IllustrationSOME TIMES THE FIRST GEAR LIGHT WILL COME ON DURING DRIVING NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHY
2008 Ford F-250 Sd
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Ford F-250 Sd do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 89.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all F-250 Sd years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
390–25K
3325–50K
2050–75K
775–100K
18100–150K
10150K+
127 reports with mileage · 14 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.
- Steering. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
6 reportsWHEN SHIFTING THE TRUCK FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE TRUCK RANDOMLY WENT FULL THROTTLE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPEN. IN ANOTHER CASE IT ALSO HAS WENT FULL THROTTLE WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFTING INTO PARK.
RECENTLY I TOOK MY FORD F250 SD TO HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED AND ROTATED. THEY WERE UNABLE. TO ALIGN MY VEHICLE DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR , VIBRATION ,AND SEPARATION ON BELT EDGES TO ME WAS OF GREAT CONCERN. THE MILEAGE ON MY FORD F250 IS ONLY 23,600 MILES. MY TRUCK IS A 2008 FORD F250 WITH THE ORIGINAL TIRES ,CONTINENTAL HAS A RECALL AL…
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RECENTLY I TOOK MY FORD F250 SD TO HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED AND ROTATED. THEY WERE UNABLE. TO ALIGN MY VEHICLE DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR , VIBRATION ,AND SEPARATION ON BELT EDGES TO ME WAS OF GREAT CONCERN. THE MILEAGE ON MY FORD F250 IS ONLY 23,600 MILES. MY TRUCK IS A 2008 FORD F250 WITH THE ORIGINAL TIRES ,CONTINENTAL HAS A RECALL ALERT ON CERTAIN TIRES. THE MAKE AND SIZE ARE M+S LT 275/65 R18 123/120S. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD I TOOK IT TO THREE TIRE SHOP AND THEY ALL DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TIRES...I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS THERE ANY THING YOU CAN DO TO REPLACE OR CREDIT ME ON A NEW SET OF TIRES...' SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *KB *TR
WHILE DRIVING MY 08 FORD F250 SD, I EXPERIENCE SEVERE SHIMMY GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR SMALL DIP. MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN GOING ABOUT 45 AND I HIT A BUMP AND THE WHEEL JERKS AND THROWS THE TRUCK WHAT FEELS LIKE FEET. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS YET NOR HAVE I SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER. THE FIRST I EVER KNEW THERE WAS A PROB…
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WHILE DRIVING MY 08 FORD F250 SD, I EXPERIENCE SEVERE SHIMMY GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR SMALL DIP. MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN GOING ABOUT 45 AND I HIT A BUMP AND THE WHEEL JERKS AND THROWS THE TRUCK WHAT FEELS LIKE FEET. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS YET NOR HAVE I SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER. THE FIRST I EVER KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM NOTED BY FORD WAS WHEN I RECEIVED AN ALERT ON FLMOWNER.COM AND IT STATED FIELD SERVICE ACTION NUMBER: 09L02 FSA TITLE: CUSTOMER MAINTENANCE REMINDER VEHICLE SHIMMY AND TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE I ALWAYS MAINTAIN PROPER TIRE PRESSURE AND HAVE THEM BALANCED AND ROTATED ON A REGULAR BASIS THROUGH DISCOUNT TIRES (WHERE I BOUGHT NEW TIRES IN 2011). I DON'T HAVE A LIFT AND HAVEN'T ALTERED ANY OF THE STOCK SUSPENSION PARTS. MILEAGE AND TIME FRAME ARE AN APPROX AS I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS SERVICE ISSUE PRIOR TO THIS WEEK. THOSE ARE THE APPROXIMATES TO WHEN I MOVED TO CO.
2008 FORD F-250XL, 5.4L, AUTO. ENGINE RUNAWAY. WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN THE ENGINE INCREASED IT'S SPEED DRAMATICALLY ON IT'S OWN. EVEN WITH THE BRAKES FULLY APPLIED THE VEHICLE STILL MOVED INTO A 4 WAY INTERSECTION. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE RPM'S INCREASED EVEN MORE BEFORE THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. 10 MINU…
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2008 FORD F-250XL, 5.4L, AUTO. ENGINE RUNAWAY. WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN THE ENGINE INCREASED IT'S SPEED DRAMATICALLY ON IT'S OWN. EVEN WITH THE BRAKES FULLY APPLIED THE VEHICLE STILL MOVED INTO A 4 WAY INTERSECTION. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE RPM'S INCREASED EVEN MORE BEFORE THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. 10 MINUTES LATER I STARTED THE VEHICLE AT MY BANK AND PLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN REV. THE ENGINE AGAIN RAPIDLY INCREASED THE RPM'S AND I BARELY KEPT THE VEHICLE FROM ROCKETING AWAY BACKWARDS BY HOLDING MY FOOT FULLY ON THE BRAKE. I TRIED NEUTRAL BUT THE RPM'S SURGED EVEN HIGHER SO I HAD TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY ON MY TRIP HOME. THE TRUCK HAS A RUBBER FLOOR AND NO MATS. MY FOOT WAS DEFINITELY ON ONE PEDAL AT A TIME. THESE MALFUNCTIONS WERE TOTALLY OUT OF THE BLUE AND VERY DANGEROUS. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. *TR
SUPPLEMENT TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY PRODUCT INFORMATION REGARDING BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT - DOCKET NUMBER 25669. *KB THE LETTER STATED THE 2008 F-250 SUPER DUTY WAS OMITTED FROM THE SAFECAR WEBSITE AS BEING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFIED PERFORMANCES CRITERIA REGARDING THE BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT…
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SUPPLEMENT TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY PRODUCT INFORMATION REGARDING BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT - DOCKET NUMBER 25669. *KB THE LETTER STATED THE 2008 F-250 SUPER DUTY WAS OMITTED FROM THE SAFECAR WEBSITE AS BEING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFIED PERFORMANCES CRITERIA REGARDING THE BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK. FORD REQUESTED THAT THE LIST BE UPDATED. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
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