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2017 Ford F-250 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
8%
91 of 1,155 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2017 Ford F-250. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 8% of relevant complaints.

Better than 98% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Ford F-250 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 91 of 1,155 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford F-250 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (8%). For comparison, the 2016 scores 20% and the 2018 scores 10%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
91
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
1,155
this model year
Fires reported
13
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
12 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING717 · 62%
SUSPENSION587 · 51%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER109 · 9%
WHEELS69 · 6%
STRUCTURE66 · 6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM54 · 5%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2017 compares with other Ford F-250 years

Of the 14 Ford F-250 years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the 2nd-best on engine and transmission share (8%). The worst is the 2020 (46%), the best the 2019 (8%). By volume, the 2017 drew 1,155 complaints (91 drivetrain), against 289 for the 2016 and 397 for the 2018.

Ford F-250 years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Ford F-250

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2017 Ford F-250 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM05/15/2026FIRE
On 5/8/2026 at 1555 hours, while driving at normal freeway speed under normal driving conditions, vehicle began an exhaust system regeneration cycle. During the course of the region cycle, vehicle began to smoke excessively and realizing this wan not normal, I was able to yield to the right shoulder of the roadway. Alm…

One of 91 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2017 Ford F-250 engine recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2017 Ford F-250 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 2 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

engine18V894000 · Dec 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.

Risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019.…

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch17V331000 · May 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles originally produced with black or body colored exterior door handles that may have…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Ford F-250? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2017 Ford F-250

Does the 2017 Ford F-250 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 91 of 1,155 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford F-250 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (8%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Ford F-250?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Ford F-250 is steering: 717 of 1,155 complaints (62%) name it, followed by suspension (587) and wheels (69). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 8% of the relevant total.

Is the 2017 Ford F-250 reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 8% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 98% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Ford F-250 years we score, it ranks 2nd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Ford F-250?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2017 Ford F-250 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 2 in total: 18V894000 (engine). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Ford F-250 years are better?

The 2017 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Ford F-250 years we track (8%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/ford-f-250

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.