Ford F-250 SD · model year

2020 Ford F-250 SD

4 NHTSA complaints, and 15 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
4
Recalls
15

The verdict

The 2020 Ford F-250 SD posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.

Top 14%
fewest complaints, own model years
15
recall campaigns

The 2020FordF-250 SD carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2020 F-250 SD is fuel system, diesel with 2 filings, followed by power train (1) and steering (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 15 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 2020 F-250 SD, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2020 Ford F-250 SD

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL2
POWER TRAIN1
STEERING1

Recalls (15)

25V44200027/06/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2

22V64400026/08/2022

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2020 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and 2017-2020 Lincoln Continental vehicles equipped with the 360-degree camera system. Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image.

20V57500023/09/2020

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or dist

20V36500023/06/2020

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Super-Duty F-250, F-350, and F-550 diesel pickups. The transmission torque converter damper plate was not tempered, resulting in a brittle damper plate that may fracture and cause the engine to stall or require increased brake pedal effort in orde

24V95700020/12/2024

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, F600, and 2021-2022 F-650, F750 vehicles. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump.

25V62600019/09/2025

STEERING:COLUMN

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, and F-450 vehicles. The steering column upper shaft may detach from the steering column and result in a loss of steering control.

21V09000018/02/2021

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 and 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requi

26V15800017/03/2026

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, 2021-2022 F600, and 2022 F750 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V957. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the hi

22V08700016/02/2022

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2022 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty vehicles equipped with gasoline engines and aluminum driveshafts. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.

22V25000014/04/2022

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.

22V25600014/04/2022

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. A washer within the vehicle's transmission can disintegrate, causing metallic debris to become lodged in the 'Park' mechanism.

20E09000010/12/2020

STEERING

Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, p

25V68600010/10/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles. The 360-degree view camera system may not display a rearview image properly in certain lighting conditions.

21V15500010/03/2021

TIRES

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

23V42000009/06/2023

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head re

Recent Complaints

20251230FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250 SD. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle lost motive power and the engine seized. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart, and a Police Officer assisted the contact in moving the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway, which could have caused someone to be seriously injured. The contact stated that the incident was significantly scary, and the Police Officer arrived after 21 minutes. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated after the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump had failed, causing metal intrusion in the entire fuel system. The contact was informed that the fuel

Mileage: 120,000

20251125FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250 SD. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel) and 25V626000 (Steering); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251125STEERING

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250 SD. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel) and 25V626000 (Steering); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251107POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250 SD. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the transmission failed to downshift from seventh gear, causing the vehicle to jerk. The transmission warning light was illuminated, and the message "Power Train Malfunction - Reduce Power" was displayed on the Ford Mobile App. The contact's neighbor, an independent mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V256000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

Compare 2020FordF-250 SD to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 6 Open

View all investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 Ford F-250 SD have?
The 2020 Ford F-250 SD has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 Ford F-250 SD?
Yes, the 2020 Ford F-250 SD has 15 recall(s). The most common affected component is BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Ford F-250 SD?
The most-complained component for the 2020 Ford F-250 SD is FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and STEERING.
Is the 2020 Ford F-250 SD safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2020 Ford F-250 SD; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.