2005 Ford F-250 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
144 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
65,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 122 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 38 of 144 complaints (26.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 28 | 19.4% |
| Steering behavior | 27 | 18.8% |
| Braking behavior | 25 | 17.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 6.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 6.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 5.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 38 |
| Suspension | 29 |
| Engine | 26 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 12 |
| Electrical System | 11 |
| Power Train | 9 |
| Unknown Or Other | 9 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 |
Steering: 38; Suspension: 29; Engine: 26; Engine And Engine Cooling: 12; Electrical System: 11; Power Train: 9; Unknown Or Other: 9; Fuel/Propulsion System: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 22 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 23 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 30 |
| 150,000 and above | 13 |
Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 30; 150,000 and above: 13
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (30). 22 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 17 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 12 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 |
2004: 1; 2007: 5; 2008: 8; 2009: 10; 2010: 17; 2011: 18; 2012: 11; 2013: 6; 2014: 12; 2015: 10; 2016: 7; 2017: 6; 2018: 4; 2019: 7; 2020: 3; 2021: 7; 2022: 5; 2023: 1; 2024: 3; 2025: 3
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 28 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 25 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 10329550 · 2010-05-10 (May 10, 2010)
MY 2005 FORD F-250 6.0L DIESEL LOST ACCELERATION ONTO A HIGHWAY. IT STALLED AND STARTED BILLOWING WHITE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS IT SLOWLY ACCELERATED, BUT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS CARS RAN UP ONTO US. THE ENGINE WAS MISSING AND WE MADE IT TO AN INTERSECTION TO PULL OFF OF HIGHWAY. WE STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT STARTED RUNNING NORMALLY. HOWEVER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN ONCE WE WERE ON THE ROAD. WE MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED "FICM FUEL INJECTOR CONTROL MODULE." THIS HAS BE…
Owner-reported narrative. 66,817 miles reported. Look up ODI 10329550 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10340370 · 2010-06-28 (June 28, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEHEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340370 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10198039 · 2007-07-24 (July 24, 2007)
2005 FORD F250 TRUCK THAT SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED **CC THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE TRUCK HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS LOSING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE TRUCK WAS LOSING POWER. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO INDICATORS WHILE PERFORMING TEST ON THE TRUCK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10198039 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10215018 · 2008-01-11 (January 11, 2008)
2005 FORD F-250 WITH STEERING PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES SO MUCH THAT THE VEHICLE WILL LEAVE THE ROAD. HE STATES THAT THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE THE STEERING PROBLEM. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, THE SHOCKS, WHEEL BEARINGS, BRAKES AND FRONT END WERE CHECKED BY THE DEALER AND STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. UPDATED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10215018 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10194866 · 2007-06-28 (June 28, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPM FLUCTUATES WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN HE DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND SHUTS OFF WHEN DRIVING 65 MPH. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATES THAT IT IS AT 5,000 RPM, BUT WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 40,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10194866 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10102951 · 2004-12-14 (December 14, 2004)
2005 FORD F250 DIESEL TRUCK HAS FOR ONE WEEK AND TRANSMISSION GEARS WELDED TOGETHER. HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP ALMOST THREE WEEKS AND NO HELP NOR EXPLANATION ON WHAT WENT WRONG. IF THERE IS A MODEL YEAR PROBLEM SHOULD BE KNOW QUYICKLY AS THESE ARE USED FOR HEAVY HAULING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,151 miles reported. Look up ODI 10102951 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10279105 · 2009-08-02 (August 2, 2009)
A SNAP RING INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION FAILS ALLOWING THE PLANET TO SHIFT FORWARD BREAKING HOUSING TABS OFF CAUSING A EXTERNAL LEAK OF TRANSMISSION FLUID TO OTHER VEHICLES DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD,NO WARNING A TRANSMISSION MAY LOCK UP CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS, FORD HAS RECOGNIZED THE SITUATION BEFORE AND SENT A INTERNAL NOTICE TO MECHANICS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, NO RECALL WAS EVER SENT. TRUCKS BETWEEN 90,000 AND 120,000 HAVE THIS PROBLEM, FORD SAID I WAS FIRST EVER COMPLAINT, WHICH IS A LIE, I HAVE FOUND THROUGH RESEARCH EARLY 2004 THROUGH 2006 MODELS …
Owner-reported narrative. 114,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10279105 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10220616 · 2008-03-05 (March 5, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F-250. THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE TYPICALLY OCCURS WHEN THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220616 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10415851 · 2011-07-24 (July 24, 2011)
MY KIDS AND I WERE DRIVING ON I-70 WEST COMING FROM CAMBRIDGE OHIO TO COLUMBUS. WE HIT A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE WHOLE TRUCK WAS SHAKING. I LET MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND CHANGED LANES. THIS DID NOT STOP THE SHAKING. I WENT OFF ON THE BERM AND CONTINUED TO SLOW DOWN. AT APPROX. 35-40 MPH IT STOPPED SHAKING. I CHECKED THE TIRES AND ALL WERE FINE. WE PROCEEDED ON AND ROUGHLY 10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD IT DID IT AGAIN. I AGAIN TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND HEADED TOWARDS THE BERM, …
Owner-reported narrative. 18,723 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415851 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10583335 · 2014-04-17 (April 17, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT UPON START-UP. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE STARTER WOULD TURN OVER BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED TWICE BUT TO NO AVAIL. ADDITIONALLY, BLACK SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED, DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109000.
Owner-reported narrative. 109,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10583335 at NHTSA ↗