NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
33 reportsClear category filter60,000 miles · May 12, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
2008 FORD F250 DIESEL 6.4L RADIATOR LEAKS. FORD BLAMES THIS ON T-STATS AND VENTURI TEE'S BUT IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. FORD CONTINUES TO BURY THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND. EITHER NHTSA NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED OR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SHOULD BRING THIS TO THE FOREFRON…
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2008 FORD F250 DIESEL 6.4L RADIATOR LEAKS. FORD BLAMES THIS ON T-STATS AND VENTURI TEE'S BUT IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. FORD CONTINUES TO BURY THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND. EITHER NHTSA NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED OR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SHOULD BRING THIS TO THE FOREFRONT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10400575
85,000 miles · Mar 6, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 FORD F-250. THE TRUCK UPON ACCELERATION SURGES AT 2800-3000 RPM'S AND BLOWS WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING HIGH HUMID, OR RAINY DAYS, OR WHILE THE TRUCK IS OPERATING IN A STEADY STATE OF DRIVING FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IF YOU PULL OFF THE FREEWAY, AND THEN TRY TO ACCELE…
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RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 FORD F-250. THE TRUCK UPON ACCELERATION SURGES AT 2800-3000 RPM'S AND BLOWS WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING HIGH HUMID, OR RAINY DAYS, OR WHILE THE TRUCK IS OPERATING IN A STEADY STATE OF DRIVING FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IF YOU PULL OFF THE FREEWAY, AND THEN TRY TO ACCELERATE ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP THE TRUCK STUMBLES AND LOOSES ACCELERATION. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK IN THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. THERE ARE NO CODES BEING DISPLAYED IN THE COMPUTER. THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE SOMEBODY TO GET RUN OVER TRYING TO ENTER THE FREEWAYS. FORD IS NOT TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS EITHER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10386577
22,850 miles · Jan 12, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
NOTICED A COOLANT LEAK COMING OFF THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME RAIL UNDER THE HOOD. TOOK IT IN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. $1,400 LATER THEY SAID IF I HAD A HYPER EXTENDED THERMOSTAT IT WOULD BE FREE AS THAT IS WHAT FORD BELIEVES IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. WELL OBVIOUSLY ITS NOT WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM…
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NOTICED A COOLANT LEAK COMING OFF THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME RAIL UNDER THE HOOD. TOOK IT IN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. $1,400 LATER THEY SAID IF I HAD A HYPER EXTENDED THERMOSTAT IT WOULD BE FREE AS THAT IS WHAT FORD BELIEVES IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. WELL OBVIOUSLY ITS NOT WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM SINCE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10377310
62,500 miles · Jan 10, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
RADIATOR COOLANT LEAK AT TANK SEAM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10375494
46,000 miles · Jan 6, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
2008 FORD F-250. RADIATOR LEAKING. DEALER STATES TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THEY FOUND A LEAK IN APRIL OF 2010. THEY NEVER INFORMED ME OF IT HOWEVER. IN APRIL THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE 36,000 MI. WARRANTY. I FIRST NOTICED THE LEAK AROUND THE LAST OF NOVEMBER 2010 AND BY THEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT 46,000 MI. AND OUT OF WARR…
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2008 FORD F-250. RADIATOR LEAKING. DEALER STATES TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THEY FOUND A LEAK IN APRIL OF 2010. THEY NEVER INFORMED ME OF IT HOWEVER. IN APRIL THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE 36,000 MI. WARRANTY. I FIRST NOTICED THE LEAK AROUND THE LAST OF NOVEMBER 2010 AND BY THEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT 46,000 MI. AND OUT OF WARRANTY. MY DEALER TELLS ME THEY AND FORD ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE RADIATORS BUT FORD HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL. DEALER WONT INCUR ANY OF THE COST FOR REPAIRS AND FORD WONT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE EITHER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10374994
191,550 miles · Dec 13, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
2008 F250 SUPER DUTY DIESEL EXPLODED (NEIGHBORS' DESCRIPTION) WHILE PARKED. WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM TOWING A SKID LOADER BACK FROM A JOB SITE AND APPROXIMATELY HALF AN HOUR LATER, NEIGHBORS CALLED TO SAY THAT OUR TRUCK HAD EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPT WAS ON THE SCENE WHEN WE ARRIVED AND THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. W…
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2008 F250 SUPER DUTY DIESEL EXPLODED (NEIGHBORS' DESCRIPTION) WHILE PARKED. WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM TOWING A SKID LOADER BACK FROM A JOB SITE AND APPROXIMATELY HALF AN HOUR LATER, NEIGHBORS CALLED TO SAY THAT OUR TRUCK HAD EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPT WAS ON THE SCENE WHEN WE ARRIVED AND THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. WE HAD OWNED AND USED THE TRUCK FOR 9 DAYS AND IT HAD PERFORMED WITHOUT PROBLEM DURING THAT TIME WHICH INCLUDED A 400 MILE TRIP FROM THE POINT OF PURCHASE IN PA TO OUR HOME LOCATION IN COLUMBUS OH. NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OTHER THAN TO THE VEHICLE ITSELF. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10370331
87,000 miles · Dec 10, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000. UPDATED 02/07/11 *BF UPDATED 02/14/11
NHTSA ODI #10369904
60,000 miles · Nov 11, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling
HEAT SHIELD AROUND TURBOS ON 08 F-250 WITH THE 6.4 DIESEL IS LOSING ITS SHAPE AND BEGINNING TO HANG TOO CLOSE TO THE TURBO AND CAN CATCH FIRE. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN WITH NO CLIPS TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10365373
28,223 miles · Aug 29, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling
ON 8/10/2010, AFTER DRIVING MY 2008 F-250 ON INTERSTATE 5 FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS CONTINUOUSLY AT APPROX. 70MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE, I OVERRODE CRUISE CONTROL TO ACCELERATE AND PASS A VEHICLE. AS I RETURNED TO THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVING LANE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN AN UNCONTROLLED FASHION. WI…
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ON 8/10/2010, AFTER DRIVING MY 2008 F-250 ON INTERSTATE 5 FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS CONTINUOUSLY AT APPROX. 70MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE, I OVERRODE CRUISE CONTROL TO ACCELERATE AND PASS A VEHICLE. AS I RETURNED TO THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVING LANE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN AN UNCONTROLLED FASHION. WITH HEAVY BRAKING I WAS ABLE CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND BRING IT TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER WHERE I SHIFTED IT INTO NEUTRAL AND CUT THE IGNITION OFF. A RESTART OF THE VEHICLE RESULTED IN AN IMMEDIATE RUN-UP IN RPM WHICH COULD ONLY BE CONTROLLED BY SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE. NO ENGINE OR OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE DISPLAYED. BY OPENING THE HOOD AND MANUALLY RESETTING THE AIR FILTER CONTAMINATION SENSOR ON THE AIR INTAKE DUCT, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND HAVE IT OPERATE NORMALLY. I DID NOT AGAIN USE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS IS A REPEAT OF THE CONDITION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED IN ID# 10279704. THE COMMON ELEMENTS OF ALL THREE INSTANCES OF OCCURRENCE ARE THAT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN OPERATED AT 65-70 MPH FOR APPROX. SIX HOURS, CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED, AND THE ENGINE IS EITHER IN OR HAS JUST COMPLETED AN EXHAUST REGEN CYCLE . FORD APPEARS TO BE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO IDENTIFY OR ADDRESS THIS SITUATION, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BE A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10352586
30,000 miles · Mar 1, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling
RADIATOR LEAKS ON FORD F 250 6.4 DIESEL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10315236
NHTSA investigations
1PE13014 · Alleged Loss Of Steering
Opened May 7, 2013 · Closed Jan 31, 2014
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
The Office of DefectsInvestigation (ODI) opened PE13-014 after identifying five complaints alleging steering gear failure in model year (MY) 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks and to evaluate the relationship between the design history of the steering gear assembly and the alleged defect.As background, ODI investigated steering gear sector shaft fractures in approximately 1.3 million MY 1999 - 2001 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks and MY 2000 - 2001 Ford Excursion sport utility vehicles in Engineering Analysis EA01-009.The investigation determined that the sector shaft failures were the result of extraordinary, possibly multiple, impacts and not the result of fatigue.No defect in design, manufacturing or materials was identified in the sector shaft.EA01-009 was closed August 19, 2003 with 169 complaints, resulting in a rate of 12.9 incidents per 100,000 vehicles after approximately one year of service.Ford increased the diameter of the sector shaft from 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches at the start of MY 2005 production, increasing the resistance of the steering gear assembly to torsional overload by approximately 48% and changing the failure mode from sector shaft fracture to cracked or broken sector shaft gear teeth.The redesigned steering gear assembly was used in approximately 1.1 million MY 2005 through 2009 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks, including the subject vehicles.Figure 1 shows the basic steering system design used in Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009 and PE13-014. Figure 2 shows the locations of failures resulting from impact related torsional overloading of the sector shaft for the subject vehicles and the prior generation Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009.Figure 3 shows an example of a failed sector shaft investigated in EA01-009 and comparisons of fracture surfaces of sector shafts failing from fatigue loading and from torsional overload.Ford provided field return part analysis of failed steering gears from MY 2005 through 2009 Super Duty trucks found evidence of broken sector shaft gear teeth and piston damage consistent with incidents of single event overload (Figure 4).Laboratory analysis found no evidence of fatigue or material property defects in any of the fractures.Analysis of complaint rates by vehicle build month showed no patterns indicating potential manufacturing quality issues and no difference before and after Ford introduced design changes to the input shaft and sector shaft seals in July 2007 to address potential leak concerns (Figure 5).Analysis of failures by time in service indicates a random failure pattern/distribution, consistent with incidents of impact induced overload (Figure 6). The complaint rate for the subject vehicles after approximately 5 to 6 years, 7.1 incidents per 100,000 vehicles, is lower than the rate observed in EA01-009. Furthermore, similar to the condition investigated in EA01-009, a number of incident records include evidence of impact loads (e.g., curb strikes) and several alleged crashes include incidents in which information suggests that the steering gear failure was most likely a result of crash forces, rather than the cause of the crash.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.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 monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at ww
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering
The Office of DefectsInvestigation (ODI) opened PE13-014 after identifying five complaints alleging steering gear failure in model year (MY) 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks and to evaluate the relationship between the design history of the steering gear assembly and the alleged defect.As background, ODI investigated steering gear sector shaft fractures in approximately 1.3 million MY 1999 - 2001 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks and MY 2000 - 2001 Ford Excursion sport utility vehicles in Engineering Analysis EA01-009.The investigation determined that the sector shaft failures were the result of extraordinary, possibly multiple, impacts and not the result of fatigue.No defect in design, manufacturing or materials was identified in the sector shaft.EA01-009 was closed August 19, 2003 with 169 complaints, resulting in a rate of 12.9 incidents per 100,000 vehicles after approximately one year of service.Ford increased the diameter of the sector shaft from 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches at the start of MY 2005 production, increasing the resistance of the steering gear assembly to torsional overload by approximately 48% and changing the failure mode from sector shaft fracture to cracked or broken sector shaft gear teeth.The redesigned steering gear assembly was used in approximately 1.1 million MY 2005 through 2009 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks, including the subject vehicles.Figure 1 shows the basic steering system design used in Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009 and PE13-014. Figure 2 shows the locations of failures resulting from impact related torsional overloading of the sector shaft for the subject vehicles and the prior generation Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009.Figure 3 shows an example of a failed sector shaft investigated in EA01-009 and comparisons of fracture surfaces of sector shafts failing from fatigue loading and from torsional overload.Ford provided field return part analysis of failed steering gears from MY 2005 through 2009 Super Duty trucks found evidence of broken sector shaft gear teeth and piston damage consistent with incidents of single event overload (Figure 4).Laboratory analysis found no evidence of fatigue or material property defects in any of the fractures.Analysis of complaint rates by vehicle build month showed no patterns indicating potential manufacturing quality issues and no difference before and after Ford introduced design changes to the input shaft and sector shaft seals in July 2007 to address potential leak concerns (Figure 5).Analysis of failures by time in service indicates a random failure pattern/distribution, consistent with incidents of impact induced overload (Figure 6). The complaint rate for the subject vehicles after approximately 5 to 6 years, 7.1 incidents per 100,000 vehicles, is lower than the rate observed in EA01-009. Furthermore, similar to the condition investigated in EA01-009, a number of incident records include evidence of impact loads (e.g., curb strikes) and several alleged crashes include incidents in which information suggests that the steering gear failure was most likely a result of crash forces, rather than the cause of the crash.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.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 monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at ww
Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
The Office of DefectsInvestigation (ODI) opened PE13-014 after identifying five complaints alleging steering gear failure in model year (MY) 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks and to evaluate the relationship between the design history of the steering gear assembly and the alleged defect.As background, ODI investigated steering gear sector shaft fractures in approximately 1.3 million MY 1999 - 2001 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks and MY 2000 - 2001 Ford Excursion sport utility vehicles in Engineering Analysis EA01-009.The investigation determined that the sector shaft failures were the result of extraordinary, possibly multiple, impacts and not the result of fatigue.No defect in design, manufacturing or materials was identified in the sector shaft.EA01-009 was closed August 19, 2003 with 169 complaints, resulting in a rate of 12.9 incidents per 100,000 vehicles after approximately one year of service.Ford increased the diameter of the sector shaft from 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches at the start of MY 2005 production, increasing the resistance of the steering gear assembly to torsional overload by approximately 48% and changing the failure mode from sector shaft fracture to cracked or broken sector shaft gear teeth.The redesigned steering gear assembly was used in approximately 1.1 million MY 2005 through 2009 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks, including the subject vehicles.Figure 1 shows the basic steering system design used in Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009 and PE13-014. Figure 2 shows the locations of failures resulting from impact related torsional overloading of the sector shaft for the subject vehicles and the prior generation Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009.Figure 3 shows an example of a failed sector shaft investigated in EA01-009 and comparisons of fracture surfaces of sector shafts failing from fatigue loading and from torsional overload.Ford provided field return part analysis of failed steering gears from MY 2005 through 2009 Super Duty trucks found evidence of broken sector shaft gear teeth and piston damage consistent with incidents of single event overload (Figure 4).Laboratory analysis found no evidence of fatigue or material property defects in any of the fractures.Analysis of complaint rates by vehicle build month showed no patterns indicating potential manufacturing quality issues and no difference before and after Ford introduced design changes to the input shaft and sector shaft seals in July 2007 to address potential leak concerns (Figure 5).Analysis of failures by time in service indicates a random failure pattern/distribution, consistent with incidents of impact induced overload (Figure 6). The complaint rate for the subject vehicles after approximately 5 to 6 years, 7.1 incidents per 100,000 vehicles, is lower than the rate observed in EA01-009. Furthermore, similar to the condition investigated in EA01-009, a number of incident records include evidence of impact loads (e.g., curb strikes) and several alleged crashes include incidents in which information suggests that the steering gear failure was most likely a result of crash forces, rather than the cause of the crash.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.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 monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at ww
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