thing.”Owner report · Structure · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and unintendedly decelerated and shut off. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and a dealer was contacted. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL). The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the CP4 high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The engine was repaired, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the recall was on pause. The failure mileage was 270,000.”Owner report · Fuel System, Diesel · Feb 2026
“Driving the vehicle at highway speeds (around 55mph). Driver hear a loud hum, lost power and needed to pull over. The rear axle housing grenaded and twisted the pinion clean off the rear axle. The truck was loaded with tools and pulling a trailer. However this load was well within the GVWR of the vehicle”Owner report · Power Train · Feb 2026
“This has occured multiple times. While driving on freeway at speeds between 65 and 75 MPH and hitting rough asphalt, the vehicle begins shaking violently, almost to the point of losing control. It will only stop if I slow down to under 40 mph or stopping altogether. This has been very frightening when it occurs in traffic on freeways. It seems to occur mainly when on a curve.”Owner report · Suspension · Dec 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 7 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 16 campaigns
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, and F-450 vehicles. The steering column upper shaft may detach from the steering column and result in a loss of steering control.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering column, and repair or replace the upper shaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 20, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S94. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 23, 2025.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles. The 360-degree view camera system may not display a rearview image properly in certain lighting conditions.
Remedy: Dealers will update the image processing module software, free charge.nThis will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 30, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were mailed May 19, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 13, 2025.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, 2021-2022 F600, and 2022 F750 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V957. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed mailed April 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S17. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 18, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S10.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 and 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C06.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-Super Duty F350 vehicles equipped with a 6.7L diesel engine, single rear wheels (SRW), 4X4 Crew Cab, Long Box, and a 12k or 12.4k Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. These vehicles may display overstated payload capacity values on the Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) Label, overstated Accessory Reserve Capacity (ARC) values on the Safety Certification Label, and overstated weight values on the Truck Camper Loading Documentation. If the vehicle is loaded to the payload stated on the TREAD label, it may exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and overload the vehicle.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire and Loading Information Label, Safety Certification Label, and the Truck Camper Loading Document (if applicable), free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S06.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, F600, and 2021-2022 F-650, F750 vehicles. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) and Transmission Control Module (TCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S78.
Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.
Remedy: Icon will notify owners, and dealers will install a new shock assembly with a revised foam ring and steel support disc, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Icon customer service at 1-951-689-4266.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2020 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and 2017-2020 Lincoln Continental vehicles equipped with the 360-degree camera system. Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S51.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S26.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact F-350 SD by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Ford F-350 SD reliable?
NHTSA has 186 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on record for the 2020 Ford F-350 SD. The most complained-about area is power train (28% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2020 Ford F-350 SD problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 59,000 miles or less.
Does the 2020 Ford F-350 SD have open recalls?
16 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning steering:column. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.