RoadVitals

2008 Ford F-150 Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Dec 11, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 368 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Dec 11, 2025

The mirrors are not convex, the do not meet safety standards for viewable angles. Impossible to use to back up.

NHTSA ID
11704450
Incident
Dec 10, 2025
Visibility
Filed Aug 20, 2024

The defroster does not blow. There is an issue with the actuator and although the air can be heard blowing, the air is restricted at the firewall. Per the dealership, it is a known issue. I can't drive my truck in winter because it won't defrost. I live in Fargo, ND.

NHTSA ID
11609845
Incident
Aug 20, 2024
Visibility
Filed Jan 23, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR BLOCKED THE CONTACT'S VISION. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT A PEDESTRIAN COULD BE INJURED DUE TO THE LACK OF VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE MIRROR WAS REPLACED WITH A SMALLER MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11064411
Incident
Jan 15, 2016
Mileage
10,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 18, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW COLLAPSED INSIDE THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW COLLAPSED A MONTH AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THERE WAS DEFECTIVE HARDWARE INSIDE THE DOOR THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,400.

NHTSA ID
10916869
Incident
Oct 16, 2016
Mileage
166,400 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 30, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE SUN ROOF BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS AN AFTER MARKET SUN ROOF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID
10562173
Incident
Jan 5, 2014
Mileage
90,000 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Aug 4, 2013

DURING THE SPRING OF 2013 THE HVAC BLOWER MOTOR SPEED SELECTOR SWITCH WAS PRODUCING THE SAME AMOUNT OF AIR ON POSITION 4 AS IT DID ON 3. I REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I TOOK OFF THE DASH TRIM BEZEL TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE REAR OF THE HVAC CONTROLS, AND I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND MELTED & BURNT PLASTIC. A COUPLE OF THE WIRES WERE BROWN FROM WHAT I CAN ONLY ASSUME WAS A SMALL FIRE. WE HAVE A 10 MONTH, OUR FIRST CHILD, AND MY HEART WAS RACING AT THE FEAR OF A VEHICLE FIRE AND GETTING OUR BABY GIRL OUT SAFE IN TIME. SHOULD A FUSE BLOW PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE? I DID SOME LOOKING ONLINE, REPLACED THE SWITCH AND WIRE HARNESS PIGTAIL. IT WORKS FINE NOW, BUT I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM, AND WHY SO MANY FORDS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ON THE WINDOW CONTROL SWITCHES & BLOWER MOTOR CONTROL SWITCHES. IT'S BECAUSE BOTH USE THE SAME 4 WIRE BLADE PLUG. AND THE WAY IT IS ASSEMBLED IS THE CAUSE. THE TERMINALS NEED TO TIGHTER AROUND THE BLADE CONNECTION. ALSO, THE PORTION THAT IS CRIMPED WHERE THE WIRE ATTACHED TO THE TERMINAL SITS OFF CENTER AND ASSEMBLED BACK TO BACK. IF IT WAS ASSEMBLED WITH THE CRIMP ON THE INSIDE IT WOULD CREATE A BIGGER GAP AND REDUCE THE RISK OF VEHICLE FIRES. I TOOK A BUNCH OF PHOTOS AND STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH IF YOU CARE TO EXAMINE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10533464
Incident
Jul 25, 2013
Mileage
98,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 12, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F150. HE STATED THAT THE AUTO TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD CONSTANTLY BLOW HOT AIR OR INTERMITTENTLY BLOW HOT AND COLD AIR. THE FAILURE WOULD CAUSE THE WINDOWS TO FOG AND MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE THE ROADWAY IN FRONT OF HIM. THE DEALER ADVISED THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,169.

NHTSA ID
10330121
Incident
Nov 28, 2008
Mileage
22 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 30, 2010

FORD F150 SIDE WINDOW SCREENS ARE MALFUNCTIONING AND FALLING DOWN. OUR TRUCK WITH 38,000 MILES ON IT IS STARTING TO HAVE A PROBLEM, WHEN A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET IS PERFORMED, THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COMMON. FROM MY PHONE CALLS WITH MY FORD DEALER TODAY, THEY SAID IT IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM AND FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND IT. THIS PROBLEM IS RAMPANT AND IS ANOTHER CASE OF A DEALER NOT STANDING BEHIND THE QUALITY OF THEIR VEHICLE. THEY TRY TO PORTRAY IT AS A WARRANTY ISSUE, WHEN IT IS IN FACT A FAULTY DESIGN. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT COULD OCCUR IF A WINDOW UNEXPECTEDLY SMASHES TO THE BOTTOM OF A DOOR. FROM STARTLING THE DRIVER TO ALLOWING UNINTENDED PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE VEHICLE. IT IS A PITY THAT THE AUTOMOTIVE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS MOVED FROM THE INTENTION OF THE LAW TO ONLY THE LETTER OF THE LAW. I SUGGEST THAT SOMEONE DO A SEARCH ON FORD F150 WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURES ON THE INTERNET AND SEE WHAT YOU FIND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10328230
Incident
Apr 30, 2010
Mileage
38,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 15, 2009

WITHOUT NOTICEABLE PRIOR WARNING I HAD A MALFUNCTION OF 2008 FORD F150 CLIMATE CONTROL ( BLENDING KNOB CONTROL). THE VEHICLE IS BLOWING HOT AIR ONLY. I CAN NOT CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10292240
Incident
Nov 7, 2009
Mileage
63,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 11, 2008

2008 FORD F150 LARIAT W/AUTO TEMP CONTROL. AUTO TEMP CONTROL DOES NOT CONTROL TEMPERATURE AS SET, BLOWS CONSTANT HOT AIR AND ON OCCASION BLOWS HOT AND COLD AIR INTERMITTENTLY. DOES NOT CONTROL TEMPERATURE AS SET BY ATC DISPLAY. HAVE HAD THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. FIRST TWO TRIPS THE DEALER SAID IT WAS WORKING AS INTENDED, MILEAGE WAS 157 THE FIRST TIME, AND 2052 MILE THE SECOND TRIP. ON MY THIRD TRIP AT 5466 MILES I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN OASIS BULLETIN SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE #20422 ISSUED ON 09/06/2008 COVERING MY PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE MESSAGE THE CAUSE WAS THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. IT ALSO STATES TO NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS AT THIS TIME AS PARTS ARE DUE IN MID-OCTOBER, NO PARTS AS OF 11/11/08. THIS DEFECT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON 2006 - 2008 F150 LINCOLN MARK TRUCKS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10248461
Incident
Feb 28, 2008
Mileage
157 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 16, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHEN THE CONTACT LOOKED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, HE NOTICED A REFLECTION IN THE GLASS THAT REDUCED VISIBILITY. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/07/08.*JB

NHTSA ID
10242436
Incident
Jul 10, 2008
Visibility
Filed Apr 15, 2008

MOONROOF VIBRATES IN THE OPEN POSITION CREATING A LOUD ECHO NOISE IN THE CABIN OF VEHICLE. LOUD ENOUGH TO DISTRACT DRIVER AT SPEED. FORD STATES THIS IS WITHIN NORM OF OPERATION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10224573
Incident
Apr 10, 2008
Mileage
25 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .