YearToAvoid

2017 Ford F-350 Structure & Body Problems

Owners filed 56 Structure & Body complaints on the 2017 Ford F-350, 10% of all complaints for the year, at a median failure mileage of 25,315. Most describe the power tailgate opening on its own while driving. A related recall, 19V864000, covers tailgate wiring on 2017-2019 Super Duty trucks.

Structure & Body complaints
56
10% of 573
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
25,315 mi
Related recalls
5

Typical body and structure symptoms owners report

  • Power tailgate opens unexpectedly while driving, sometimes damaging tail lights or the tailgate itself.
  • Tailgate pops open while towing a trailer or fifth wheel, causing the tailgate to strike the trailer.
  • Some owners report the tailgate opening repeatedly, multiple times over months, even after dealer visits.
  • Rear window has blown out suddenly while driving on the highway.
  • Roof and roof marker light leak lets rain enter the cab.

When 2017 Ford F-350 body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 11, 2017, latest Jan 29, 2026.

2017 Ford F-350 structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month5Jul 2017Nov 2018Jul 2019Apr 2020Feb 2021Sep 2022Jan 2024
56 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2017 to Jan 2026; peak Oct 2018 (5).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2017 Ford F-350

  1. NHTSA 22V087000Feb 16, 2022Structure & Body247,445 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members:underbody shields

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2022 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty vehicles equipped with gasoline engines and aluminum driveshafts. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.

    Risk: A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 7, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S09.

  2. NHTSA 19V864000Dec 4, 2019Structure & Body231,664 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Super Duty F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks equipped with an electric tailgate latch release switch mounted in the tailgate handle. Water may enter the electrical wiring system and cause a short circuit, activating the switch and releasing the tailgate latches.

    Risk: Unintended tailgate opening may allow unrestrained cargo to fall out of the truck bed and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate/frame wiring harnesses by adding jumper pigtails to isolate the tailgate release control circuits and will install a new tailgate handle release switch, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S48.

  3. NHTSA 17V652000Oct 16, 2017Structure & Body1,101,107 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the doors opening while driving although they appear to be closed.

    Risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S33.

  4. NHTSA 17V599000Sep 25, 2017Structure & Body504 vehicles

    Seats

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. The seat belt anchor may not be adequately welded to the seat cushion frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk: The seat belt buckle weld may fail, preventing the occupants from being properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger manual seat track, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C17.

  5. NHTSA 17V332000May 22, 2017Structure & Body2,204 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:recliner

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds. As such, these vehicles may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202a, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk: If the occupant is not adequately restrained in the event of a crash, they have an increased risk of injury.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began on June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C08.

Structure & Body complaints by F-350 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20102 (4%)
  2. 20116 (3%)
  3. 20125 (3%)
  4. 20134 (5%)
  5. 20142 (2%)
  6. 20155 (2%)
  7. 20162 (1%)
  8. 201756 (10%)
  9. 201824 (12%)
  10. 201927 (6%)
  11. 202016 (9%)
  12. 20217 (7%)
  13. 20229 (8%)
  14. 20235 (12%)
  15. 20244 (9%)
  16. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2017 Ford F-350 have a tailgate recall?
Yes. Recall 19V864000 covers 2017-2019 Super Duty F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks with an electric tailgate latch release switch where water can enter the wiring and cause problems.
How many structure and body complaints does the 2017 F-350 have?
NHTSA lists 56 Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 F-350, which is 10% of the 573 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do tailgate problems usually show up on the 2017 F-350?
The median mileage at failure for Structure & Body complaints on the 2017 F-350 is 25,315 miles, though sample complaints show failures at both much lower and higher mileage.
Are the 2017 F-350 tailgate issues linked to crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires associated with Structure & Body complaints on the 2017 F-350.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.