2026 Ford F-250 SD: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
12 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2026 model year. Data snapshot: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 8 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 62.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 25.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 12.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 12.5% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 12.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
Electrical System: 4; Service Brakes: 3; Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 1; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Power Train: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 7 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 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 |
2026: 8
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11715611 · 2026-02-04 (February 4, 2026)
I have a 2026 F-250 diesel with 6K miles on it that caught fire about 3-5 minutes after using it to jumpstart a UTV. I ensured to cook all cables up correctly, as I've jumpstarted many times, but the first time with this vehicle, utilizing the drivers side battery. Jumping the UTV went just fine as expected, and I disconnected the cables and shut the truck hood with no sparks, smoke, or flames at the time. Within 3-5 minutes, I noticed there were flames coming from inside my truck at the center dashboard area. We attempted to extinguish the fir…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11715611 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11724960 · 2026-03-17 (March 17, 2026)
Put the vehicle in park, exited the vehicle, vehicle rolled away after walking away from the vehicle.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11724960 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11729384 · 2026-04-06 (April 6, 2026)
Truck lost all electrical power while backing a trailer up. Engine died, no steering, no brakes, no power on dash, no emergence brakes, no power to door locks, no power to windows. If vehicle had been moving any faster no telling what could have been. Vehicle was towed to ford dealership and zero reasons for such a total loss of power. When vehicle was finely stopped and put in park the key was turned off and then when turned back on power was restored. Very disturbing to know a vehicle can lose total electrical power and have no control what…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11729384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11731538 · 2026-04-16 (April 16, 2026)
Trailer Brake Control Module (TRM) Software update for Recall Notice 26C10 failed and caused module to fail. Replacement part attempt #2 also failed. Vehicle has been with dealership service department with no solution for 20 days. Vehicle is currently still at dealership service center. Vin: [XXX] 2026 Ford F250 3,878 miles Autonation Ford Margate [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11731538 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11734810 · 2026-04-30 (April 30, 2026)
I leased a pickup truck from Enterprise truck rental on Dyer Blvd in Riviera Beach. The brakes slipped and I thought it was because I didn’t apply the parking brake. I googled the vin and found it to have an open recall on the right rear axle shaft.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11734810 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11742232 · 2026-06-05 (June 5, 2026)
2k miles on a new 2026 ford transit. While in traffic there was sudden braking I had plenty of space in front of me (also reported by the driver in front of me) I was not able to stop in time which resulted in rear ending another driver. My abs acted extremely loose, as if I was on ice on a clear day 80 degrees. The driver behind me confirmed seeing my brake lights for a minute before impact. I'm a decent driver and leave plenty of room in case of emergency braking but was not able to stop in time due to the way the braking system acted. I also…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11742232 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11742732 · 2026-06-08 (June 8, 2026)
After the vehicle was jumpstarted the vehicle failed to correctly enter gear- when shifting into reverse it instead rolled forward downhill. The following systems also displayed failure warnings: ABS Traction Control Parking Brake ( Parking brake also showed as activated when it was not active- it would audibly disengage but the parking brake light stayed lit) Stability Control 4wd. The combination of the parking brake showing as active and the shifter showing the vehicle was in reverse while being able to roll forward freely is dangerous.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11742732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11759051 · 2026-08-24 (August 24, 2026)
The contact owns a 2026 Ford F-250 SD. The contact stated that while driving at night on several occasions at various speeds, the LED headlights showed vertical lines projected from the headlight lenses that created blind spots. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle operated as designed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12.
Owner-reported narrative. 12 miles reported. Look up ODI 11759051 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
25V540000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel
Reported: 2025-08-22 (August 22, 2025)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 F-550 SD, F-450 SD, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, and 2025 F-150 vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may fail at startup.
Consequence: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information, such as warning lights or vehicle speed, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The instrument panel cluster software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S88.
NHTSA campaign record ↗25V866000 · Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft
Reported: 2025-12-12 (December 12, 2025)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Super Duty F-250 and F-350 vehicles. The right rear axle shaft may have been improperly heat-treated during manufacturing and may break.
Consequence: A broken rear axle shaft can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the right rear axle shaft date code and replace the axle shaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 15, 2025.
NHTSA campaign record ↗26V104000 · Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights | Electrical System: Integrated Trailer Brake Control
Reported: 2026-02-20 (February 20, 2026)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.
NHTSA campaign record ↗26V119000 · Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft
Reported: 2026-03-03 (March 3, 2026)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026-2025 F-250 SD and F-350 SD vehicles. The driveshaft friction weld may fail, resulting in rear driveshaft separation and a sudden loss of drive power.
Consequence: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driveshaft serial number and replace the driveshaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 6, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S13. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.
NHTSA campaign record ↗26V489000 · Back Over Prevention:Display Function | Back Over Prevention:Software
Reported: 2026-07-28 (July 28, 2026)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 F-150 and 2023-2026 F-250 SD vehicles equipped with 8-inch SYNC infotainment screens. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to be obstructed by the infotainment home screen menu when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: An obstructed rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 7, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C37. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 31, 2026.
NHTSA campaign record ↗