2008 Ford F Super Duty Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 Ford F Super Duty, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine1124.4%
- Steering1022.2%
- Electrical511.1%
- Fuel system48.9%
- Brakes48.9%
- Suspension36.7%
- Powertrain (other)36.7%
- Other / unspecified24.4%
- Driver assistance24.4%
- Visibility12.2%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
2008 FORD F450 6.4L TURBO DIESEL PROBLEMS MY WIFE TRUCK BROKE DOWN ON HER WITH 137000 MILES ON IT COMING BACK FROM SOUTH CAROLINA IN JULY 2016. MECHANICS FOUND METAL SHAVING IN THE OIL FILTER HOUSING. LONG STORY SHORT, HAD TO HAVE THE LONG BLOCK REPLACED ON THE TRUCK. 15,000 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS ISSUE. APPEARS WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. THREE MORE PEOPLE WE KNOW WHO JUST BOUGHT 2008 FORD F450 SD 6.4L TRUCKS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. ONE FAMILIES TRUCK BROKE DOWN ON THEM THREE WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT ON THERE WAY HOME FROM A HORSE SHOW. SAME THING HAPPEN TO THE OTHER FAMILY. COMMON FACTOR IN ALL THREE STORIES...METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL FILTER HOUSING. NONE OF THE TRUCKS WERE LOW ON FLUID. APPEARS 6.4L ENGINES HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS 6.0L ENGINES. INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE DONE ON 6.4L ISSUES AND HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE TO REPAIR THESE ENGINES OR REFUND THE MONEY THAT WAS SPENT TO FIX THESE ENGINES IF REPAIR HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A TWO LANE ROAD IN MY 2008 F250 PICKUP (DIESEL) ON 26 JAN 2016 ABOUT 35 MPH, AND CAME UPON A STOP SIGN. I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND STARTED BRAKING. THE ENGINE STARTED ACCELERATING, EVEN THOUGH I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (HIGH), SO ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPINNING FAST, AND KEPT THE VEHICLE MOVING FORWARD. I STOOD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, AND AFTER GOING SEVERAL FEET INTO THE INTERSECTION, IT FINALLY STOPPED. I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER THE PROBLEM STOPPED. I THEN CONTINUED ON MY WAY. THE VEHICLE HAD 37,062 MILES.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY F250 WHEN I WAS EXITING FOOT ON BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED EVERYTIME I HIT THE BRAKE AND TRY TO TURN THE WHEEL LOCKS
I PURCHASED USED IN 2012 AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH A VERY WIDE TURNING RADIUS. I'VE DRIVEN OTHER FORDS AT A LOCAL AUCTION HOUSE SAME YEAR/MODEL THAT STEER FINE AND TURN TIGHTER. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN MINE THAT'S DIMINISHING ITS SAFETY AND USABILITY.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT WARNING A GREEN WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON MY DASHBOARD WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. DATE WAS 12/1/2015. I LOST POWER AND HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO POWER WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH, I TURNED OFF THE TRUCK WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES THEN TRIED TO TURN THE TRUCK ON AGAIN AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CLEARED. IT WENT BACK TO "NORMAL" AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF THE HIGHWAY. I'VE READ AND ALSO TALKED TO OTHER FORD OWNERS AND THEY HAVE SAID THE SAME THING, IT IS THE (PCM) POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. NOTE: I HAD MY WHOLE FAMILY WITH ME.
DURING THE COURSE OF DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE TRUCK LOST ALL POWER. REQUIRED STEERING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPING WITH THE LOSS OF ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST. IN TRAFFIC. TRUCK WOULD NOT RESTART ONCE WAS PULLED OFF ONTO SIDE OF HIGHWAY. IF TRUCK HAD BEEN TOWING DOWN A STEEP GRADE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP. UPON HAVING TRUCK REPAIRED IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE SENSOR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A TWO LANE ROAD IN MY 2008 F250 PICKUP (DIESEL) ON 26 JAN 2016 ABOUT 35 MPH, AND CAME UPON A STOP SIGN. I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND STARTED BRAKING. THE ENGINE STARTED ACCELERATING, EVEN THOUGH I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (HIGH), SO ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPINNING FAST, AND KEPT THE VEHICLE MOVING FORWARD. I STOOD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, AND AFTER GOING SEVERAL FEET INTO THE INTERSECTION, IT FINALLY STOPPED. I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER THE PROBLEM STOPPED. I THEN CONTINUED ON MY WAY. THE VEHICLE HAD 37,062 MILES.
MY TRUCK BEGAN CUTTING OFF ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING EVERY NOW AND THEN. NOW IT IS DOING IT MORE AND MORE. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS, SO A COUPLE OF TIMES I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BAD GAS SO I CHANGED GAS AND STARTING USING AMOCO GAS AND PUT FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER IN MY GAS TANK. THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW I AM LOSING PRESSURE WHILE I AM DRIVING. I CALLED FORD MOTORS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL, BUT MY VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING THAT IS IN THE RECALL. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL AND FOR $130.00 I COULD BRING IT IN AND GET A DIAGNOSTIC. THERE HAS BEEN A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT ON AND THE VEHICLE STILL STOPS ON ME ON OCCASION. PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR BRAKES ON MY PICKUP FAILED. THE REAR CALIPERS WERE STICKING AND THE BRAKES OVERHEATED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKES IS A COMMON AND PERVASIVE PROBLEM WITH FORD F350 TRUCKS OF THIS MODEL YEAR. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL OF THESE TRUCKS. *TR
FRONT BRAKES OVER HEATED SAW, SMOKE ON LEFT FRONT , STOPPED TO FIND BOTH FRONT CALIPERS WERE HANGING UP. REPLACE BOTH CALIPERS AND BRAKE FLUID. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELLING ON A STRAIGHT, SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL, DRY SECTION OF HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR, AN EXAGGERATED SHAKING BEGAN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS QUICKLY BECAME AN ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE BOUNCING OF THE TRUCK. IT BECAME INCREASINGLY VIOLENT IN JUMPING TO THE POINT IT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I BRAKED AND SLOWED TO UNDER 20 MPH WHEN IT STOPPED. PULLED OVER, CHECKED ALL, NOTHING OUT OF SORTS. NO SIGN OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR TIRE TROUBLE. FELT LIKE FLAT TIRE AT FIRST.
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH ON HIGHWAYS WITH POTHOLES, I HIT THE POTHOLES AND IMMEDIATELY FELT A VIOLENT SHAKING OR SHIMMY IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THE SHIMMY OCCURS IN WHICH EVER TIRE HITS THE HOLE AND WILL STOP AS SOON AS I REDUCE SPEED TO ABOUT 40 MPH. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF TIE ROD WEAR OR ANY OTHER REPAIRABLE PROBLEMS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT WARNING A GREEN WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON MY DASHBOARD WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. DATE WAS 12/1/2015. I LOST POWER AND HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO POWER WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH, I TURNED OFF THE TRUCK WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES THEN TRIED TO TURN THE TRUCK ON AGAIN AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CLEARED. IT WENT BACK TO "NORMAL" AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF THE HIGHWAY. I'VE READ AND ALSO TALKED TO OTHER FORD OWNERS AND THEY HAVE SAID THE SAME THING, IT IS THE (PCM) POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. NOTE: I HAD MY WHOLE FAMILY WITH ME.
THROTTLE STUCK IN EXCEL MODE AND EXCESSIVE WHITE SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE. FORD STATED TO LOOK DEEPER INTO ENGINE AND STATED THEY CAN NOT FINE PROBLEM TO VEHICLE. INSTRUCTED TO BUY NEW ENGINE. THIS DIESEL ENGINE SHOULD NOT HAD GONE BAD WITH 30, 000 MILES ON IT. WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENS THAT 1% OF THE TIME ALTHOUGH BY THE REVIEWS THIS FREQUENTLY HAPPENS WITH THIS MOTOR. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE PURCHASED A USED 2008 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY TRUCK THAT HAD BRAND NEW TIRES JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO FROM A DEALERSHIP HERE IN HAWAII. (FEDERAL COURAGIAM A/T LT 285/70R17) WE ALSO PURCHASED A 2 YEAR BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. APPARENTLY DEFECTIVE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS WARRANTY. TIRES ARE BUBBLING ON INSIDE SIDEWALL. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE SERVICE LOCATION AND WAS TOLD TO REPLACE TIRE IMMEDIATLY. THIS WAS JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. NOW SECOND TIRE DOING SAME BUBBLING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TODAY. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED THAT ALL TIRES BE REPLACED AND ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT/INJURY/DEATH.
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH ON HIGHWAYS WITH POTHOLES, I HIT THE POTHOLES AND IMMEDIATELY FELT A VIOLENT SHAKING OR SHIMMY IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THE SHIMMY OCCURS IN WHICH EVER TIRE HITS THE HOLE AND WILL STOP AS SOON AS I REDUCE SPEED TO ABOUT 40 MPH. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF TIE ROD WEAR OR ANY OTHER REPAIRABLE PROBLEMS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A TWO LANE ROAD IN MY 2008 F250 PICKUP (DIESEL) ON 26 JAN 2016 ABOUT 35 MPH, AND CAME UPON A STOP SIGN. I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND STARTED BRAKING. THE ENGINE STARTED ACCELERATING, EVEN THOUGH I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (HIGH), SO ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPINNING FAST, AND KEPT THE VEHICLE MOVING FORWARD. I STOOD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, AND AFTER GOING SEVERAL FEET INTO THE INTERSECTION, IT FINALLY STOPPED. I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER THE PROBLEM STOPPED. I THEN CONTINUED ON MY WAY. THE VEHICLE HAD 37,062 MILES.
ACCELERATED ON ROAD UP TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE ISSUE TURNED OUT TO BE A WIRE SHORTING OUT ON THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. ISSUE KNOWN BY FORD WHICH ISSUED TSB 07-26-2. AFFECTS ALL F250/F1350/F450/F550 CREATED IN FIRST HALF OF 2007. A BRIEF SEARCH AROUND THE WE SHOWS IT AFFECTS LATER YEARS AS WELL SO REPLACEMENT PART MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE. MANY FAIL AT MUCH LOWER MILES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH POWER RETRACTING MIRRORS. HAD MY HAND ON THE SWITCH AND ON THE DOOR FRAME WHEN I RETRACTED THE MIRRORS DUE TO A NARROW STREET IN HIGHLANDS NJ. THE MIRROR CLOSED AND CRUSHED MY FINGER BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE ELECTRIC MIRROR ASSY. WILL BE SEEKING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR FINGER. VEHICLE SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH SENSOR NOT TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVER IF I WAS GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED TO THE SHOCKING PAIN CAUSED WHEN THE MIRROR IMPACTED MY FINGER.... *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .