MODELYEARINDEX

Which Ford F-250 years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2019, 2017 and 2018 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Ford F-250 Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2019 vs model median 8.8×
Model median3× median
Steering 716
Suspension 632
Tires & Wheels 79
Avoid

2017 · 2019

Best

2010 · 2014

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.32× 46 A
2011
1.90× 276 D
2012
1.32× 176 C
2013
0.36× 58 A
2014
0.29× 42 A
2015
0.78× 112 B
2016
0.67× 111 B
2017
7.66× 1,438 F
2018
2.93× 527 F
2019
8.83× 1,699 F
2020
1.08× 183 C
2021
0.92× 160 B
2022 P
1.08× 161 B
2023 P
0.54× 76 A
2024 P
0.40× 56 A
2025 P
0.13× 19 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2017 F 1,438 reports · median 28,593 mi

  1. Steering 607

    I have a 2017 F250 4x4. When driving at speeds of 45mph or faster the frontend will start to shake uncontrollable when I hit any kind of bump in the road. The vehicle has less than 14,000 miles on it. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Suspension 499

    Death wobble.. When driving at speeds of 65 to 70 on highway if you hit any kind of bridge or bump in road the vehicle shakes violently like a wheel has fallen off.. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Tires & Wheels 62

    I took the truck to the dealer after I noticed the TPMS was malfunctioning after about 4,000 miles and 3 months of operation. The TPMS originally showed a dramatic fault in one tire, but later showed faults in three. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

12 crash · 13 fire · 15 injuries

2019 F 1,699 reports · median 19,900 mi

  1. Steering 716

    The contact owns a 2019 ford f-250. While driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel shook violently without warning. The contact would have to release the accelerator pedal in order for the steering wheel to stop shaking. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Suspension 632

    In dec of 2018 the ford F250 exhibited the "death wobble" which happens when going straight down the onramp entering highway over an expansion joint or pothole at highway speeds above 45-50 MPH. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Tires & Wheels 79

    Truck has the death wobble goes into a violent shake very randomly with no warning have to apply heavy brakes to regain control. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

20 crash · 5 fire · 20 injuries

The best year for the F-250

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2014 is the best-scoring F-250 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 92.8 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2014 0.29× 42 A
2010 0.32× 46 A
2013 0.36× 58 A

Recalls

10 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
19V633000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER 2019, 2020 639,137
18V894000 ENGINE 2017–2019 410,289
25V270000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2015 160,729
19V688000 POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT 2019 28,579
11V582000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 2012 16,091
10V659000 STRUCTURE:BODY 2011 14,737
17V331000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 2017 14,410
20V576000 POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY 2019 9,628
11V128000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2011 8,022
19V401000 EQUIPMENT 2015 22

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2019 were reported at a median of 19,900 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Ford F-250 years should you avoid?
2019, 2017, 2018 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Ford F-250 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Ford F-250?
2014 is the best-scoring Ford F-250 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 92.8 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Ford F-250 have?
10 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Ford F-250 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2019 F-250
Complaints in window
1,699
Severity-weighted
1,843.5
Model median (weighted)
209
vs model median
8.83×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
1
Score 11.7 F