Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2008 record →
OUR FORD F450 PICKUP HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR FOR SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING OVER FIVE TIMES. THREE OF THE EPISODES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT-DOWN CAUSING LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. THE LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 11/5/09. *TR
FORD REFUSES TO REPAIR WARRANTY VEHICLE, FUEL TANK LEAKS, AIR CONDITIONER NOT WORKING, FORD REFUSE TO REPAIR RADIATOR RECALL - CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 08B06 AND FORD REFUSES TO FIX ENGINE PROBLEM. AT TIME OF THE ENGINE PROBLEM OCCURRED LOSS OF POWER SHAKING KNOCKING SOUND WHITE SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE. LOSS OF OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. MAYBE EGR COOLER, INJECTOR OR TURBO PROBLEM? FORD SHIFTS THE BLAME ON TO THE CUSTOMER AND WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY. *TR
RIGHT FRONT TIRE THREW ITS TREAD WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. NO WARNING VIBRATIONS OR NOISES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. TIRE FAILURE CAUSED THE TRUCK TO VEER HARD RIGHT ACROSS THREE LANES OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC BUT MANAGED TO AVOID ANY COLLISIONS. TIRE WAS OEM. WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT TIRE SIDEWALLS GET TOO HOT TO TOUCH AFTER HIGHWAY TRIPS (THE REAR ONES DO NOT). THE FAILED TIRE STILL HAD 3/4" OF UNUSED TREAD. WE VERIFY PRESSURES BEFORE EACH TRIP (110 PSI FRT) AND HAVE NEVER TAKEN THE TRUCK OFF-ROAD. WE TOW WITH IT BUT IT'S THE SAME RIG WE TOWED WITH A 2004 F350 SD WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE TIRE INFO IS NOT IN THE DROPDOWN MENU BUT THE SIZE IS 225/70R19.5, IT'S A DESIGNATED STEER AXLE TIRE ON AN ALCOA RIM (FORD OE) DOT CODE IS A39Y1XL0607. *GEM UPDATED 03/25/10 *BF RECEIVED PICTURES OF DAMAGED TIRE. UPDATED 09/15/10
LTR ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2008 FORD F450 TRUCK DEFECTIVE ENGINE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED FROM JULY 12, 2008 TO NOVEMBER 28, 2008 SHE EXPERIENCED THREE FAILED ENGINES. THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF HEAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ENOUGH TO MELT THE WIRING AND CAUSE SMOKE TO COME INTO THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. ON EACH OCCASION, THAT THE ENGINE FAILED, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONSUMERS SON WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, OIL BEGAN BLOWING ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED WHICH WAS CAUSING THE STEERING AND STARTER TO LOCK UP.*JB
F-450 SD CONTINUALLY OVERHEATED AND STRANDED TWO PERSONNEL IN REMOTE AREA DURING EXTREME SUMMER HEAT CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD CATCH FIRE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 500.
I OWN A 2008 FORD F-450 WITH A 6.4 DIESEL MOTOR. I HAVE NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH DRIVE TRAIN PROBLEMS SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY. FINALLY, WHILE DRIVING ON A 4-LANE HIGHWAY DOING 50MHP THE MOTOR QUIT RUNNING. BAKE AND STEERING FAILURE FOLLOWED. AFTER GETTING TOWED TO A DEALER AND AFTER 3 DAYS TO FIND THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A BURNT WIRING HARNESS INSIDE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM. I ASKED IF THIS WAS A SINGLE ISSUE OR WIDE-SPREAD. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A TSB (TECH SERVICE INFORMATION) REGARDING THIS FAILURE. I ASKED WHY NO RECALL AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I CONSIDER MY TRUCK TO STOP RUNNING AT ANY SPEED TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. THE REPAIR TOOK 11 DAYS TO COMPLETE. IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REPAIR THE CAB AND THE FRONT BODY HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CHASSIS. I CAN SEE WHY FORD WOULD NOT WANT TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE PIECES ON ALL THE 6.4 DIESEL MOTORS, HOWEVER BY WAITING FOR EACH ONE TO BREAK DOWN, AND POSSIBLY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IS A TERRIBLE BUSINESS DECISION. PLEASE HELP OTHER OWNERS!! *TR
ENGINE BLEW AT 18,900 MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-450 SD. WHILE DRIVING, THE RADIATOR BUSTED. IN ADDITION, THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP FAILED WHILE TOWING A BOAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO THE RIGHT UNTIL IT POPPED AND THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES REGARDING THESE FAILURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. UPDATED 09/15/08
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-450 SD. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS CHANGING THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TWO MORE QUARTS OF OIL THAN WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE EXCESS OIL WAS NORMAL AND THE ISSUE COULD NOT BE SERVICED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,113.UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW FUEL INJECTOR WERE LEKING DIESEL OIL ONTO THE CRANKCASE. UPDATE 09/19/08. *JB
TRUCK WITH ABOUT 18,000 MILES BY ORIGINAL OWNER FAILED ON 22 JUNE 2008; NEW MOTOR REQUIRED AFTER LENGTHY CONTACTS BETWEEN DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY; AS OF JULY 28, 2008, TRUCK IS STILL IN SHOP AND FMC NOT COOPERATIVE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-450 SD. WHILE DRIVING 68 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE SAME FAILURES OCCURRED THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURES STILL PERSISTS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 43,520.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-450. THE CONTACT HAS OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR SEVEN MONTHS AND HAS REPLACED THE RADIATOR SEVEN TIMES DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THE TURBOS FAILED AND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CRACKED IN HALF. THE VEHICLE FAILS TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. ONE STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED, BUT THE OTHER DISAGREED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED AND UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HIS CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY REGARDING THE LEMON LAW. HE ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO TOUCH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,675.
IN 2007 I PURCHASED A 2008 FORD F-450 .. IT INCLUDES A FORD BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM. I OWN A 5TH WHEEL RV TRAILER WITH DEXTER ELECTRIC OVER HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES. I TRADED IN A 2006 FORD F-350 TRUCK WITH A FORD BRAKE CONTROLLER AND WITH WHICH I HAD TOWED THE TRAILER OVER 20,000 MILES WITH NO BRAKING DIFFICULTY. RECENTLY WE ENCOUNTERED SOME BRAKE CONTROLLER ISSUES INCLUDING ERRONEOUS DASHBOARD DISPLAY MESSAGES. I HAVE LEARNED FROM OTHER PURCHASERS OF A 2008 FORD F-450 WHO WERE ALSO TOWING RV TRAILERS THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING ISSUES. WE BEGAN TO DEVELOP ERRATIC BRAKING PERFORMANCE AS WE WERE BRAKING TO A STOP. THE BRAKE CONTROLLER WAS RAPIDLY SENDING AND STOPPING SENDING VOLTAGE TO THE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM REPEATEDLY, CAUSING US TO NEARLY HIT VEHICLES IN FRONT OF US OR SURGE INTO TRAFFIC.. A FORD DEALER. SERVICE TECH'S DID SOME CHECKING- I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING CORRECTLY. I CONTACTED DEXTER AXLE COMPANY AND SPOKE TO A DEXTER ENGINEER. HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH BRAKING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE F-450. HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH FORD TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES. HE SAID THAT FORD HAS AGREED THAT IT HAS A "QUALITY ISSUE" THE CONTROLLER IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ELECTRIC OVER HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEMS. FORD DID NOT TELL HIM OF ANY PLANS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE I THEN LEARNED FROM A FORD DEALER SERVICE TECH. THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX IT. FORD'S CUSTOMER CARE CENTER SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEMS BUT CONSULTED WITH A FO
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND SMOKE. THE PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME, THE WELDING NUT WAS BROKEN. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS BEING HELD TOGETHER BY THE NUTS AND BOLTS. FORD STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000.
NEW FORD F-450, REAR SEAT BELT BOLTS UNINSTALLED AND REAR SEAT BOLTS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. DETAILS: 4 REAR SEAT BELT BOLTS WERE ONLY INSTALLED BY 1 - 2 THREADS FOR A 1-1/2 BOLT CLEARLY PRESENTING A DANGER TO A CHILD OR ANYONE RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT. ALL REAR SEAT BOLTS SCREWED IN ONLY "FINGER TIGHT", NOT TORQUED PROPERLY. NOTE: FORD WAS NOTIFIED (ANSWERER: ROSE ON WED, 28 NOV @ 0845 HRS) NO RESPONSE AS REQUESTED TO INSURE THAT PROBLEM WAS BEING INVESTIGATED. NOTE: IT WOULD SEEM THAT FORD SHOULD TRY TO DETERMINE IF ANY OTHER UNITS (SOMEWHAT BEFORE AND SOMEWHAT AFTER PRODUCTION ) HAD SIMILAR DANGEROUS PROBLEMS. - CLEARLY, A CHILD IN A SAFETY SEAT ATTACHED TO THE REAR SEAT OF SUCH A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE WOULD BE THROWN FORWARD. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2008, MAKE=FORD F-450 CREW, MODEL=F-450 CREW CAB). *TR
ENGINE SUDDENLY RACES UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FOUR WINDS HURRICANE (NA), SERIAL NUMBER HAA020149. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS VIBRATE WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH. HE IS UNABLE TO CLEARLY VIEW THE ONCOMING VEHICLES ON THE ROAD AND STATED THAT THE CONVEX MIRROR WAS TOO SMALL AND USELESS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE MIRRORS WERE NOT DESIGNED WRONG AND WERE NOT SAFETY RISKS. THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2008 Ford F-450 SD → · Every F-450 SD year → · How the figures are calculated →