Ford F-250 SD: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
8,705 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Ford F-250 SD, model years 2000 to 2026. 8 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2000 (engine 6.8×); 2001 (engine 8.1×, transmission 7.3×); 2005 (engine 5.4×); 2004 (engine 9.9×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2009, 2010, 2007. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 F-250 SD | 559 | engine 6.8× | 14 | |
| 2001 F-250 SD | 508 | engine 8.1×, transmission 7.3× | 13 | |
| 2002 F-250 SD | 401 | engine 7.8× | 11 | |
| 2003 F-250 SD | 293 | engine 6.2× | 12 | |
| 2004 F-250 SD | 408 | engine 9.9× | 10 | |
| 2005 F-250 SD | 439 | engine 5.4× | 9 | |
| 2006 F-250 SD | 493 | — | 9 | |
| 2007 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 113 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 9 | |
| 2008 F-250 SD | 338 | engine 4.2× | 10 | |
| 2009 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 77 | quiet: 1 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2010 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 105 | quiet: 2 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2011 F-250 SD | 370 | — | 3 | |
| 2012 F-250 SD | 323 | — | 2 | |
| 2013 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 116 | quiet: 4 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2014 F-250 SD | 169 | quiet: 5 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2015 F-250 SD | 297 | — | 5 | |
| 2016 F-250 SD | 291 | quiet: 6 of 20 | 4 | |
| 2017 F-250 SD | 1,155 | — | 17 | |
| 2018 F-250 SD | 400 | — | 11 | |
| 2019 F-250 SD | 1,166 | — | 16 | |
| 2020 F-250 SD | 270 | transmission 7.6× | 16 | |
| 2021 F-250 SD | 171 | — | 13 | |
| 2022 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 132 | — | 17 | |
| 2023 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 44 | — | 16 | |
| 2024 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 41 | — | 4 | |
| 2025 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 17 | — | 8 | |
| 2026 F-250 SDFEW REPORTS | 9 | — | 8 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Ford models
Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 200020012002200320042005200620082011201220142015201620172018201920202021