Ford F-350 Super Duty Years to Avoid
Short answer: Avoid the 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 Ford F-350 Super Duty — the worst of them logged 4.1× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate — and buy a 2009 or 2010 instead.
Updated November 2026 · NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns
Avoid: 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 · Best: 2009, 2010 — based on 3,050 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 3,050 NHTSA complaints, the Ford F-350 Super Duty years to avoid are 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 — the worst logged up to 4.1× 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 | 232 | 190 | 8 | AVOID | — |
| 2009 | 47 | 33 | 11 | BEST | — |
| 2010 | 52 | 29 | 11 | BEST | — |
| 2011 | 186 | 138 | 15 | CAUTION | — |
| 2012 | 183 | 141 | 17 | CAUTION | — |
| 2013 | 86 | 60 | 14 | SOLID | — |
| 2014 | 98 | 73 | 6 | SOLID | — |
| 2015 | 208 | 138 | 5 | CAUTION | 2015 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2016 | 209 | 134 | 4 | CAUTION | 2016 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2017 | 575 | 373 | 16 | AVOID | 2017 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2018 | 205 | 125 | 12 | AVOID | 2018 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2019 | 467 | 321 | 16 | AVOID | 2019 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2020 | 189 | 142 | 18 | AVOID | 2020 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2021 | 98 | 62 | 15 | CAUTION | 2021 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2022 | 115 | 69 | 17 | AVOID | 2022 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2023 | 41 | 16 | 15 | SOLID | 2023 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2024 | 45 | 22 | 3 | SOLID | 2024 F-350 Super Duty problems → |
| 2025 | 14 | 11 | 6 | N/A | 2025 F-350 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-350 Super Duty. Full methodology.
F-350 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
2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty: 232 owner complaints on federal record, 190 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.
2017 Ford F-350 Super Duty: 575 owner complaints on federal record, 373 of them severe, plus 16 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.
2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty: 205 owner complaints on federal record, 125 of them severe, plus 12 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.
2019 Ford F-350 Super Duty: 467 owner complaints on federal record, 321 of them severe, plus 16 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.
2020 Ford F-350 Super Duty: 189 owner complaints on federal record, 142 of them severe, plus 18 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.
2022 Ford F-350 Super Duty: 115 owner complaints on federal record, 69 of them severe, plus 17 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford F-350 Super Duty.
Know what to pay for the right Ford F-350 Super Duty — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
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Buying a used Ford F-350 Super Duty? See what the seller isn't telling you.
The CarWhere Used Car Report checks salvage records, salvage-auction listings, stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail, and full market history for one VIN — $12.99, one time.
Notable Ford F-350 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.
2017 Ford F-350 Super Duty
Most-reported problem area: fuel / propulsion system (3 NHTSA complaints).
No recall campaign lists the 2017 in the federal recall data.
2019 Ford F-350 Super Duty
Most-reported problem area: powertrain / transmission (4 NHTSA complaints).
No recall campaign lists the 2019 in the federal recall data.
2020 Ford F-350 Super Duty
Most-reported problem area: powertrain / transmission (5 NHTSA complaints).
No recall campaign lists the 2020 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-350 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-350 Super Duty should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Ford F-350 Super Duty years to avoid are 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 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-350 Super Duty?
The 2009 and 2010 Ford F-350 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-350 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-350 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-350 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-350 Super Duty reliable?
The Ford F-350 Super Duty's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 3,050 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 rate "avoid", while 2009 and 2010 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Ford F-350 Super Duty?
Owner complaints for the Ford F-350 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-350 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-350 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.