2020 Ford Redundant F-350 problems

What is wrong

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.

Remedy

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 different second unit body that meets Ford's specifications or have the rear axle rebuilt as a Wide Track axle, free of charge. An interim letter notifying owners of the safety risk was mailed on October 23, 2020. The recall began January 11, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S57.

Recall number 20V599000 · Recall details

What is wrong

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."

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.

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.

Recall number 19V633000 · Recall details

In January 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ21-001) to assess allegations of post-recall remedy uncommanded tailgate openings in model year (MY) 2017-2019 F-250/350/450 Ford trucks. Besides the recall remedy launched in January 2020, Ford also implemented a production update in November 2019. At the time of the RQ opening, ODI had received eleven (11) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs). ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Ford in February 2021. In numerous meetings after receiving their IR response, Ford highlighted the drop in claims since the recall and production update and communicated how they were unable to verify the owners’ complaints or replicate the concern. Despite this, Ford began developing ways to prevent uncommanded tailgate openings from various human, mechanical or electrical causes. Based on testing, Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction program, 21M05-S1/S2/S3, to further address the potential of unintended tailgate openings. This work was applied to vehicles being produced as of December 20, 2021. The program began for already delivered vehicles on July 22, 2022. The covered models include 2017-2022 F-250, 350, 450, 550, 650 and 750 Super Duty and 2020-2022 F-600 Super Duty trucks. ODI has received 39 VOQs between February 24, 2020, and December 15, 2023, alleging uncommanded tailgate openings. In a detailed analysis, none of the vehicles in the VOQs were found to have received the Customer Satisfaction update. Since ODI has not received any complaints of post-Customer Satisfaction program tailgate openings, this office is closing this Recall Query. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to

RQ21001