2008 Ford F-350 SD

Typical pattern

6.5% of complaints about the 2008 Ford F-350 SD came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2008 vehicle — around the middle of the 262 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is steering (25 complaints), typically at 4.8 yr or about 52,500 miles.

Complaints: 139
Median age at failure: 3.8 yr
Median mileage: 40,000 n=125
Crash / fire / tow: 11.5% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

20E090000 2020-12-10

Steering

Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.

If the steering locks, it can increase the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Engine cooling 36,000 mi 2 mo in service

FOR TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND MILES THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN INTERMITTENT ENGINE MISS. THEY HAVE WORKED ON THIS NUMEROUS TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE FINALLY QUIT ON I-70 JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRUCKS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY SOMEONE THAT CARES ABOUT THE SAFETY OF US ,THE CONSUMERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

Engine cooling 9,000 mi 6 mo in service

REGARDLESS OF SPEED, EXCESSIVE WHITE SMOKE BLOWING OUT OF EXHAUST COMPLETELY OBSTRUCTING OWN REAR SIGHT AS WELL AS BLINDING FOLLOWING VEHICLES. IT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES, VEHICLE CURRENTLY AT 36, 000 KM. PERSONAL BELIEF IS THAT THIS HAS LED TO ENGINE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED WHICH FORD WILL NOT WARRANTY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AS FORD REPORTS THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR

Engine cooling 20,000 mi 8 mo in service

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-350 SD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE TECHNICIAN OBSERVED AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FRONT MAIN SEAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON NINE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

Steering 7,400 mi 1.2 yr in service crash / fire / tow

DRIVING 15 TO 20 MPH AND STEERING PULLED TRUCK TO THE LEFT SHARPLY CAUSING ACCIDENT ALSO AIR BAG DID NOT WORK. *TR

Other F-350 SD model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2008 Ford F-350 SD

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other F-350 SD model years

How to read this