FORD F-250 SD · model year

2026 FORD F-250 SD

3 NHTSA complaints, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2026FORDF-250 SD carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2026 F-250 SD is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by engine (1) and fuel/propulsion system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2026 F-250 SD, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
ENGINE1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1

Recalls (4)

25V54000022/08/2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

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.

26V10400020/02/2026

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL

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

25V86600012/12/2025

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

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.

26V11900003/03/2026

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

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.

Recent Complaints

20260204FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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 fire ourselves, but the fire department was ultimately called. If my son had not gotten out of the truck to get into the UTV with me, he would have been in the back seat when the fire started. The truck was pulled close to my barn when the fire started, which caused damage to the barn. A fire investigator hired by my insurance, and the fire marshal came out to my home to inspect the truck, and both determined it was not my fault the truck caught fir

20260204FireENGINE

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 fire ourselves, but the fire department was ultimately called. If my son had not gotten out of the truck to get into the UTV with me, he would have been in the back seat when the fire started. The truck was pulled close to my barn when the fire started, which caused damage to the barn. A fire investigator hired by my insurance, and the fire marshal came out to my home to inspect the truck, and both determined it was not my fault the truck caught fir

20260204FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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 fire ourselves, but the fire department was ultimately called. If my son had not gotten out of the truck to get into the UTV with me, he would have been in the back seat when the fire started. The truck was pulled close to my barn when the fire started, which caused damage to the barn. A fire investigator hired by my insurance, and the fire marshal came out to my home to inspect the truck, and both determined it was not my fault the truck caught fir

Compare 2026FORDF-250 SD to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2026 FORD F-250 SD have?
The 2026 FORD F-250 SD has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2026 FORD F-250 SD?
Yes, the 2026 FORD F-250 SD has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2026 FORD F-250 SD?
The most-complained component for the 2026 FORD F-250 SD is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 2026 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.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. 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.