242 of the
5,142 complaints filed about the Ford F-350 SD
are about the other systems —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
When the truck idles it randomly shuts off completely and shows a sign on dash of 'vehicle may not start/restart please service' then it will disappear. It never shows any codes when hooked to machine in repair shop. This is a huge safety concern while driving and hauling trailers with equipment since all power is lost when it happens. It has been looked at by the dealership 3 times and they were unable to locate issue as stated on service receipt. No warnings prior and truck was purchased 3/2025 and the issue started 1/26 and still continues.
NHTSA complaint #11758159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ford Motor Company deployed an over-the-air software update to my 2018 Ford F350 that corrupted the Body Control Module. The software error permanently locked the vehicle into a speed-restricted 'MyKey' safety mode, leaving me with an altered vehicle and no admin access to bypass it. Ford Corporate is refusing to fix the corrupted software deployment. I do not and never have had a second key and they are now saying I must purchase this and pay for my truck to be reset.
NHTSA complaint #11757550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The driveshaft separated resulting in a loss of motive power while we were driving on the highway at around 65-70mph. We heard/felt vibrations, and a harsh noise then a loud popping noise right before/ during the failure. Then heard dragging as we came toward the guard rail. It caused a loss of control of the vehicle almost causing us to crash. We were able to pull to the side of the road while traffic went around us. One vehicle pulled over in front of us checking their car stating they saw something fly out from under ours but then they left. We looked under and the rear driveshaft was hanging down and the vehicle was unable to drive forward or back. When trying to pull it on a tow vehicle the bearings came out. It is available for inspection. We are waiting for paperwork from a dealer to see all the damages that occurred but they told us the cost was $20,500 to repair. A day before we heard a vibration sound when letting off the accelerator but all the systems checked out and we didn't see anything, that was Saturday. This failure happened on Sunday with no warning systems alerting until after everything happened and the vehicle was no longer able to drive. We just saw there is an active recall and that our vehicle matches date, factory and part damage but our VIN is not included.
NHTSA complaint #11756773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I recently replaced a defective reductant (DEF) pump and wiring harness due to corrosion. The cause and repairs were diagnosed and performed by a ford dealership. Without addressing the issue the vehicle would randomly engage a "limp" mode and limit the speed to 50 mph, forcing the driver to operate at unsafe speeds on freeways and highways. Defect is a hazard to driver and other vehicles due to the unpredictable speed control caused by the defective parts. Ford is aware of the defective part and issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-2161.
NHTSA complaint #11751618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The issue with truck is the rear window has a large mirror tint reflection. Causing a safety hazard when driving as the reflection leaves other drivers light blinded. Leaving a flash blindness.
NHTSA complaint #11749456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Description On your vehicle, it may be possible to experience a noisy, partially inoperable, or completely inoperable heating ventilating and air conditioning HVAC blower Motor. Safety Risk An inoperable or partially inoperable HVAC blower Motor may affect windshield defrost and defogging capability, which can decrease visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy Parts are available to repair your vehicle. Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to inspect and possibly replace the blower Motor assembly. Free of charge. Next Steps Contact your dealer for more information to schedule the free service.
NHTSA complaint #11743721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When the vehicle is moving forward, and rear camera is selected to visibly confirm the status of anything behind the vehicle, there is a giant black bar/box that states "full view not available" Clearly this is a safety hazard in the sense that I am unable to rapidly assess and determine the status of anything behind my vehicle, be it a trailer, a hitch mounted bike rack, or another vehicle. Ford should be required to remove all of these distractions from their software immediately.
NHTSA complaint #11741709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While flat towing my 2022 Ford F‑350 behind a motorhome using Ford’s Neutral Tow Mode procedure, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic transmission failure. The Ford dealer documented this clearly on the service invoice: “HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS FLAT TOWED.” After the tow, the truck had severe slipping, delayed engagement, high RPM with no movement, and a wrench light. The dealer confirmed fault codes P0741, P1744, and P27B4. The dealer found catastrophic internal damage: “fluid is burnt with metal debris… filter is packed with metal debris… torque converter has came apart and filled transmission with metal debris… it is catastrophic failure.” These components are available for inspection. The dealer also documented a low battery condition: “batteries. low state of charge.” Ford’s Neutral Tow Mode relies on electronic control modules that require stable voltage, but Ford provides no warning that low voltage can cause the transfer case to exit Neutral Tow Mode. This creates a safety risk because the transmission can be rotated internally without lubrication while being towed, which can lead to sudden drivetrain lockup or loss of control. The problem was confirmed by the Ford dealer, and the vehicle was fully inspected by them. The only warning symptom occurred after towing: wrench light, slipping, and no movement. There were no warnings during the tow itself. This failure mode is not disclosed by Ford and cannot be detected or prevented by the owner.
NHTSA complaint #11735855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When vehicle was in Reverse parked in garage with garage door open, I removed my seatbelt and opened the door to exit vehicle believing it was actually in Park. The vehicle rolled backwards at idle speed as I tried to get back in to apply the foot brake. The open drivers door collided with the garage wall and stopped the vehicle before I could stop it with the brakes. A body shop manager doing an in home estimate told me that a 2024 F 350 has an Automatic Return to Park shift feature that should have immediately moved the column mounted shift to Park and applied the emergency brake. This feature was apparently installed in all Super Duty trucks in 2023 when the electric column shifter was added. It did neither of these things and collided with the wall damaging the wall and drivers door. I believe this is a defect in a safety critical system and filed a complaint with the Ford Customer Service Concerns department. They told me they would escalate to their general counsel but if I filed an insurance claim, that the complaint would no longer be active. No lawyer I contacted would take my case because a significant personal injury did not occur. I was advised to file insurance claim for both home and property policies.
NHTSA complaint #11735224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing a complaint regarding deceptive and potentially fraudulent practices by a dealership. I visited the dealership to look at two Ford trucks that were both advertised as having clean titles and clean Carfax reports with no major history. Vehicle 1: VIN: [XXX] This truck appeared to have significant undisclosed flood damage. There was visible water inside trim areas, mold present, and water movement could be heard and seen when braking. It was clear the vehicle had been exposed to water damage despite being advertised as clean. Vehicle 2: VIN: [XXX] This truck appeared to have undisclosed front-end damage consistent with a prior accident. The damage seemed to be intentionally concealed and was not disclosed in the listing. When I questioned the salesperson, he acted dismissively and claimed no knowledge of any issues, despite the problems being obvious. Both vehicles were advertised as clean with no significant history, which I believe is misleading and potentially fraudulent. This raises serious concerns about the dealership’s business practices and the safety of vehicles they are selling. I request that this matter be investigated. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11730717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Front facing camera, located in front grill, has inadequate water proofing, which eventually shorts out the camera and causing it to become inoperable. This creates a blind spot when backing up or driving in tight spaces with such a large truck. When the front camera blacks out, you lose visibility in front of the vehicle. This is a safety issue, because the size of the truck, how high it sits from the factory, and no visibility over the hood could cause a collision with low height persons or kids or property. Yes, this issue has been reproduced by the dealer. And there are numerous reports of people on message forums and social media complaining of this issue. There were no warnings of this prior to failure. One day the front facing camera simply stopped working, leaving a black screen for any camera views that include the front camera.
NHTSA complaint #11730191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glass roof panel behind sunroof (over rear seats of crew cab) shattered while driving on the highway at 5:30am with no other vehicles within several hundred yards. No sign of impact, remaining glass seems to be pushed outward.
NHTSA complaint #11730058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle has gone into LIMP mode multiple times. Was driving the vehicle and the check engine light went on and the vehicle reduced its speed to 25 mph. This is very dangerous because the traffic was moving at 70 mph and could have rear ended me. The F350 has been at the dealership since March 18. The dealer has diagnosed it but claim they cannot get the part they need to fix it. They insist I return the loaner and drive the F350 home with the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11726373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle produced symptoms over time: Loss of Ford Pass connectivity, Inconsistent turn signal function, occasional dashboard alarm for Open Driver Door while driving, unwarranted security alarm triggers when still at home. Second to last incident was an unwarranted security alarm that triggered, and was unable to be stopped by use of the security controls (lock/unlock, alarm key button). Horn "wore out" as if fuse burned. Disconnected battery to stop. Two days later, after reconnecting the battery I drove the vehicle, Horn was not functional, and I was unable to stop the engine. Once started, the vehicle did not turn off, even with key completely removed from ignition switch. This was repeatable, every ignition cycle, thereafter. I drove to the dealer, that morning. The dealer mechanic was required to shut off the engine. Dealer mechanic diagnosed failed Battery Junction Box. After Repair, Mechanic diagnosed faulty Body Control Module. Dealer mechanic also recommended replacement of full "Main" wiring harness, interconnecting the two. The cause for all failures was corrosion and electrical shorts due to water ingress. I am aware Ford has issued numerous TSBs and recalls for faulty BCMs, in the same age range as this vehicle. Also, TSBs for water intrusion into the BCM. The mechanic took photos of corrosion on both the BCM and main wiring harness. My prior vehicle was a 2011 Ford F-150, with the same 6.2L engine. No such faults were experienced up to Nov. 2023 sale. Photos of the corrosion on main wiring harness and BCM attached. Dealer has possession of the vehicle. Repairs in progress. Ford has declined support for faulty components; Recalls not associated with this vehicle. Estimated repairs to date on 6 year old vehicle on critical electronics in excess of $7,000.
NHTSA complaint #11723712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2016 Ford F-350 is included in NHTSA recall [campaign number 25S89/25V572] for rearview camera failure. I received notice probably a year ago and it stopped working 2 days ago. The camera is currently malfunctioning and I can not see behind me when I back up. Dealers state no parts available and no timeline for repair, only willing to help if I pay a $200 diagnostic fee. Vehicle remains unrepaired.
NHTSA complaint #11720789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicles turn signal audio indicator is extremely quiet and cannot be heard at speeds above 45MPH creating a safety issue. I have checked the vehicle audio settings in addition to the vehicle owner manual and there is no user setting to adjust audio. I asked the dealer where i purchased my vehicle (Northtown Ford, Menomonie, WI) about the issue and they did not have a solution.
NHTSA complaint #11718880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Our passenger side heated mirror is melting. We are unsure as to the plastics used and why it is melting. This mirror is also a heated mirror with electric connected to it. The Ford Dealer told us that Ford will not repair this under warranty. Why is this melting. What type of cheap plastic did they use. Please help us getting to the bottom of this. Thank you.
NHTSA complaint #11718218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My truck's tailgate has started opening on its own while driving, again. Previous recalls on this issue were performed when parts were available. This is a safety hazard to anyone behind me if anything falls out of the truck bed while driving. Today, 2/3/2026, it opened again. A bucket fell out of the truck bed. Fortunately no one was behind me. My truck is available for inspection. I have not contacted the dealer yet for their inspection/diagnosis. There are no warnings when this happens. It has forced me to strap the tailgate so it can't open unexpectedly.
NHTSA complaint #11715342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle part ML3Z-16500A18-E, or rear panoramic sunroof panel, spontaneously shattered while the vehicle was parked and turned off. I was not driving, and nothing impacted the vehicle. There were no signs of attempted break-in, falling debris, or vandalism, and there was no object inside or around the vehicle that could have caused the breakage. With this being tempered glass, it fragmented violently. This sudden failure created a significant safety hazard, as shattered glass covered the interior. If occupants had been inside, this could have caused serious injury from falling glass. If this unexpected failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion or at speed, it could result in distraction, loss of control, and/or a potential collision. The dealer had inspected the vehicle in person and was unable to determine the reason for the failure. The manufacturer has been contacted, but they do not accept responsibility and have not provided a cause for the failure. The issue has not been reproduced, but spontaneous panoramic sunroof glass failure appears to be a known concern on other Ford models. The vehicle had no warning messages, noises, cracking, leaks, or other symptoms prior to the failure. There were no safety alerts or warnings on the dash. The sunroof glass failed without any prior indication.
NHTSA complaint #11697539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.