2020 FORD F-450

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

1RecallsNHTSA Verified23ComplaintsNHTSA Data0InvestigationsNHTSA Data
Expert Verdict
βœ“Good Reliability

This 2020 model shows good reliability, primarily driven by a below-average recall rate for the FORD brand.

Key Factor:below-average recall rate

πŸ“‹Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis

The 2020 F-450 analysis highlights key safety metrics.

Critical Component: Warning

Safety & Reliability Score

91/100
Excellent

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-8
Complaint Impact-1.15
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 FORD F-450

Model Year2020
MakeFORD
ModelF-450
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
May21
ISSUEFirst Report

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

5 complaints (22% of total)
➑️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
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Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 23 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
5(22%)
🟑Medium
3(13%)
🟒Low
15(65%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

βš™οΈEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 65,969 miles.

πŸ“Š Mileage data extracted from 13 of 23 complaints (57% coverage)
0-20k
2 reports (15%)
20k-40k
3 reports (23%)
40k-60k
1 reports (8%)
60k-80k
1 reports (8%)
80k-100k
3 reports (23%)
100k+
3 reports (23%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

πŸ› οΈ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

SEATS

Official Safety Recalls (1)

Campaign: 19V633000

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Summary

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence

A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations
βœ“

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

23 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 F-450.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning22%
Fire17%
Display13%
Smell9%
Odor9%
Acceleration Issues9%
Shake9%
Smoke9%
Steering/SuspensionπŸ”Ά Medium
STEERING

The contact owned a 2020 Ford F-450. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had driven independently sideways and then into a deep ditch before coming to a stop. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was uncontrollable. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss by the insurance company. The contact was unconscious and transferred to the local hospital. The contact sustained six broken ribs, a punctured left lung and a hematoma in the left leg. In addition, the contact had to have emergency surgery to remove the hematoma. The contact was receiving continued medical treatment due to the injuries. The contact stated a Police report was filed. The contact later received a recall notification: NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V626000 (Steering) however the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Oct 14, 2025Open
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-450 The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Aug 22, 2025Under Review
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Vehicle caught fire. Fire in the engine compartment after heavy fuel smell/odor.

Aug 17, 2025Under Review
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”Ά Medium
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-450. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel). The contact stated that while hauling an RV at 65 MPH, with the cruise control feature activated, the message that the "Engine has Stopped - Pull Over Immediately" was displayed, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road, and the contact attempted to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine was turning over however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed, and the dealer retrieved DTC: P0087. Additionally, there were metal shavings found in the fuel system. The contact was informed that the fuel pump and the entire fuel system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,717.

May 2, 2025Under Review
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-450. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the engine ran for several minutes before the vehicle independently shut off. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL) as probable cause for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 184,000.

Feb 26, 2025Under Review
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-450. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle, with the "Reduced Engine Power" message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the highway, and the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and it was determined that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed. The contact was informed that the entire fuel system needed to be replaced. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the remedy for the recall was a software update. The contact was informed that due to the fuel pump failure, the vehicle was no longer qualified for the recall repair. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer who offered to cover 50% of the cost for the repair. The contact stated that the recall repair was not a permanent repair and that the recall remedy failed to adequately address the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Feb 13, 2025Under Review
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-450. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while starting, the "Low Fuel Pressure" message was displayed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel filter had exploded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel system was contaminated with metal and that the entire fuel system needed to be flushed and replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Feb 3, 2025Under Review
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ENGINE

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-450. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle vibrated and the vehicle briefly lost motive power. The vehicle returned to normal functionality once the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the power train control module (PCM). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, who diagnosed that cylinder #4 had failed, and there was a misfire in cylinders #3 and #5. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. A case was opened with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Jan 23, 2025Under Review
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

The vehicle is experiencing very erratic shifts between gears. The transmission is slingshot shifting in all gears between 3rd through 6th. If this continues it will undoubtedly blow the transmission out. I work with this truck every day and if it blows it will very likely cause a very big safety hazard as I would very possibly have a load on my trailer and this could force me out of my lane. There is a ford customer satisfaction program number of 21B03 that directly applies to this issue but as of yet they are not approving the fix for it. There is also another safety recall on this truck number 22S22. That also covers this issue we are experiencing.

Aug 19, 2024Resolved
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

See attached document for complaint

Mar 8, 2024Resolved

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2020 FORD F-450?

Yes, the 2020 FORD F-450 has 1 recorded recall from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.

Is the 2020 FORD F-450 safe to drive?

The 2020 FORD F-450 has 1 recall. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2020 FORD F-450 has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local FORD dealer.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Seats

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seats recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seats recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:19V633000
πŸ’‘Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your FORD dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

Families with young passengers, pregnant drivers, or those with frequent highway commutes should prioritize this information.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 1 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your FORD dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyβ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Request the VIN before purchase and verify recall status at NHTSA.gov.
  • This model year shows favorable reliability metrics compared to alternatives.
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Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.