Your vehicle report
2005 Ford F-250 SD
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 295
- Received Jan 2005 to Dec 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed70 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks34 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed10 complaints · 3.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #11V352000Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.
- Recall #05V270000Certain pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans equipped with 6.0L diesel engines may experience stalling without warning while driving and may or may not restart.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 6 fires, 9 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 16 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 25 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 32 |
| 2008 | 48 |
| 2009 | 52 |
| 2010 | 52 |
| 2011 | 32 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 295 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 70 | 24% | – | |
| Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks | 34 | 12% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 10 | 3.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 9 | 3.0% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 9 | 3.0% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 1.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 3 | 1.0% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 3 | 1.0% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 3 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #11V352000July 13, 201126,715 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights; exterior lighting: tail lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.
Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on august 15, 2011. Owners may contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA recall #05V270000June 10, 2005180,104 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring
Certain pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans equipped with 6.0L diesel engines may experience stalling without warning while driving and may or may not restart.
Should the engine stall, a vehicle crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will upgrade the fuel injection control module (ficm) wire harness or replaced, and/or have a new injection control pressure (icp)) sensor connector installed free of charge. The recall began on july 22, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA recall #05V266000June 9, 200578,675 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain pickup trucks and chassis cab vehicles equipped with 5.4L or 6.8L gasoline engines, the fuel jumper line may have an incorrect end form.
The fuel line may separate at the connection to the main fuel bundle. If the fuel line separates, an operator may notice a gasoline odor and/or fuel on the ground, loss of power, and the engine will eventually stall. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install an external retention clip at the fuel jumper line to the main fuel bundle connection. The recall began on june 20, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2005 Ford F-250 SD.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN