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2020 Ford F-350 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
41% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Ford F-350 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Better than 51% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2020 Ford F-350 have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 75 of 188 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Ford F-350 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (41%), and the largest group is filed under power train (53). For comparison, the 2019 scores 9% and the 2021 scores 31%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. 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.
Complaints by component
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 2020 compares with other Ford F-350 years
Of the 14 Ford F-350 years with enough complaints to score, the 2020 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (41%). The worst is the 2011 (49%), the best the 2018 (7%). By volume, the 2020 drew 188 complaints (75 drivetrain), against 467 for the 2019 and 96 for the 2021.
Ford F-350 years to avoid and best years →
2010 F-350 problems · 2011 F-350 problems · 2012 F-350 problems · 2013 F-350 problems · 2014 F-350 problems · 2015 F-350 problems · 2016 F-350 problems · 2017 F-350 problems · 2018 F-350 problems · 2019 F-350 problems · 2020 · 2021 F-350 problems · 2022 F-350 problems · 2023 F-350 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2020 Ford F-350
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2020 Ford F-350 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- 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
One of 75 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2020 Ford F-350 transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2020 Ford F-350 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 18 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.
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 high pressure fuel pump.
Risk: High pressure fuel pump failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed mailed April 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…
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.
Risk: High pressure fuel pump failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) and Transmission Control Module (TCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service…
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.
Risk: Debris lodged within the 'Park' mechanism may prevent the vehicle from achieving or holding 'Park,' increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway and a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace a gearset within the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 19, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-350 Super Duty pickup trucks equipped with 6.7L diesel engines and Dana model 275 rear axles. The rear axle housing may not support the load of the pickup truck and deform, which could result in driveshaft separation.
Risk: Driveshaft separation may result in a loss of drive power, or unintended vehicle movement if the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the axle housing for deformities, and repair or replace the housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-350 trucks equipped with 7.3L gas engines and ambulance prep packages. These vehicles were ordered with Wide Track rear axles, but were built with base (narrower) axles. Depending on the body installed by the body builder, the inner tires on the dual wheel rear axle may contact the body.
Risk: Inner tire contact with the body could result in a tire blowout, potentially causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will rebuild the rear axle as a Wide Track axle on vehicles already built. For remaining vehicles, body builders will be given the option to accept the base axle and build a…
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 order to stop the vehicle.
Risk: An engine stall or requiring additional braking effort to stop the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission assembly, free of charge. This recall began July 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall…
12 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
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 2020 Ford F-350? 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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Does the 2020 Ford F-350 have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 75 of 188 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Ford F-350 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (41%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Ford F-350?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2020 Ford F-350 is power train: 53 of 188 complaints (28%) name it, followed by steering (35) and fuel system (35). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2020 Ford F-350 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 41% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is better than 51% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Ford F-350 years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. 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 2020 Ford F-350?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2020 Ford F-350 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 18 in total: 26V158000 (fuel system, diesel: delivery: fuel pump), 24V957000 (fuel system, diesel: delivery: fuel pump), 22V256000 (power train: automatic transmission), and more. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Ford F-350 years are better?
Among the Ford F-350 years we track, the 2018 (7%), the 2019 (9%) and the 2017 (10%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (41%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/ford-f-350
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Check a VINExperimental 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 4 body styles NHTSA files separately.