2005 Ford F-350 SD problems
NHTSA has received 269 complaints about the 2005 Ford F-350 SD, and 22% of them involve engine. Next are steering (14%) and suspension (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 269 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 22% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 9 and 8
- Injuries and deaths
- 4 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 42,000 miles 239 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 63 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 46 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 46 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 26 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 19 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 13 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 6 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 7 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Of the 239 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 42,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 42,000 miles (45 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 9 complaints mention a crash; 8 complaints mention a fire; 4 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2005 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 24 model years of the Ford F-350 SD with enough data (218 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Ford f350 pulling a 31' trailer crashed into rear of a commercial truck/trailer due to icy road conditions. Air bags did not activate on impact. Passenger in right/front seat was crushed due to impact.
Making a left hand turn the steering failed causing the truck to run into a pole. The truck is being repaired using a much stronger steering box by my ford dealer. This is being paid for by my insurance co. Even thow the truck has only 26000 miles on it and is under factory warrenty. I will get the undersize broken steering box. The truck has the original suspension,wheels,and tires it came with. Thanks ford.
Tl*the contact owned a 2005 ford f350. The contact stated that he crashed into a telephone pole while driving 35 MPH. The contact had an air bag on/off switch for the passenger side air bag and it was in the off position but the air bag deployed anyway. The owner was taken to the hospital by ambulance and was discharged. The police did respond and a report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. Ford was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Trailer brake controller only allows minimal electric current to trailer under 15 MPH. I am told, DOT knows of this problem in ford f 350 trucks mfrd. Prior to 03/05. Covered by ford bulletin. Ford refuses to update or repair. Not enough brakes under 15 MPH to stop trailer or to test for trailer brakes.
The public really needs to be educated regarding the fact that ford motor company is covering up one of the largest problems in their automobile history regarding their hundreds of thousands of failed 2003 thru 2007 super duty 6.0 diesel pickups. If you could be so kind please help me and hundreds of thousands of other owners of these failed vehicles. Please forward this email to your supervisors.