Reliability & cost of ownership
Ford F-550 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Ford F-550? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Ford F-550 problems by model year
33 recall entries and 91 owner complaints on file across 9 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 F-550 | 2 | 16 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2019 F-550 | 4 | 13 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2018 F-550 | 10 | 8 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2017 F-550 | 5 | 12 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 F-550 | 0 | 9 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 F-550 | 1 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2013 F-550 | 1 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2012 F-550 | 5 | 13 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2011 F-550 | 5 | 12 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Ford F-550, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine28 complaints
- structure12 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system10 complaints
- fuel system10 complaints
- diesel9 complaints
- power train8 complaints
- engine and engine cooling8 complaints
- steering7 complaints