Ford F-250 Super Duty Years to Avoid
Short answer: Avoid the 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Ford F-250 Super Duty — the worst of them logged 6.8× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate — and buy a 2009, 2010, 2013 or 2014 instead.
Updated November 2026 · NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns
Avoid: 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 · Best: 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 — based on 5,480 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 5,480 NHTSA complaints, the Ford F-250 Super Duty years to avoid are 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 — the worst logged up to 6.8× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 338 | 250 | 8 | CAUTION | — |
| 2009 | 77 | 58 | 2 | BEST | — |
| 2010 | 105 | 79 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2011 | 370 | 267 | 3 | AVOID | — |
| 2012 | 323 | 234 | 2 | SOLID | — |
| 2013 | 116 | 77 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2014 | 169 | 117 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2015 | 296 | 218 | 5 | CAUTION | 2015 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2016 | 291 | 185 | 4 | SOLID | 2016 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2017 | 1,155 | 828 | 17 | AVOID | 2017 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2018 | 400 | 302 | 11 | AVOID | 2018 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2019 | 1,166 | 875 | 16 | AVOID | 2019 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2020 | 271 | 195 | 16 | AVOID | 2020 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2021 | 171 | 102 | 13 | AVOID | 2021 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2022 | 130 | 83 | 17 | AVOID | 2022 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2023 | 44 | 26 | 15 | SOLID | 2023 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2024 | 41 | 21 | 3 | SOLID | 2024 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
| 2025 | 17 | 11 | 6 | SOLID | 2025 F-250 Super Duty problems → |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Ford F-250 Super Duty. Full methodology.
F-250 Super Duty problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Why these years stand out
2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 370 owner complaints on federal record, 267 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 1,155 owner complaints on federal record, 828 of them severe, plus 17 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
2018 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 400 owner complaints on federal record, 302 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 1,166 owner complaints on federal record, 875 of them severe, plus 16 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 271 owner complaints on federal record, 195 of them severe, plus 16 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 171 owner complaints on federal record, 102 of them severe, plus 13 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
2022 Ford F-250 Super Duty: 130 owner complaints on federal record, 83 of them severe, plus 17 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
Know what to pay for the right Ford F-250 Super Duty — then negotiate it
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Buying a used Ford F-250 Super Duty? See what the seller isn't telling you.
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Notable Ford F-250 Super Duty problems by year
For each year to avoid: the component named in the most NHTSA owner complaints, and the recall campaigns NHTSA lists for that model year.
2018 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Most-reported problem area: steering (1 NHTSA complaint).
No recall campaign lists the 2018 in the federal recall data.
2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Most-reported problem area: steering (5 NHTSA complaints).
No recall campaign lists the 2019 in the federal recall data.
2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Most-reported problem area: powertrain / transmission (3 NHTSA complaints).
No recall campaign lists the 2021 in the federal recall data.
Recall summaries are NHTSA's own wording.
How to check a specific car
Decode the VIN with the free VIN decoder to confirm the Ford F-250 Super Duty's model year and build, then run the free recall check for open recalls on that VIN.
FAQ
What years of the Ford F-250 Super Duty should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Ford F-250 Super Duty years to avoid are 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Ford F-250 Super Duty?
The 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014 Ford F-250 Super Duty show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Ford F-250 Super Duty verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Ford F-250 Super Duty's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Ford F-250 Super Duty before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Ford F-250 Super Duty reliable?
The Ford F-250 Super Duty's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 5,480 NHTSA owner complaints, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 rate "avoid", while 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Ford F-250 Super Duty?
Owner complaints for the Ford F-250 Super Duty are spread across components without a single dominant failure; see the year-by-year table and known-issue cards above for the federal record.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Ford F-250 Super Duty across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Ford F-250 Super Duty, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.