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2008 Ford F-150

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Ford F-150 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 676.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

320 reports with mileage · 49 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports12 fire reports28 injury reports

What owners actually said

369 reports
182,000 miles · Dec 7, 2015
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000.

NHTSA ODI #10808886

90,000 miles · Nov 11, 2015
Engine

TRAVELLING APPROX 60 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE. THE SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT WITH A LARGE POP.

NHTSA ODI #10789733

106,000 miles · Nov 3, 2015
Suspension

R R LEAF SPRING BROKEN. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED OR DRIVEN ROUGH. I FIRET NOTICED IT WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, SOUNDED LIKE SPARE TIRE RACK WAS LOOSE. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THERE WERE OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CENTER LEAF OF THE THREE SPRINGS BREAK GENERALLY IN THE MI…

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R R LEAF SPRING BROKEN. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED OR DRIVEN ROUGH. I FIRET NOTICED IT WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, SOUNDED LIKE SPARE TIRE RACK WAS LOOSE. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THERE WERE OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CENTER LEAF OF THE THREE SPRINGS BREAK GENERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEAF.

NHTSA ODI #10788057

48,855 miles · Oct 28, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD FOR A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AMBULANCE TOOK THE CONTACT TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A CONTUSION AND BRUISES TO THE LEGS…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD FOR A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AMBULANCE TOOK THE CONTACT TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A CONTUSION AND BRUISES TO THE LEGS, LEFT ARM, ABDOMEN, AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,855.

NHTSA ODI #10786678

300 miles · Oct 26, 2015
Exterior Lighting

MAP LIGHTS AND DOME LIGHT STAY ON WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING AT NIGHT. AFTER PARKING 15 MIN LATER THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT. BUT AS SOON AS YOU OPEN THE DOORS THE LIGHT WILL STAY ON, DAY OR NIGHT.

NHTSA ODI #10786126

99,000 miles · Oct 22, 2015
Engine

BROKE 4 SPARK PLUGS IN BLOCK TRYING TO REPLACE

NHTSA ODI #10785353

155,000 miles · Sep 18, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COMPUTER FAILED. THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS ORDERED; HOWEVER, WHEN THE MANUF…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COMPUTER FAILED. THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS ORDERED; HOWEVER, WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS RECALLED FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND UNAVAILABLE FOR AN UNKNOWN TIMEFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

NHTSA ODI #10765060

70,000 miles · Sep 9, 2015
Steering

STEERING IS HEAVY AND BINDS, ESPECIALLY DURING CORNERING AND BRAKING. FEELS LIKE POWER STEERING IS FAILING AND TRUCK IS DIFFICULT TO STEER, CONTROL AND MANEUVER AT ALL SPEEDS AND DIRECTIONS. STEERING SHAFTS AND JOINTS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND SEIZING AND WILL NOT RELEASE WITH LUBRICANT. POWER STEERING FLUID AND LINES ARE FIN…

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STEERING IS HEAVY AND BINDS, ESPECIALLY DURING CORNERING AND BRAKING. FEELS LIKE POWER STEERING IS FAILING AND TRUCK IS DIFFICULT TO STEER, CONTROL AND MANEUVER AT ALL SPEEDS AND DIRECTIONS. STEERING SHAFTS AND JOINTS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND SEIZING AND WILL NOT RELEASE WITH LUBRICANT. POWER STEERING FLUID AND LINES ARE FINE AND DEALER STATES THAT STEERING SHAFTS AND JOINTS MUST BE REPLACED. I WAS TRAILERING A BOAT AT 50 MPH AND STEERING WAS SEIZING, VERY HEAVY, AND SEEMED TO BE BINDING WHILE GOING AROUND BENDS IN THE ROAD AND THEN THE STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY RELEASE - OR UNSTICK - AND BECOME RESPONSIVE AGAIN. I CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AS THE STEERING SUDDENLY GOT VERY HEAVY, SLUGGISH AND UNRESPONSIVE, AND THEN RELEASED AND BECAME RESPONSIVE AGAIN. I ALMOST DROVE DIRECTLY INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS STEERING ISSUE IS NOW A CONSTANT AND HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR TOWING, AT ALL SPEEDS, AND IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE. THIS STEERING PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY UNPREDICTABLE, UNSAFE, AND VERY DANGEROUS. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE COMMON PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE BEING REPORTED TO THE NHTSA, FORD, FORD DEALERS, AND DISCUSSED IN ONLINE FORUMS.

NHTSA ODI #10762555

127,000 miles · Aug 24, 2015
Steering

WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS THE STEERING GETS HARD TO STEER THEN IT LOOSENS UP MAKING IT OVER STEER. I BELIEVE IT IS IN THE STEERING SHAFT U-JOINT BECAUSE IT IS ALL RUSTED.

NHTSA ODI #10758754

164,000 miles · Aug 22, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVehicle Speed Control

SITTING IN MY TRUCK WITH THE KEY TURNED OR EVEN ON IDLE, THE ELECTRONICS ON MY DASH(RADIO ALLUMINATION, TRIP BOX, ETC.) WILL BE FADED ON ONE SIDE OR WILL BE COMPLETELY FADED AND I CANT SEE THE TIME, STATION, GAS MILEAGE, ETC. FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN IT DOES THIS, MY CRUISE CONTROL FIGURE WONT SHOW BUT AFTER A WHILE(10-30 MINUTES)…

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SITTING IN MY TRUCK WITH THE KEY TURNED OR EVEN ON IDLE, THE ELECTRONICS ON MY DASH(RADIO ALLUMINATION, TRIP BOX, ETC.) WILL BE FADED ON ONE SIDE OR WILL BE COMPLETELY FADED AND I CANT SEE THE TIME, STATION, GAS MILEAGE, ETC. FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN IT DOES THIS, MY CRUISE CONTROL FIGURE WONT SHOW BUT AFTER A WHILE(10-30 MINUTES) IT WILL POP UP ON THE CLUSTER. IT DOESNT MATTER IF ITS COLD OUT OR HOT OUT, IDLE,RUNNING OR IGNITION SWITCHED OFF, IT WILL BE FADED. ITS BECOMING MORE OF A COMMON THING(DAILY).

NHTSA ODI #10758508

Official recalls

1

08V523000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Oct 8, 2008

ROUSH IS RECALLING 213 MY 2007-2008 FORD F-150 TRUCKS ALTERED TO OPERATE USING LIQUID PROPANE INJECTION. THE HYDRO-CARBON PAPER AFFIXED TO THE INSIDE OF THE AIRBOX LID WITH ADHESIVE MAY BECOME DISLODGED DURING OPERATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS FAILURE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, ILLUMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) AND, IN EXTREME CASES, A STALLING OF THE VEHICLE DURING OPERATION WITHOUT NOTICE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIRBOX LID WITH A NEW ONE THAT INCLUDES THE HYDRO-CARBON PAPER WHICH HAS BEEN AFFIXED USING AN ADHESIVE PROMOTER AND GREATER PRESSURE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 21, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ROUSH AT 1-866-307-6788.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking

Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve

ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO