U.S. public vehicle records

2005 Ford F-250 SD problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

295 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

41,900 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 269 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Suspension:Front is the most frequently named component, appearing in 68 of 295 complaints (23.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	66	22.4%
Braking behavior	55	18.6%
Engine operation	37	12.5%
Electrical and battery issues	21	7.1%
Transmission and shifting	15	5.1%
Fuel system concerns	14	4.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Suspension:Front

Steering

Suspension

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Fuel System, Diesel

Engine

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Suspension:Front: 68; Steering: 65; Suspension: 46; Electrical System: 21; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13; Fuel System, Diesel: 13; Engine: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 77; 25,000 to 49,999: 78; 50,000 to 74,999: 51; 75,000 to 99,999: 25; 100,000 to 149,999: 28; 150,000 and above: 10

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (78). 26 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2005: 25; 2006: 18; 2007: 32; 2008: 48; 2009: 52; 2010: 52; 2011: 32; 2012: 8; 2013: 7; 2014: 11; 2015: 5; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2018: 2

Pattern summary

Suspension:Front leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 66 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 55 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 37 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10125916 · 2005-06-20 (June 20, 2005)

DT: VEHICLE WILL GO TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, AND CONSUMER WILL NEVER FEEL STEERING WHEEL MOVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , LINED IT UP, PUT NEW TIRES ON IT, PUT NEW CASTERS ON, AND ROTATED IT. BUT VEHICLE STILL HAS THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 3 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125916 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10134178 · 2005-08-25 (August 25, 2005)

F250, SUPER DUTY, 3/4-T, 4X4, 4WD, SHORT BOX. ALL SPEEDS IT IS NOTICEABLE. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (75+ MPH), ENCOUNTERING BUMPS, SEVERE SHIMMY IN FRONT END, NEARLY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. FLEET OF 7 TRUCKS ALL EXPERIENCE SAME, SOME WORSE THAN OTHERS. DEALER HAS DONE ALL POSSIBLE TO REMEDY, INCLUDING AFTERMARKET HEAVIER DUTY FRONT STEERING STABILIZER (AT OUR EXPENSE). INCIDENT DATE IS LAST DATE IT OCCURRED TO MY CRUISER TRUCK. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME A BUMP IN THE HIGHWAY IS ENCOUNTERED WITH EVERY TRUCK OUR DEPARTMENT BOUGHT FOR USE A…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10134178 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10125552 · 2005-07-15 (July 15, 2005)

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY DIESEL. WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK AND A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE THEN SUDDENLY STOPPED AND THEN IT STOPPED ACCELERATING. WHILE DRIVING FURTHER, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO SPEED UP THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND IT DID. IT POPPED AND THEN VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT SPEEDS AROUND 40-55 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE CODES, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY CODES FOR THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10125552 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10127591 · 2005-07-06 (July 6, 2005)

DT: THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER IS BUILT RIGHT INTO THE TRUCK. DOES NOT HAVE ANY BRAKE CONTROL IF GOING UNDER 15-20 MPH. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THIS BRAKE ONLY PUT ON 1-3 VOLTS WHICH THEY CHANGED. BUT TALKED TO DEXTER ,THEY SAID IT NEEDED 2-12 VOLTS. FORD CHANGED THIS PART ON MARCH 23, 2005, AND THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED ON FEBRUARY 28,2005. DEALER STATED OTHER CONSUMERS COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127591 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10107132 · 2005-01-10 (January 10, 2005)

CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER PICKING IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A HEADACHE FROM A UNFAMILIAR SMELL. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC, AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE STALLING AND THE SMELL.*AK......REPLACED FAILED INJECTORS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107132 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10128016 · 2005-01-26 (January 26, 2005)

2005 FORD F-250 LURCHED FORWARD AT HIGH SPEED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE TRUCK ALSO STALLED ONCE WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10128016 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10162167 · 2006-07-11 (July 11, 2006)

I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IN SEPT. 2005 I LEASED A F250 AND SINCE IT HAS GIVEN ME NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. EXHAUST PROBLEMS (3 TIMES FOR THAT) INJECTOR FAILED, MANY LITTLE BUGS THAT THE DEALER CANT FIX. ON 6-24-06 ON I-94 DOING A 65-68 MPH, THE ENGINE HESITATES FOR A SECOND THEN SUDDENLY THE WHEELS LOCKED UP AND I LOST CONTROL, SKIDDING ALMOST HITTING 3 OTHER CARS AND THE WALL ON THE SHOULDER. FINALLY AFTER STEERING TO THE SHOULDER - STOPPED AND BASICALLY HAD A PANIC ATTACK, SAW MY LIFE FLASH BEFORE MY EYES. SAT FOR A COUPLE MINUTES THEN GOT OUT T…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,869 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162167 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10180924 · 2007-01-28 (January 28, 2007)

THURSDAY JANUARY 18, 2007 THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY WERE NOT CHARGING. THE DEALER TESTED THE SYSTEM AND DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD OVERCHARGED THE SYSTEM AND BURNT THE MAIN HARNESS COMING OUT OF THE ALTERNATOR. THE DEALER SAID THE ENTIRE HARNESS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WAS PUTTING OUT 17 AMPS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 33,690 miles reported. Look up ODI 10180924 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10234664 · 2008-07-17 (July 17, 2008)

WHILE TOWING OUR HORSE TRAILER THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND THE ENGINE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED UNDER FORD WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AND I SHOULD WRITE IN. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE IS A SNAP RING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION, FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, THIS SNAP RING POPS OFF , IS THEN SUCKED BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION CASE AND A GEAR, WHICH CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION CASE TO CRACK. THE MECHANIC SAID THE CASE IS CRACKED ON THE TOP. …

Owner-reported narrative. 41,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234664 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10130018 · 2005-07-25 (July 25, 2005)

FUEL PUMP FAILURE FOR THE 4TH TIME; LOOSE BOLTS IN FRAME; UNABLE TO FUEL AT NORMAL RATE,

Owner-reported narrative. 1,189 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130018 at NHTSA ↗