2008 Ford F-250 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
195 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 160 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 79 of 195 complaints (40.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 71 | 36.4% |
| Braking behavior | 38 | 19.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 5.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 4.1% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 3.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 2.1% |
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 | 79 |
| Suspension | 31 |
| Engine | 18 |
| Tires | 15 |
| Electrical System | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 11 |
| Power Train | 9 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
Steering: 79; Suspension: 31; Engine: 18; Tires: 15; Electrical System: 11; Service Brakes: 11; Power Train: 9; Unknown Or Other: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 40 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 34 |
| 150,000 and above | 28 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 40; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 34; 150,000 and above: 28
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (40). 35 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 |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 20 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2007: 3; 2008: 4; 2009: 8; 2010: 13; 2011: 11; 2012: 10; 2013: 20; 2014: 21; 2015: 14; 2016: 6; 2017: 10; 2018: 15; 2019: 15; 2020: 13; 2021: 9; 2022: 3; 2023: 5; 2024: 10; 2025: 4; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 71 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 10 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 10241169 · 2008-09-06 (September 6, 2008)
IT HAPPEN ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I FIRST GOT THE TRUCK. I WAS GETTING TO A STOP SIGN AND THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES LOCKED, I WASN'T ABLE TO TURN AT ALL AND I HAD A REALLY HARD TIME BRAKING, I HAD TO USE A LOT OF FORCE TO BRAKE OR TO TURN THE WHEEL EVEN A LITTLE. THAT HAPPENED 3 DIFFERENT TIME. AT A STOP SIGN AND ONCE AT A TURN LIGHT WHICH WAS THE WORST CAUSE I HAD TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THAT WAS ALL IN A 2 WEEKS AFTER THE ONE MONTH OF HAVING THE TRUCK. IT WAS COMPLETELY STOCK. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER SHIP THEY SAID N…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10241169 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10268726 · 2009-05-14 (May 14, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER, BRAKE, AND STEERING ABILITY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURES, BUT COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY APPROXIMATELY 100 TIMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 06/08/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE NOW HAS A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. UPDATED 06/18/09.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10268726 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10196507 · 2007-07-16 (July 16, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 1 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO FAST IDLE MODE AND SUDDENLY LUNGED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO DO THIS AS A SELF-CLEANING PROCESS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,000. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196507 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10204173 · 2007-09-26 (September 26, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 40 MPH WITHIN FIVE SECONDS, WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THEY RE-SECURED THE CONNECTION. APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE APC SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SHOULD BE REPLACED. THEY REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW IF THE APC SENSOR WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS L…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,310 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204173 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10204675 · 2007-10-02 (October 2, 2007)
2008 F250: HAD THIS TRUCK SINCE 9-28-08. SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING BRAKE MY FOOT ALSO TOUCHES ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE. ENGINE IS VERY QUITE AND DO NOT IMMEDIATELY REALIZE THAT CONDITION. THIS IS BAD ENOUGH WITH MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IT WOULD FAR WORSE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10417121 · 2011-08-04 (August 4, 2011)
ONE OF 4 CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC LT 275/65 R 18 TIRES, DOT # P5B9 1VUB, HAS MULTIPLE (14+) TINY AIR LEAKS THROUGH THE TREAD OF THE TIRE. THERE IS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRE OR TREAD. THE TIRES HAVE JUST UNDER 30,000 MILES ON THEM. THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES THAT CAME WITH MY 2008 FORD F250 2WD MANUAL TRANSMISSION DIESEL CREW CAB PICK UP WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 29,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10417121 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10343127 · 2010-07-14 (July 14, 2010)
2008 FORD F250 - ALTERNATOR WENT UP ON TRUCK AFTER 41,690 MILES, THIS ALSO BURNED UP THE BATTERY, NOW THE STARTER HAS GONE UP IN THE TRUCK. GOT THE TRUCK STARTED TO TAKE HOME, TRUCK DIED. THERE IS NO POWER, LIGHTS ANYTHING AT ALL. TRUCK HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10343127 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10348822 · 2010-08-11 (August 11, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN A WARNING LIGHT DISPLAYED "FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER". WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE MESSAGE ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHIN A FEW SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HE STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47000.
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10348822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10357336 · 2010-09-24 (September 24, 2010)
PURCHASE DATE SEPTEMBER 13, 2007 OF FORD F250 TRUCK. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WOULD START VIBRATING AND I WOULD SEE WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE, TRUCK WOULD EITHER LOSE POWER OR INCREASE SPEED WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN ACCELERATION. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 16 TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR NUMEROUS WEEKS AND HAVE PUT OVER 1,000 MILES DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS AND GET A DIAGNOSTIC CODE. MARCH 2010 WHILE SLOWING DOWN I NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES FOR A SECOND OR TWO. BY RECOMMEND…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,590 miles reported. Look up ODI 10357336 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10538005 · 2013-08-29 (August 29, 2013)
I WAS DRIVING OUR 2008 F-250 2WD AN AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO TURN, LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS HAD OCCURRED A FEW TIMES BEFORE BUT I COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND ALTHOUGH A NEAR SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURRED, NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. I WAS PLANNING TO TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER OVER THE WEEKEND. THE NEXT DAY I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND THE TRUCK ENGINE DIED AND WOULD NOT START. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP COVER GASKET WHICH I…
Owner-reported narrative. 84,877 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538005 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10683017 · 2015-02-12 (February 12, 2015)
VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVING IT BUT IT WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES, WITH NOTHING RUNNING OR KEYS IN THE IGNITION. CAME OUT SIDE TO THE SMELL OF SMOKE AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BUST INTO FLAMES. FIRE INVESTIGATOR SAID THAT THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL THAT STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS AS FIRE SPREAD ALONG DRIVETRAIN TO GAS TANK. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO KEEP GAS TANK FROM EXPLODING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 60,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683017 at NHTSA ↗