VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Ford F-350 Super Duty19672026

Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.

🚛 TRUCK
Ford F-350 Super Duty
19672026
B
Defect Risk
Recall intensity
4.5/yr · seg. median 0.0
Safety
Moderate
0 inj.
Open Federal Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation: fuel system, diesel
30% of PE investigations historically become recalls
194
Recalls
111
Complaints
2022
Best Yr
5
Injuries
Top issue: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIPAvoid 2017
60
Years Analyzed
194
Total Recalls
111
Total Complaints
5
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Best Years to Buy a Ford F-350 Super Duty

Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.

#1 PICK4yr old
2022
Strong Buy · 79/100
Reliability76/100
Value window84/100
Recalls3
Complaints0
#2 PICK5yr old
2021
Strong Buy · 75/100
Reliability68/100
Value window87/100
Recalls5
Complaints0
#3 PICK2yr old
2024
Good Buy · 74/100
Reliability77/100
Value window67/100
Recalls2
Complaints0

Ford F-350 Super Duty Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2017

8 recalls · 0 complaints

Top issue: No complaints on record

#2 WORST
2020

8 recalls · 0 complaints

Top issue: No complaints on record

#3 WORST
2005

6 recalls · 0 complaints

Top issue: No complaints on record

Federal Defect Investigations

NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 13 past investigations into the F-350 Super Duty became recalls.

OPEN · PEPreliminary Evaluationopened May 2024NHTSA #PE24014
sogefi secondary diesel fuel filter leak
Component: fuel system, diesel · affects 2015–2021
⚠ Historically, 30% of PE investigations became recalls — a Preliminary Evaluation of a potential safety defect.
Recently concluded investigations
RQ21001 · structure · closed Jan 2024Closed, no recall

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of September 13, 2026.

Ford F-350 Super Duty — Year-by-Year Comparison

Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
202630
76
39
63
Good
202560
65
54
61
Caution
202420
77
67
74
Good
202350
68
77
71
Good
202230
76
84
79
Good
202150
68
87
75
Good
202080
57
86
67
Caution
201960
65
82
71
Caution
201860
65
76
69
Caution
201780
57
69
61
Caution
201620
77
62
72
Good
201520
77
55
69
Good
201420
77
49
67
Good
201330
76
44
65
Good
201250
68
40
58
Good
201160
65
37
55
Caution
201020
77
37
63
Good
200930
76
37
62
Good
200860
65
37
55
Caution
200740
72
37
60
Good
200640
72
37
60
Good
200560
65
37
55
Caution
200430
76
37
62
Good
200350
68
37
57
Good
200220
77
37
63
Good
200150
68
37
57
Good
200050
68
37
57
Good
199970
61
37
53
Caution
199810
77
37
63
Excellent
199740
72
37
60
Good
199641
71
37
59
Good
1995212
65
37
55
Caution
1994334
52
37
47
Avoid
19935222
52
37
47
Avoid
1992516
52
37
47
Avoid
199133
72
37
60
Good
1990491
58
37
51
Caution
19894102
55
37
49
Caution
198842
70
37
58
Good
198720
77
37
63
Good
198621
77
37
63
Good
198511
77
37
63
Excellent
198410
77
37
63
Excellent
198340
72
37
60
Good
198200
77
37
63
Excellent
198130
76
37
62
Good
198010
77
37
63
Excellent
197930
76
37
62
Good
197860
65
37
55
Caution
197710
77
37
63
Excellent
197600
77
37
63
Excellent
197540
72
37
60
Good
197410
77
37
63
Excellent
197300
77
37
63
Excellent
197210
77
37
63
Excellent
197100
77
37
63
Excellent
197000
77
37
63
Excellent
196900
77
37
63
Excellent
196800
77
37
63
Excellent
196710
77
37
63
Excellent

Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.

Known Ford F-350 Super Duty Problems

Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
21
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
4
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
4

Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the F-350 Super Duty compares — best year within each era shown.

2018–Present

Modern safety tech, refreshed platforms, updated powertrains. Higher purchase price but lower reliability risk. Best pick in this era: 2022 (Buyer Score 79).

Best: 2022

2013–2017

Mid-decade models in the depreciation sweet spot — typically 35–55% below original MSRP. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and recall completion. Best: 2016 (Buyer Score 72).

Best: 2016

Pre-2013

Older F-350 Super Duty models are deeply depreciated but carry higher wear and repair risk. High mileage is common. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and verify full recall history.

Proceed with Caution

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year F-350 Super Duty to buy?+

The 2022 Ford F-350 Super Duty scores highest on our Buyer Score (79/100) — combining a reliability score of 76/100 with a value score of 84/100. It has 3 recalls and 0 NHTSA complaints on record.

Which F-350 Super Duty years have the most problems?+

The 2017, 2020, 2005 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2017 F-350 Super Duty leads with 8 recalls and 0 owner complaints.

What is the Buyer Score?+

The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.

What are the most common F-350 Super Duty problems?+

The most frequently reported Ford F-350 Super Duty issues involve: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.

Deep-Dive Research

Found the right year? Verify the specific car.

A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.

Run a VIN Check →