2020 Ford F-250 SD problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
263 owner complaints analyzed
14 distinct recall campaigns
51,499 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 104 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 71 of 263 complaints (27.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 55 | 20.9% |
| Steering behavior | 37 | 14.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 37 | 14.1% |
| Braking behavior | 26 | 9.9% |
| Engine operation | 22 | 8.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 15 | 5.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 71 |
| Steering | 45 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 36 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 28 |
| Suspension | 28 |
| Engine | 27 |
| Unknown Or Other | 25 |
| Electrical System | 24 |
Power Train: 71; Steering: 45; Fuel System, Diesel: 36; Fuel/Propulsion System: 28; Suspension: 28; Engine: 27; Unknown Or Other: 25; Electrical System: 24
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 39 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 18 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 14 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 17 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 39; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 17; 150,000 and above: 5
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (39). 159 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2023 | 38 |
| 2024 | 41 |
| 2025 | 81 |
| 2026 | 35 |
2020: 18; 2021: 22; 2022: 28; 2023: 38; 2024: 41; 2025: 81; 2026: 35
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 55 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 37 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11363576 · 2020-10-09 (October 9, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE STARTS HIS TRUCK THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE SWITCHED GEARS, THE TRANSITION WAS ROUGH. THERE WERE SOME TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD REMAIN STUCK IN A CERTAIN GEAR AND THEN HAVE A DELAY IN SHIFTING THUS PUTTING A STRAIN ON THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE CONTACT USED THE VEHICLE TO TOW THE ISSUE WAS EVEN WORSE. THE DEALER (GENE MESSER FORD LUBBOCK 6000 WEST 19TH, LUBBOCK, TX 79407 [phone removed]) STATED THAT ISSUE MAY BE WITH THE PCM AND PTM. THEY WERE GOING TO CHECK WITH THE MANUFACT…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11363576 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11389163 · 2021-01-21 (January 21, 2021)
VEHICLE DEMONSTRATES REPEATABLE UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. ALSO DEMONSTRATES UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION WHEN ENGINE BRAKING ENGAGES. OCCASIONALLY VEHICLE OPERATES AT A UNCOMMANDED HIGH IDLE OF 1200-1500 RPM VS THE NORMAL 600. MOSTLY HAPPENS WHEN SLOW MANEUVERING SUCH AS IN A PARKING LOT OR OTHER TIGHT SPACE. IT HAS HAPPENED EVER SINCE NEW AND IT HAS 5100 MILES ON IT NOW. PURCHASING DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL. OTHERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE IN FORUMS ONLINE.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11389163 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11306302 · 2020-01-31 (January 31, 2020)
TRUCK HAS A BAD WOBBLE IN STEERING WHEN IT HITS BUMPS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. IT HAS 2,000 MILES ON IT. I THINK SOME FOLKS HAVE CALLED THIS A "DEATH WOBBLE". WHEN IT HAPPENS IT COULD EASILY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. THE STEERING FEELS LIKE IT HAS TOO MUCH SLOP IN IT EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND I'VE SEEN THIS MENTIONED MANY TIMES ON THE INTERNET. I THOUGHT IT MAY BE JUST OLD TRUCKS, BUT MINE IS BRAND NEW.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11306302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11366379 · 2020-10-26 (October 26, 2020)
LOST POWER STEERING WHILE PULLING A CAMPER.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11366379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11376143 · 2020-11-24 (November 24, 2020)
ON AUGUST 28, 2020, THE ENGINE IN MY VIRTUALLY BRAND NEW 2020 FORD F-250 TRUCK (EQUIPPED WITH A DIESEL ENGINE) SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY ADVANCED WARNING WHATSOEVER SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I HAD JUST TURNED FROM STATE HIGHWAY 10 INTO THE LEFT LANE OF A FOUR-LANE CITY STREET IN 5 O'CLOCK TRAFFIC ON A FRIDAY EVENING. WITHOUT EITHER POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK OUT OF THE ROADWAY AND INTO THE PARKING LOT OF AN ADJACENT BUSINESS. I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES. WHILE THE ENGINE WOUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,448 miles reported. Look up ODI 11376143 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11452800 · 2022-02-18 (February 18, 2022)
Going down road cruise set in a 4 lane heavy traffic my truck dies like a light comes on and cars are bumper to bumper I’m trying to pull over my children are in the vehicle they go to crying scared finally I got half way off the road and got out and with few good peoples help pushed it out of the road I switched on and off the truck I could hear the pump near the tank making all kinds of noises I new then my fuel pump had went out
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11452800 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11353127 · 2020-09-04 (September 4, 2020)
MY BRAND NEW 2020 F250 LARIAT WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOME YESTERDAY. IT WAS DRIVEN ROUGHLY 80 MILES FROM DENVER TO COLORADO SPRINGS BY THE SALESMAN WHO SOLD IT TO ME, BUT IS OTHERWISE UNUSED. I NOTICED LAST NIGHT THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE RUNNING TO THE LEFT REAR WHEEL APPEARS TO BE TOO LONG. AS A RESULT IT HAS A LOOP IN IT THAT IS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE MAIN LEAF SPRINGS AND A SECONDARY SPRING THAT I BELIEVE ENGAGES WHEN THE TRUCK IS FULLY LOADED. IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT UNDER A FULL LOAD, THE BRAKE CABLE IS AT RISK OF BEING PINCHED…
Owner-reported narrative. 80 miles reported. Look up ODI 11353127 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11364223 · 2020-10-13 (October 13, 2020)
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY (ICD) OF MY 2020 FORD F-250 RANDOMLY GOES BLACK AND PROVIDES NO INFORMATION. THE DISPLAY WILL RANDOMLY COME ON AND USUALLY GO OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THE DISPLAY USUALLY DISPLAYS A WARNING THAT THERE IS A FAULT WITH THE BLIND SPOT WARNING SYSTEM OR CROSS TRAFFIC WARNING SYSTEM BEFORE GOING OUT. I HAVE ALSO STARTED TO RECEIVE DISPLAYS ASKING IF I WANT TO ACTIVATE THE CRAS AVOIDANCE SYSTEM, BUT I CAN'T MAKE A SELECTION EVEN THOUGH THE SYSTEM HQS ALREADY BEEN TURNED ON. I ALSO DON'T FEEL THE VEHICLE BRAKING WHEN THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11364223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11413605 · 2021-04-23 (April 23, 2021)
MOTOR HAS A NKOCKING TAPPING SOUND LIKE AND OLD SCHOOL TYPE WRITER AND GETS LOUD AT TIMES WHEN IDELING AND SOME TIME REALLY LOUD ANFTER DRIVING IT FO RW WHLLE, (DIESEL ENGINE DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT),FORD ENGINEERING AT FACTORY KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT REFUSES TO ALLOW DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR IT AND REPLACE THE PARTS. TRANSMISSION HAD SNECOR AND VALVE BODY GO OUT CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP IN 10TH GEAR AND STALLING OUT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PARTS WITH NEW ONES, BU TDID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND NOW STALLES AND SLIPPES WHEN SHIFTING …
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11413605 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11493431 · 2022-11-14 (November 14, 2022)
Transmission shifts into gear very harsh. While driving accelerator “gas pedal” stops working. Almost hit by other automobiles while leaving intersections or make turns do to sudden loss of power.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11493431 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11531371 · 2023-07-10 (July 10, 2023)
My truck engine does not start after idling in the driveway. The gauges have power, but there is a no crank/no start situation. I used an OBD reader, and there is no communication with the computer. I researched recalls for similar vehicles, and there was a battery junction box recall on several VIN characters, but not mine, I believe this is a larger problem that affects more characters than what is currently listed. My truck is currently in the repair shop at ukiah Ford.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11531371 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11532149 · 2023-07-13 (July 13, 2023)
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while using the remote key fob to unlock the doors, the doors failed to unlock. The contact had to manually unlock the doors. The contact then stated that the electrical system started malfunctioning and the A/C unit, the radio, and the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) light failed to operate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician noticed that the rear passenger’s side taillight was filled with 3-inches of water. Additionally, the bliss module was corroded due…
Owner-reported narrative. 51,997 miles reported. Look up ODI 11532149 at NHTSA ↗