2020 Ford F-250 SD vs 2021 Ford F-250 SD
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2020 Ford F-250 SD | 2021 Ford F-250 SD |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 259 | 161 |
| Recall campaigns | 14 | 12 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 298 | 240 |
| Investigations | 3 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 2 | 3 |
| Fire reports | 3 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | — | — |
| Median reported incident mileage | 56,000 mi | 49,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford F-250 SD | Ford F-250 SD |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 73 | 23 |
| Steering | 44 | 15 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 34 | 25 |
| Suspension | 29 | 18 |
| Electrical System | 27 | 18 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 27 | 12 |
| Engine | 26 | 11 |
| Structure | 12 | 10 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Vibration / shaking | 37 | 19 |
| Loss of power | 22 | 8 |
| Check engine light | 20 | 5 |
| Stalling | 18 | 11 |
| Hesitation / surging | 18 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 13 | 5 |
| Clunking / rattling | 7 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 6 | 5 |
2020 Ford F-250 SD
2021 Ford F-250 SD
Compare all Ford F-250 SD vs Ford F-250 SD years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.