Total Complaints
14 filings
FORD F-550 · model year
2016 FORD F-550
14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2016FORDF-550 carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 5 fires, 0 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 2016 F-550 is air bags with 4 filings, followed by electrical system (2) and engine and engine cooling (2). 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.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2016 F-550, 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.
14
Complaints
2
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20260211ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2016 Ford F550. The contact stated that while one of the employees was driving 30 MPH and making a turn, a diesel fuel-burning odor was coming from the engine and entered the inside of the cabin through the A/C vents. No warning lights were illuminated. The driver was three hundred feet away from the business and continued to drive up to the business. The driver exited the vehicle and noticed oil dripping from underneath the vehicle. The driver opened the hood and noticed diesel fuel all over the engine. Upon further investigation, the driver noticed that the plastic drain valve on the bottom of the water separator was cracked, and oil was spewing upwards into the engine. The company mechanic repaired the vehicle on-site by replacing the filter. The driver was able to continue driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,006.
Mileage: 85,006
20251230BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-550. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera displayed a black image. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Mileage: 160,000
20241104ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-550. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced NOX sensor, but the failure persisted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 83,000.
Mileage: 83,000
20230608AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-550. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V337000 (Air Bags) however the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
20230516AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-550. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V337000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
20230220AIR BAGS
nhtsa recall 22v337 No horn, no air bags It has been almost a year and I can't get it fixed
20230220ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
nhtsa recall 22v337 No horn, no air bags It has been almost a year and I can't get it fixed
20230220FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
nhtsa recall 22v337 No horn, no air bags It has been almost a year and I can't get it fixed
20210720FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unknown issue causes the fuse box to over heat melting the harness and fuse box killing the fule pump and engine. Truck turned of and immediately restarted on the highway
20210720FireENGINE
Unknown issue causes the fuse box to over heat melting the harness and fuse box killing the fule pump and engine. Truck turned of and immediately restarted on the highway
20210720FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Unknown issue causes the fuse box to over heat melting the harness and fuse box killing the fule pump and engine. Truck turned of and immediately restarted on the highway
20200917WHEELS
PURCHASED NEW F550 2016 HAD 6736 MILES ON TRUCK AND ALUMINUM WHEELS STARTED TO BUBBLE AND CRACK,FORD AGREED TO REPLACE ALL 4 WHEELS,3215 MILES AND THE WHEELS ARE DOING THE SAME THING,THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN IN THE WINTER AND BARELY IN THE RAIN,THESE WHEELS SHOULD ALL BE RECALLED FOR SAFETY CONCERNS BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL COME APART ON HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS.
Mileage: 6,736
20200514CrashFireAIR BAGS
TRUCK WAS IN MOTION AND WAS IN SERIOUS IMPACT WITH A TREE AFTER IT WENT DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT OFF A RURAL SECTION OF HIGHWAY 4 NEAR STOCKTON CALIFORNIA.*DT*JB *TR
Mileage: 85,000
20200514CrashFireSTRUCTURE:BODY
TRUCK WAS IN MOTION AND WAS IN SERIOUS IMPACT WITH A TREE AFTER IT WENT DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT OFF A RURAL SECTION OF HIGHWAY 4 NEAR STOCKTON CALIFORNIA.*DT*JB *TR
Mileage: 85,000
Compare 2016FORDF-550 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2016 FORD F-550 have?▼
The 2016 FORD F-550 has 14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 5 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 FORD F-550?▼
The most-complained component for the 2016 FORD F-550 is AIR BAGS with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 2016 FORD F-550 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.