MODELYEARINDEX

Which Ford F-350 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-350 Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2019 vs model median 4.7×
Model median3× median
Steering 246
Suspension 214
Tires & Wheels 39
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
0.18× 23 A
2011
1.36× 133 C
2012
1.00× 95 C
2013
0.22× 22 A
2014
0.26× 35 A
2015
0.77× 87 B
2016
1.13× 122 C
2017
4.75× 628 F
2018
1.73× 237 D
2019
4.73× 636 F
2020
1.00× 122 C
2021
0.99× 103 B
2022 P
1.34× 163 C
2023 P
0.46× 55 A
2024 P
0.67× 63 B
2025 P
0.22× 21 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 628 reports · median 25,000 mi

  1. Steering 254

    Experienced extreme and uncontrollable vibration in the steering wheel and throughout the entire truck (death wobble). This happen twice on the same day, 14 january 2018. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Suspension 189

    Death wobble- violent front wheels wobbling, steering shaking so violent can't control. Different roads, MPH-45,60,65,70. To bring under control must brake and try to get off road & get below 20mph. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Tires & Wheels 50

    This is a problem with duel rear wheel trucks the high pressure valve stems are failing causing rapid air loss to front and rear outer wheels ( aluminum rims ) this will cause tire failure resulting in crash and or roll… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

9 crash · 3 fire · 1 injuries

2019 F 636 reports · median 20,000 mi

  1. Steering 246

    The contact owns a 2019 ford f-350. While driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel violently shook without warning. The contact had to drive lower speeds in order for the vehicle to resume normal operation. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Suspension 214

    Traveling between 55-65 on the highway I hit a small bump in the road and the truck started shaking violently. Had to slow down to almost a complete stop to get it to stop. Very unsafe. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Tires & Wheels 39

    Continental contitrac tires. Excessive vehicle vibration at highway speeds due to separation the tread plies and poor tire molding techniques. Had same problem with my last vehicle which had the same tires on it. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

15 crash · 1 fire · 9 injuries

The best year for the F-350

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

2014 is the best-scoring F-350 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 93.5 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2010 at 0.18× this model’s median, against 0.26× for 2014.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2014 0.26× 35 A
2010 0.18× 23 A
2013 0.22× 22 A

Recalls

14 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
13V535000 ENGINE 2011, 2012 2,951
20V599000 POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY 2020 52
13V380000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE 2012 37

+ 2 further campaigns

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 20,000 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-350 years should you avoid?
2019, 2017, 2018 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Ford F-350 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Ford F-350?
2014 is the best-scoring Ford F-350 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 93.5 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Ford F-350 have?
14 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Ford F-350 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-350
Complaints in window
636
Severity-weighted
719
Model median (weighted)
152
vs model median
4.73×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
1
Score 11.7 F