FaultScore

Ford F-250 engine problems

741 of the 5,731 complaints filed about the Ford F-250 are about the engine — 13% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1999.

741

Complaints

13%

Share of all complaints

4

Crashes

52

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

1989 F-250 1 0.1%

Median failure at 69,880 miles

1991 F-250 8 1.1%
1992 F-250 18 2.4%
1993 F-250 32 4.3%
1994 F-250 20 2.7%

Median failure at 84,500 miles

1995 F-250 41 5.5%

Median failure at 108,500 miles

1996 F-250 29 3.9%

Median failure at 115,772 miles

1997 F-250 31 4.2%

Median failure at 86,951 miles

1998 F-250 9 1.2%

Median failure at 78,166 miles

1999 F-250 84 11.3%

Median failure at 135,277 miles

2000 F-250 46 6.2%

Median failure at 85,000 miles

2001 F-250 34 4.6%

Median failure at 101,006 miles

2002 F-250 36 4.9%

Median failure at 100,000 miles

2003 F-250 37 5.0%

Median failure at 29,644 miles

2004 F-250 64 8.6%

Median failure at 27,645 miles

2005 F-250 44 5.9%

Median failure at 88,094 miles

2006 F-250 38 5.1%

Median failure at 107,000 miles

2007 F-250 9 1.2%

Median failure at 56,094 miles

2008 F-250 34 4.6%

Median failure at 68,000 miles

2009 F-250 7 0.9%

Median failure at 77,492 miles

2010 F-250 9 1.2%

Median failure at 102,000 miles

2011 F-250 41 5.5%

Median failure at 67,500 miles

2012 F-250 46 6.2%

Median failure at 43,002 miles

2013 F-250 10 1.3%

Median failure at 62,000 miles

2014 F-250 13 1.8%

Median failure at 108,540 miles

What owners said

2014 Ford F-250 at 114,081 miles Monterey, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:UREA INJECTION SYSTEM (DEF)

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle started to shake, and the steering wheel seized, with the DEF warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant leaking from the EGR cooler, causing the EGR cooler to fail. The contact was informed that the EGR cooler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,081.

NHTSA complaint #11726393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Ford F-250 at 114,081 miles Monterey, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle started to shake, and the steering wheel seized, with the DEF warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant leaking from the EGR cooler, causing the EGR cooler to fail. The contact was informed that the EGR cooler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,081.

NHTSA complaint #11726393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Ford F-250 Poughkeepsie, NY

ENGINE

Terrible exhaust fumes in the truck cab when using the heat or ac probably due to the extremely common exhaust manifold issues with these trucks. It could kill me and my child

NHTSA complaint #11699570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Ford F-250 NC - New Bern, IA

ENGINE

I just had to replace the ECM because it fired. after replacing that it still won't start. I've talked to multiple people who have had the same problem.

NHTSA complaint #11675751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Ford F-250 at 200,000 miles Roanoke, VA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle vigorously shuddered. In addition, the contact allowed the vehicle to decelerate independently to come to a stop. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

NHTSA complaint #11675094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Ford F-250 at 27,500 miles Union Beach, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine seizure due to coolant intrusion in the engine. The contact stated that while the dealer was in the process of replacing the engine, the dealer informed the contact that the transmission also needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the engine and the transmission. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was bucking and jerking. The gear shift indicator light displayed that the transmission was slipping from drive(D) to neutral(N) and reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, the part was on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,500.

NHTSA complaint #11671757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford F-250 at 185,000 miles Arvada, CO

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2008 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving uphill at approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was HOT before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was then allowed to cool down, and water was added to the radiator. The contact stated that when the vehicle was restarted, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred 12,000 miles later. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

NHTSA complaint #11668717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Ford F-250 NC - New Bern, NC

ENGINE

it keeps throwing a check engine light for miss fire but ive replaced all of the ignition and fuel parts and it keeps happening now its loosing power and getting hot for no reason.

NHTSA complaint #11665869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford F-250 at 109,000 miles Granbury, TX

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning light was illuminated. The contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the vehicle started after several attempts. The contact stated the vehicle sat for a while before starting the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not officially diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was possibly caused by an unknown sensor. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the failure started in 2013; however, the vehicle had been parked and undriveable since 2017. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.

NHTSA complaint #11664276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Ford F-250 at 171,000 miles Worthington, OH

ENGINE

The contact owned a 2003 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while her husband was driving home, there was black smoke coming from the exhaust, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence and turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 171,000.

NHTSA complaint #11658268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Ford F-250 at 161,000 miles Appomattox, VA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated while he was stopped at a traffic signal, he smelled a burning plastic smell. The contact observed that smoke was being emitted from under the vehicle's front end. The contact pulled off the road and parked. As he exited the vehicle, he observed that flames were shooting from under the vehicle. The contact stated that in a few minutes, the flames had engulfed the engine compartment. The fire department was called, and the police had also arrived. The fire was extinguished using water. The police did not filed a report. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 161,000.

NHTSA complaint #11658159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford F-250 at 138,683 miles Newton, KS

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2002 Ford F-250. The contact initially discovered patches of fluid on the garage floor. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer discovered a leak in the engine oil pan due to a faulty silicone gasket. The contact stated that the oil pan was replaced by the same dealer a year prior to the recent failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 138,683.

NHTSA complaint #11656066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Ford F-250 Rocky Mount, NC

ENGINE

Electrical system fails every day. It affects the engine, transmission, radio, windows, gauges. Wiring issue causes the radio to just go out, windows stop working, all gauges stops working, the transmission doesn't shift right, engine doesn't run right. Yes vehicle is available for inspecting. Engine cuts off and won't start back, leaves you stranded side the road. Truck stalls in front of other vehicles. Windows won't roll down when it's 100 degrees inside truck. Fuel gauge doesn't let you know when there's no fuel again leaving you stranded beside the road. Other gauge don't work could cause more damage. Yes it has been inspected my mechanic and he said there are wiring issues. No warning lamps or anything now but the wrench light has came on allot. There is a wiring recall on this year truck but said mine doesn't fall under that recall and I don't know why because I'm having this issue

NHTSA complaint #11653078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Ford F-250 at 120,000 miles Oxford, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the engine power was significantly reduced and there was a whining sound coming from the engine compartment. While starting the vehicle, there was a high-pitched whining sound heard. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and determined there was a failure with the fuel pump. The fuel pumps were replaced 4 times, and the front and rear fuel pressure regulators were replaced several times since 2012. The contact was adding coolant to the vehicle every 2 months. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #11652468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford F-250 at 100,000 miles Raeford, NC

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2008 Ford F-250 The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed fluid leaking from the bottom of the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the engine block of the vehicle had fractured. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine block had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #11625228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Ford F-250 at 195,000 miles Floresville, TX Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed hauling a trailer, the exhaust manifold dropped raw fuel into the exhaust and it caught fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. The exhaust filter over maximum limit message was displayed. There were no reported injuries, crash , police report or air bag deployment. The fire department was on the scene. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that cylinder one was down and the engine and transmission needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the EPF may be damaged and not work. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

NHTSA complaint #11622771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Ford F-250 at 195,000 miles Floresville, TX Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed hauling a trailer, the exhaust manifold dropped raw fuel into the exhaust and it caught fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. The exhaust filter over maximum limit message was displayed. There were no reported injuries, crash , police report or air bag deployment. The fire department was on the scene. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that cylinder one was down and the engine and transmission needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the EPF may be damaged and not work. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

NHTSA complaint #11622771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Ford F-250 at 246,808 miles Newsoms, VA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2005 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud rumbling noise that sounded like rocks in the engine. In addition, the contact stated that when the vehicle was parked and the engine was turned off, the vehicle was started, however, the vehicle did not start. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that her husband was an independent mechanic and had recently replaced several unknown parts, however the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 246,808.

NHTSA complaint #11619962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Ford F-250 Dallastown, PA Fire

ENGINE

Truck had no check engine light then caught on fire going down the road and burned to ground within seconds Incident report 46-24-05039 08_30-74 US-30 - PA 74 30 W

NHTSA complaint #11618329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Ford F-250 Killen, AL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint #11617277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford F-250 problems