Most common 2020 Ford F-53 problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-53 complaints by model year
Best F-53 years: 2022. Years to avoid: 2014, 2020, 2016. Compare all years →
2020 Ford F-53 recalls (1)
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-53 Motorhome Stripped Chassis and F-59 Commercial Stripped Chassis vehicles. An inadequate amount of rear axle lubricant may cause rear wheel bearing damage and bearing seizure, and rear axle or driveshaft failure.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the rear wheel bearings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 12, 2021.
What 2020 Ford F-53 owners say
Suspension
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-53. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V202000 (Suspension, Power Train). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact contacted the dealer and two other dealers Chalmers Ford (2500 Rio Rancho Blvd SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124) and Power Ford (1101 Monta o Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107) for the recall repair but was informed by the dealers that the facility space was inadequate to perform the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and opened a case. The dealer informed the contact that they had no authority to order an independent Ford dealer to perform the recall repair. Additionally, they would not authorize a non-Ford dealer to perform the recall repair. Parts distribution disconnect.
The rear anti-sway bar is missing the driver side bushing, bracket and bolts. It is available at my home for inspection. I will not drive the vehicle (Forest River FR3 motorhome) until I can replace the bushing and bracket. The vehicle is very unstable in winds or when the vehicle is passed by a large vehicle. This creates and unsafe driving situation as the vehicle is pushed to the shoulder of the highway by the wind and large vehicles and then a steering correction sends it back toward the left lane. The problem was detected by the owner and not confirmed by a second party. It has not been inspected by anyone other than the owner. The only warning of the safety problem was poor handling on the highway.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-53. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V202000 (Suspension, Power Train). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact contacted the dealer and two other dealers Chalmers Ford (2500 Rio Rancho Blvd SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124) and Power Ford (1101 Monta o Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107) for the recall repair but was informed by the dealers that the facility space was inadequate to perform the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and opened a case. The dealer informed the contact that they had no authority to order an independent Ford dealer to perform the recall repair. Additionally, they would not authorize a non-Ford dealer to perform the recall repair. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River RV built on a 2020 Ford F53 chassis. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V202000 (Suspension, Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact was unsure whether the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Brakes
While driving the cruise control shut off, all dash lights came on - ABS brakes, traction control, etc. We stopped at the next service center and called tech support. Tech support felt it was a bad sensor which would correct itself after engine shut off for a little while. The motorhome would be safe to get to a repair center. Shutting the engine off did not correct the issue - the lights continued to come on. The repair center "found the wiring harness was loose at L/F rear of engine and was resting on the exhaust manifold flange. Verified severe wiring damage from laying on the flange - lots of wires were burnt up." "The possiblity of causing a severe fire."
In ordinary driving conditions when a crosswind is present, the Electronic Stability Control warning light comes on, disabling the vehicle's traction control, cruise control and hill start assist, and possibly affecting the vehicle's Anti-Lock Braking system. The warning light goes off after the engine is stopped and restarted. This condition has surfaced multiple times since I took ownership of this vehicle in April 2021. The sudden and unexpected loss of traction control and cruise control in windy or stormy conditions when the road surface may be slick with snow or rain creates a hazard to driver and passenger safety.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Ford F-53 a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 F-53 rates use caution: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the F-53 at the same age. It is one of the F-53 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Ford F-53?
The suspension — 7 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (5) and brakes (5).
How many recalls does the 2020 Ford F-53 have?
There is 1 recall for the 2020 Ford F-53, the most recent from March 24, 2021 (driveshaft). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F-53?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2014, 2020 and 2016. See the full Ford F-53 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford F-53 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 23,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.