Most common 2021 Ford F-550 SD problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-550 SD complaints by model year
Best F-550 SD years: 2018, 2013, 2017. Years to avoid: 2000, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2005. Compare all years →
2021 Ford F-550 SD recalls (9)
Fuel system, diesel › Delivery › Fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, 2021-2022 F600, and 2022 F750 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V957. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed mailed April 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Expedition, 2021-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The rearview camera may display a blank or distorted image.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Fuel system, diesel › Delivery › Fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, F600, and 2021-2022 F-650, F750 vehicles. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) and Transmission Control Module (TCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints.
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Linkages
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022.
Show 3 more recalls
Fuel system, diesel
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, and Medium Duty F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. A small void may be present in the top-center of the vehicle's underhood secondary fuel filter cap, which may progress to a pinhole over time, allowing…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the primary and secondary fuel filters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Power train › Axle hubs
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-350, F-450, F-550, and F-600 vehicles equipped with dual rear wheels and front wheel hub extenders. The front wheel hub extenders may be improperly attached to the front rotor hub assemblies, which could result in separation of the wheels and wheel extenders from the vehicle.
Remedy: Owners are instructed not to drive their vehicles until the torque of the wheel extender nuts can be verified. Dealers will inspect and tighten the front wheel hub extender nuts, free of charge.
Visibility › Windshield › Critical fasteners
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 and 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2021 Ford F-550 SD:
Sogefi Secondary Diesel Fuel Filter Leak
The Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) has received 27 complaints alleging diesel fuel leaks due to a fracture in the secondary fuel filter housing in model year (MY) 2015-2021 Ford Motor Company (Ford) F-250, 350, 450, and 550 Super Duty vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. Of these complaints, 12 describe an engine compartment fire.
What 2021 Ford F-550 SD owners say
Fuel & propulsion system
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-550 SD. The contact stated that while an employee was driving 65 MPH and towing a vehicle, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was unable to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway due to a loss of electronic power steering; however, the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel); the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
While driving down the road at approximately 45 mph, under normal conditions, with no warning indicators the low fuel pressure light came on. When the driver stopped the vehicle he lost all power and observed smoke emanating from the underside and hood of the vehicle. Prior to him exiting the vehicle he observed flames shooting out from under the console towards his feet. Upon exiting the vehicle I saw flames under the hood of the vehicle and utilized his supplied fire extinguisher to attempt to put the fire out. This was futile and to our benefit he had a pressure washer and 119 gallons of water that he was able to put into action to subdue the fire. Noting that the drivers side front fender melted off and a hole melted in the drivers side hood from the fire. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Ford F-550 SD a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 F-550 SD rates average: 2.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the F-550 SD at the same age. 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 2021 Ford F-550 SD?
The fuel & propulsion system — 10 complaints, 83% of all complaints for this model year, most often about fuel filter. Next are the engine & cooling (2) and steering (1).
How many recalls does the 2021 Ford F-550 SD have?
There are 9 recalls for the 2021 Ford F-550 SD, the most recent from March 17, 2026 (fuel pump). 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-550 SD?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2013 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 1999, 2004, 2006 and 2005. See the full Ford F-550 SD years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Ford F-550 SD problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 195,000 miles; 0% 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.