FORD F 450 Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used FORD F 450 options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the FORD F 450 has 125 owner complaints and 60 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 2020 drew the most complaints; 2026 drew the fewest.
- Make
- FORD
- Model
- F 450
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 125
- Safety recall campaigns
- 60
- Crash-related complaints
- 4
- Fire-related complaints
- 12
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2020 (24 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2026 (1 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Below Average
By model year
FORD F 450: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
Below AverageThe FORD F 450 has 125 NHTSA complaints and 60 recalls on record. 4 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 125 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 60 federal recall campaigns
- 4 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
60 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
STEERING:COLUMN
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
ENGINE
EQUIPMENT
ENGINE
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
EQUIPMENT
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ENGINE
EQUIPMENT
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
STEERING:COLUMN
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 125 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
125 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
incidents Summary: The vehicle experienced a significant engine compartment fire while in operation. The fire originated in the engine valley near the secondary fuel filter, consistent with the failure mode described in NHTSA Investigation PE24014. 1. Component Failure & Part Numbers: The fire necessitated an $18,000 repair (RO #443426). Based on the repair invoice, the following safety-critical components were heat-destroyed and replaced: Secondary Fuel Filter (PC3Z9N184C) Main Engine Wiring Harness (HC3Z12B637A) Inlet Manifold (GC4Z9424A) High-Pressure Fuel Pipes (HC3Z9J280J and BC3Z9E964A) Cowl Grilles (HC3Z25022A68AB/69AC) 2. Safety Risk & Pre-Existing Symptoms: Prior to the fire, the engine exhibited a "surging" idle and erratic RPM behavior, which was reported to the dealer. After the replacement of the aforementioned fuel and electrical components, the surging issue was immediately resolved, confirming the original symptom was a precursor to the fuel system failure. While no injuries occurred, the fire presented an immediate risk of occupant injury and total vehicle loss. 3. Disposal of Evidence (Spoliation): Despite an active liability dispute and an ongoing manufacturer investigation, the dealership (AutoNation Ford Valencia) admitted in writing that they disposed of the failed secondary fuel filter and the main wiring harness. These primary pieces of evidence are currently unavailable for federal or forensic inspection due to the dealer's actions. 4. Confirmation: The fire damage was confirmed by the dealership, and I have paid the repair invoice UNDER PROTEST to retrieve the property. I am seeking a review of this incident under the scope of PE24014.
My truck is outfitted with the CP4 fuel pump. These pumps are failing on a regular basis and destroying entire fuel systems costing the vehicle owner as much as $20,000 to replace. If this pump goes out while driving, it could be a major safety issue. I tow a 44 foot trailer with my truck and this can cause a deadly accident. I called Ford and there is no recall as of now. There are attorneys out there using the Lemon Law act to go after the ones that have failed so far. These pumps are not designed to be used with American Diesel. They are made in Europe and designed for their fuel. I am just trying to prevent an accident. I’d like Ford to just recall this pump and replace it.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-450. The contact stated that upon having the vehicle serviced, he was made aware that there were metal shavings found inside the oil pan, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 91,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-450. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the turbo charger. After retrieving the vehicle, the failure immediately reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the diesel particulate filter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 51,000.
The rear camera is addressed in NHTSA Recall Number22V644, but the same issue is occurring with the front camera too. Ford dealer said to call Ford customer service to address my concern. Ford customer service advised I file a claim with NHTSA. Since Ford already acknowledged the issue with these cameras, I’d like the front to be addressed at the same time as the rear.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-450. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera image was significantly blurry. The contact wiped the rearview camera lens; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer acknowledged the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty and the VIN was not included in a recall associated to the failure; therefore, he would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring for a year. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
Read 14 more owner reports
STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS . FRONT TIRES ARE WEARING DUE TO THIS ISSUE
ALL 2018,F-450,OKALOOSA COUNTY FLEET TRUCKS. STARTING/CRANKING MODUL CAUSES ENGINE NOT TO START OR RANDOMLY START AFTER 5,10,20 MINUTES.
THE POWER TAILGATE OPENS RANDOMLY ON ITS OWN. THIS HAS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO MY TAILGATE AND THE ATTACHED TRAILER. I HAVE SECURITY VIDEO FOOTAGE OF IT OPENING RIGHT BEFORE AS I STARTED TO DRIVE. FORD IS REFUSING TO REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRUCK HAS 3800 MILES ON IT AND HAS NOT EVEN HAD ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS WRECK IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-450. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEBANON FORD (770 COLUMBUS AVE, LEBANON, OH 45036, (513) 932-1010), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F450. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the diesel particle filter (DPF) had failed. The sensor was replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The sensor had been replaced four times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 19,000.
My truck wobbles out of control when I drive it above 40mph. It shakes uncontrollably. Nothing is wrong with it according to mechanics. I believe it's realated to the death wobble, many reports I have seen on tv regarding this matter on Ford trucks.
The contact's employer owns a 2019 Ford F-450. The contact stated while his boss was driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact's employer contacted the manufacturer and was provided a case number. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
Years and years of cp4 failures should lead to a recall. It is unsafe and will cause someone to be killed if there truck shuts off
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-450. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact observed an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was an upper oil pan gasket failure. The contact was informed that the gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,334.
Adaptive Steering system fault occurs randomly. At times, the steering wheel is off by as much as 90 degrees when driving straight down a road. This endangers both passengers of vehicle and other traffic on highway.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-450. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle and attempting to shift into gear, the gear shifter seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the drain had been clogged due to debris, causing water intrusion in the passenger’s side motor board, and inside the front and rear passenger’s side doors. Additionally, there was mold in the vehicle. The dealer diagnosed that the motor board and the carpet needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no assistance would be provided because the failure was weather related. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-450. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was shaking uncontrollably from side to side; almost causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and waited for the vehicle to stop shaking. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 55,000.
severe constant vibration from rear duals, constant shake from 68MPH ro 78MPH. 75MPH it turns into a rhythm violent shaking passage seat. Feel the vibration in the steering wheel as well.
Truck has experienced multiple occasions of "death wobble" since purchase. Excessive unexplained tire wear on the passenger front tire. On second tire on passenger front. Have 81k miles on truck and all other tires are wearing normal. Have had truck in alignment twice with no issues showing with alignment, wheels have been balanced. Ford service tech contacted Ford engineer and told me to increase air pressure to 100psi on front tires, I questioned this since door tag states 90psi. Still same issues, all recalls have been done. Passenger front tire is almost bald and need to purchase new tires at $400 plus, seems stupid to put new tires on and not resolve issue. I have worked with Ford dealership, two independent tire stores, Continental tire engineer, and have asked many mechanics about this with no answers. The other issue is the power tailgate will open on its own. This has occurred twice while driving. Once is while I was pulling fifth wheel and tailgate opened. Spilling out a 70 qt cooler carrying 40+ water bottles and a stand for my grill. I have no knowledge at what time this happened during trip, no dash indicator or warning. The second time this happened is we were towing a horse trailer and it opened. The only warning was when we made a turn and the trailer wheel jack pinched against the tailgate and bent both the tailgate and trailer jack. Ford had a recall on tailgate which was performed prior to these incidents. Wire harness was replaced in between events at Ford dealership. Dealership answer now is to disable rear button to open tailgate, also since tailgate is bent it will bind and not open sometimes. I think it's funny that there is a warning light for the hood if unlatched, and prior to disabling rear button I had to push the door lock button to open tailgate. To me it's a design issue because the female connector faces up and plugs into male connector, where moisture can get in. All these are safety issues putting me and others in danger.
Showing 20 of 125 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact FORD F 450
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used FORD F 450, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The FORD F 450 has 125 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The FORD F 450 has 60 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 4 of the FORD F 450's 125 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Below Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all FORD F 450 vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two FORD F 450 vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The FORD F 450 has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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FORD F 450 reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the FORD F 450 reliable?
Below Average. The FORD F 450 has 125 NHTSA owner complaints and 60 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which FORD F 450 years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2020 (24 complaints), 2017 (20 complaints), 2019 (19 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common FORD F 450 problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (25 complaints); POWER TRAIN (22 complaints); ENGINE (18 complaints).
Does the FORD F 450 have recalls?
Yes — 60 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the FORD F 450. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.