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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2019 Ford F-550

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 14 safety complaints about the 2019 Ford F-550 with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 3 mention a fire and no death is recorded. 4 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 5 complaints, 36% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 108,282 miles, the median across the 6 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2019 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

14 complaints on file

14

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

3

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 5 · 36%
STRUCTURE 4 · 29%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 · 21%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 14%
STEERING 2 · 14%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 · 7%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 7%
TRAILER HITCHES 1 · 7%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 14.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 4.

8 6 4 2
19 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2019 Ford F-550. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

4 on file

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

19V633000 · August 28, 2019

The defect
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."
The risk
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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 639,137 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT

19V398000 · May 29, 2019

The defect
LGE Coachworks, Inc. (LGE Coachworks) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Ford E-450, F-550, and Freightliner M2-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager back-up camera displays. The displays may unexpectedly revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed.
The risk
The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
ASA will notify LGE Coachworks owners, and dealers will replace the displays, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA customer service at 1-800-384-4400 or LGE Coachworks at 1-800-209-3985.

LGE Coachworks Inc. · up to 13 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

19V226000 · March 22, 2019

The defect
Watts Manufacturing, LLC (Watts Manufacturing) is recalling certain 2019 First responder vehicles built on Ford F-550 chassis and equipped with Whelen brake lights. Depending on the specific wiring of the vehicle, these brake lights may illuminate when the brake pedal has not been pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
If the brake lights incorrectly illuminate, it can confuse other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Watts Manufacturing will notify owners and Whelen dealers will replace the brake lights, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Watts Manufacturing customer service at 1-785-404-6003.

Watts Manufacturing, LLC · up to 8 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

18V894000 · December 18, 2018

The defect
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.
The 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.
The remedy
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. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S45.

Ford Motor Company · up to 410,289 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 53,000 miles

The contact owned a 2019 Ford F-550. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, turned on, and unoccupied, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the front of the engine compartment had caught fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed however, the cause for the failure was not yet determined. A police report was filed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed and towed back to the contact's work location. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

NHTSA complaint 11635660. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

A clogged fuel filter caused an engine fire. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. The fuel filter has been known to be problematic for these trucks, in yet there has been no recall. A simple google search shows these fires are common. The vehicle has been in for service at the dealership many times but no one checked on the faulty fuel filter positioned above the hot engine components.

NHTSA complaint 11625217. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire

While driving down the road a passerby got our drivers attention to tell them the truck was on fire. When he pulled over and got out the truck went up in flames fast from under the hood. Due to the heavy damage we are unsure where the fire started. It has not been inspected by anyone yet. It was towed to our shop. The driver reported there was an odd smell but that was it.

NHTSA complaint 11672519. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

crash · towed

Vehicle was being driven at 50MPH when truck encountered pothole in road. Steering wheel began to shake back and forth violently and vehicle was uncontrollable. Truck veered to left and crashed into guardrail while being slowed to a stop.

NHTSA complaint 11496379. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

116,563 miles

The complaint was filed on behalf of the contact's employer. The contact's employer owns a 2019 Ford F-550. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was swerving from side to side. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The failure was a persistent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,563.

NHTSA complaint 11757739. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100,000 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-550. The contact stated that upon noticing an abnormal burning odor, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the wiring underneath the driver's side of the dashboard was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The mechanic replaced the wiring a second time; however, the failure persisted. The power train and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V894000 (Engine). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA complaint 11680198. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Purchased truck used and discovered frame was cracked shortly after I had taken it in to Ford several times because alignment wouldn’t keep vehicle from feeling bouncy (hopping) going down the road. At no point did anyone tell me of a customer satisfaction program that was in place for my vehicle for a frame repair/replacement. Instead they strung me along telling me to take it to a frame shop. 2 days after the program expired I was told that there was a program for the issues which I no longer qualified for. Then they told me to reach out to corporate who said there was nothing they could do.

NHTSA complaint 11620282. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford F-550

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2020 17 2 —
2018 8 10 —
2017 13 6 —
2012 13 5 —
2011 12 5 —

Other 2019 Ford models

F-150 1,329 F-250 SD 1,164 Edge 769 Escape 588 Expedition 505 F-350 SD 467 Ecosport 460 Fusion 315

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Ford on this site — 359 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst