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.
Ford F-250 Super Duty Years to Avoid
5 recalls · 33 complaints
2 reported injuries
Top issue: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Problem score: 52
3 recalls · 39 complaints
1 reported injury
Top issue: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Problem score: 50
3 recalls · 26 complaints
3 reported injuries
Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Problem score: 41
Best Ford F-250 Super Duty Years to Buy
1 recall · 0 complaints
Main area: No significant complaints
Problem score: 3
1 recall · 0 complaints
Main area: No significant complaints
Problem score: 3
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
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Problem Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 27 | Caution |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 24 | Caution |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | — | — | 30 | Caution |
| 2020 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 27 | Caution |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 18 | Good |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 15 | Good |
| 2017 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 27 | Caution |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | Good |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | Good |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 21 | Caution |
| 2007 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 15 | Good |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 24 | Caution |
| 2005 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 18 | Good |
| 2004 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 12 | Good |
| 2002 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 15 | Good |
| 2001 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 18 | Good |
| 2000 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 18 | Good |
| 1999 | 10 | 0 | — | — | 30 | Caution |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
| 1997 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 18 | Good |
| 1996 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 12 | Good |
| 1995 | 3 | 39 | 1 | — | 50 | Avoid |
| 1994 | 6 | 19 | — | — | 37 | Avoid |
| 1993 | 6 | 23 | — | — | 41 | Avoid |
| 1992 | 5 | 33 | 2 | — | 52 | Avoid |
| 1991 | 5 | 26 | — | — | 41 | Avoid |
| 1990 | 6 | 21 | — | — | 39 | Avoid |
| 1989 | 6 | 20 | — | — | 38 | Avoid |
| 1988 | 3 | 26 | 3 | — | 41 | Avoid |
| 1987 | 2 | 14 | — | — | 20 | Caution |
| 1986 | 2 | 12 | — | — | 18 | Good |
| 1985 | 1 | 8 | — | — | 11 | Good |
| 1984 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 8 | Good |
| 1983 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 11 | Good |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 1981 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | 18 | Good |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | Good |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | Good |
| 1977 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 12 | Good |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 1975 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
| 1974 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | Good |
| 1973 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | Excellent |
| 1971 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 1970 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 1969 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 1968 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | Excellent |
| 1967 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | Good |
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: 2026Recent F-250 Super Duty models benefit from updated safety systems and revised engineering. The 2026 stands out with just 0 problem points. Always request a pre-purchase inspection and VIN history report.
2013–2017
Best: 2014Mid-decade F-250 Super Duty units are entering high-mileage territory. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and verify recall completion status. The 2014 shows the lowest problem count for this era.
Pre-2013
Proceed with CautionOlder 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 1992 Ford F-250 Super Duty if possible. It has 5 recalls, 33 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 52 — the highest in our dataset.
What is the best year F-250 Super Duty to buy?+
The 1972 Ford F-250 Super Duty is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 3. It has only 1 recall and 0 complaints on record with NHTSA.
Which F-250 Super Duty has the fewest problems?+
The 1972, 1976, 1980 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
Check a Specific Ford F-250 Super Duty VIN
Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.
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