Ford F-250 problems
251 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
- Steering: 43 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 6,500–66,000 mi
- Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
Truck lunges forward when at stop light, in drive and foot on the brake. Almost rear ended another driver. Did this several times. Also, when merging on highway and try to pick up speed the truck bogs down and hesitates almost got into two accidents because of this. Also loud…
Transmission failed after 106k miles, incurring $7k of repair costs. The failure caused the vehicle to seriously hesitate and could have resulted in an unexpected slow down while driving. There was no warning ahead of time outside slight hesitation on accelerating which my…
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated that after turning the ignition switch to the off position and removing the ignition key, the engine remained running. Additionally, the maintenance wrench icon illuminated, and the warning message "Reduced Power Mode" was…
I have had several incidents when driving at night that I keep getting flashed by other drivers thinking my truck head lights are on high beam. I see there is a recall for other year models for the DRL is not dimming when the low beams are on. I am thinking this is happening to…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. PE24014 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Common questions
Is the 2020 Ford F-250 reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 251 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Ford F-250 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2020 Ford F-250?
The 2020 Ford F-250 is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Steering: 43 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 6,500–66,000 mi; Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2020 Ford F-250?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 63 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 71,357 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 71,357 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Ford F-250 has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2020 Ford F-250?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 251 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.