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Direct rivals · Direct rivals in the heavy duty truck segment

2025 Ford F-350 vs 2025 RAM 3500

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-06-14 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2025 Ford F-350 edges ahead by a narrow margin

These two are direct rivals built for the same use case. The 2025 Ford F-350 comes out slightly ahead on reliability data (4.4 versus 4.2), but the margin is small enough that specific feature preferences could legitimately tip the choice the other way.

More reliable

2025 Ford F-350

4.4/5
Reliability score
12 complaints
0 recalls (0 critical)
$3,350 repair exposure
vs

2025 RAM 3500

4.2/5
Reliability score
34 complaints
0 recalls (0 critical)
$3,800 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

The 2025 Ford F-350 edges this one, but it's tight. We're talking 4.4 versus 4.2 on reliability. Close enough that specific feature preferences or one favorable price could legitimately swing it the other way.

Going with the 2025 RAM 3500? Watch the electrical and powertrain. The 2025 Ford F-350 has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

Bottom line: pick based on use case more than the spec sheet. If you tow heavy and don't want to think about it, that's one calculation. If you're a daily driver and want the cheapest path forward, that's another. Both of these will get you down the road. We're just telling you where each one is most likely to break.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2025 Ford F-350
2025 RAM 3500
electrical
4 reports
severe · ~$850
14 reports
moderate · ~$850
powertrain
4 reports
moderate · ~$2,500
6 reports
moderate · ~$2,500
brakes
No reports
3 reports
moderate · ~$450

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2025 Ford F-350 or the 2025 RAM 3500?

Based on the NHTSA data we track, the 2025 Ford F-350 comes out ahead with a reliability score of 4.4 versus 4.2. The margin is narrow, so the verdict could shift if you weight specific categories differently or factor in your own use case.

What goes wrong more often on the 2025 Ford F-350?

On the categories we tracked, the 2025 Ford F-350 doesn't show meaningfully more complaints than the 2025 RAM 3500. Both have similar issue patterns.

What goes wrong more often on the 2025 RAM 3500?

Compared to the 2025 Ford F-350, the 2025 RAM 3500 has more complaints in electrical and powertrain. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

Both vehicles have 0 active recalls. Total recall count alone isn't a great signal — what matters is severity. See the recall counts by severity in the comparison table.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $3,800 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. Verify each vehicle's federal record: 2025 Ford F-350 on NHTSA · 2025 RAM 3500 on NHTSA. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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