Ford F-250 Super Duty Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Every Ford F-250 Super Duty model year (1967–2026) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

60
Years Tracked
198
Total Recalls
7890
Total Complaints
211
Reported Injuries
11
Reported Deaths

Ford F-250 Super Duty Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2019

6 recalls · 902 complaints

9 reported injuries

Top issue: STEERING

Problem score: 938

#2 WORST
2017

7 recalls · 886 complaints

7 reported injuries

Top issue: STEERING

Problem score: 921

#3 WORST
1999

8 recalls · 543 complaints

32 reported injuries

Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Problem score: 631

Best Ford F-250 Super Duty Years to Buy

#1 BEST
1968

0 recalls · 1 complaint

Main area: TIRES

Problem score: 1

#2 BEST
1970

0 recalls · 1 complaint

Main area: TIRES

Problem score: 1

#3 BEST
1969

1 recall · 0 complaints

Main area: No significant complaints

Problem score: 3

Found the right year? Verify that specific F-250 Super Duty with a free VIN report.

Ford F-250 Super Duty — Year-by-Year Problem Report

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsProblem ScoreVerdict
202655——
20
Excellent
2025482—
24
Excellent
20244252—
41
Excellent
2023939——
66
Excellent
20226814—
107
Good
20217103——
124
Good
202081775—
211
Good
201969029—
938
Avoid
201863035—
331
Caution
201778867—
921
Avoid
201602304—
238
Good
201512315—
244
Good
201401362—
140
Good
2013096——
96
Good
201212532—
260
Good
201103023—
308
Good
20100854—
93
Excellent
2009062——
62
Excellent
200842251—
239
Good
20075842—
103
Good
2006634211—
382
Caution
200572998—
336
Caution
200462719—
307
Good
2003719141
225
Good
20025221101
261
Good
20016306185
385
Caution
20007336243
420
Caution
1999854332—
631
Avoid
1998140——
43
Excellent
199732129—
239
Good
19963113——
122
Good
199521394—
153
Good
19944763—
94
Good
199341134—
133
Good
19924863—
104
Good
19913783—
93
Excellent
1990376——
85
Excellent
19895701—
87
Excellent
19882533—
65
Excellent
19872271—
35
Excellent
1986224——
30
Excellent
19851265—
39
Excellent
198434——
13
Excellent
198322——
8
Excellent
198200——
0
Excellent
198141—1
18
Excellent
198010——
3
Excellent
197951——
16
Excellent
197862——
20
Excellent
1977232—
13
Excellent
197610——
3
Excellent
197530——
9
Excellent
197420——
6
Excellent
197300——
0
Excellent
197210——
3
Excellent
197100——
0
Excellent
197001——
1
Excellent
196910——
3
Excellent
196801——
1
Excellent
196730——
9
Excellent

All 60 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Ford F-250 Super Duty Shopping Guide by Era

2018–Present

Best: 2026

Recent F-250 Super Duty models benefit from updated safety systems and revised engineering. The 2026 stands out with just 20 problem points. Always request a pre-purchase inspection and VIN history report.

2013–2017

Best: 2013

Mid-decade F-250 Super Duty units are entering high-mileage territory. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and verify recall completion status. The 2013 shows the lowest problem count for this era.

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older F-250 Super Duty models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year F-250 Super Duty should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty if possible. It has 6 recalls, 902 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 938 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year F-250 Super Duty to buy?+

The 1968 Ford F-250 Super Duty is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 1. It has only 0 recalls and 1 complaint on record with NHTSA.

Which F-250 Super Duty has the fewest problems?+

The 1968, 1970, 1969 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Ford F-250 Super Duty Research

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