2005 Ford F-350 SD: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2005 Ford F-350 SD
On the 2005 Ford F-350 SD, the failure owners report most often is other suspension problem, and the reports cluster around 30,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 42,000 miles. Overall it scores 72 out of 100, high risk for a 2005.
High risk for a 2005 — 79th riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. 269 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 44 named failure modes on the 2005 Ford F-350 SD, and the three most-reported carry 36% of everything filed.
Other suspension problem leads with 36 reports, about 1.8 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 9k to 67,500 miles.
Other steering problem follows with 34 reports, usually reported between 20k to 75,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 28 reports, usually reported between 19k to 50,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (52), suspension (38) and steering (35).
At what mileage it happens
239 of the reports on the 2005 Ford F-350 SD came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 42,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 56% by 50,000 miles, 84% by 100,000 miles and 95% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 3 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 18% of the dated reports.
41% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
In the order they tend to show up: other suspension problem around 30k, other engine problem around 36k, other powertrain problem around 41k and other wheel or tire problem around 45k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 44. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 3 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 7 mention a crash, 8 a fire and 2 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.09, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other suspension problem at $350–$2,000, other steering problem at $350–$2,400, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
26% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 36 | 35 | 9k | 30k | 67k | 1.8 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other steering problem | steering | 34 | 32 | 20k | 48k | 74k | 1.7 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 28 | 23 | 19k | 36k | 51k | 1.4 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 17 | 15 | 28k | 70k | 139k | 0.9 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 16 | 14 | 7k | 45k | 72k | 0.8 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 10 | 8 | 8k | 41k | 56k | 0.5 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 10 | 10 | 67k | 93k | 116k | 0.5 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| DPF, EGR or DEF system failure | emissions | 8 | 8 | 45k | 57k | 81k | 0.4 | $800–$5,000 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 7 | 7 | — | 45k | — | 0.4 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 7 | 7 | — | 61k | — | 0.4 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 7 | 7 | — | 94k | — | 0.4 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 7 | 7 | — | 20k | — | 0.4 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 6 | 6 | — | 39k | — | 0.3 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Fuel injector failure | fuel | 6 | 6 | — | 58k | — | 0.3 | $450–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 5 | 5 | — | 62k | — | 0.3 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 5 | 2 | — | 116k | — | 0.3 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 5 | 1 | — | 250 | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 4 | 4 | — | 2k | — | 0.2 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 4 | 4 | — | 50k | — | 0.2 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 3 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.2 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 900 | — | 0.2 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 3 | 3 | — | 42k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 3 | 3 | — | 27k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 3 | 2 | — | 950 | — | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 42k | — | 0.1 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Turbocharger or supercharger failure | engine | 2 | 1 | — | 40k | — | 0.1 | $1,500–$4,500 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 2 | 1 | — | 10k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 2 | 2 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 24k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 600 | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 2 | 2 | — | 5k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 2 | 2 | — | 19k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 28k | — | 0.1 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Cooling fan failure | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 96k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 1k | — | 0.1 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 102k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 18k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 57k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 26k | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 3 | 3 | — | 125k | — | 0.2 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2005 Ford F-350 SD draws about 14 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 88th percentile of complaint rates among 2005 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 19,668 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2005 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other suspension problem
Consumer states the vehicle is for plowing. However, the coil springs are not strong enough to hold the plow. The plow actually drops down hitting the ground; causing the steering to become erratic or difficult. *ak the transmission had gone out, the tires weren't sufficient enough for this vehicle, the gas gauge read empty at half full due to the low front end and the consumer was told that there was no problem, there was no light in the glove box, there were not mud guards in the wheel well, the volume was inoperative on the radio and there was a problem with the throttle cable due to a two second delay when the gas pedal was applied. *sc
Dt: the contact stated while making a right hand turn the vehicle hesitated. The transmission will catch, and there is a loud bang , and then the vehicle will lunge forward. When the vehicle is in reverse the transmission hesitates as well. It seems as though there may be something broken in the transmission or in the rear suspension. The dealership where the vehicle was purchased referred the contact to a local dealer to have the vehicle inspected. The vehicle was not inspected to determine the exact cause of the problem. *ak the consumer had difficulty placing the vehicle into park. Updated 11/16/105. *jb
Other steering problem
Tl* - when contactwas driving and going over a series of small bumps lost control of the steering wheel which went from right to left quickly to the point of being almost uncontrollable. In order for contact to get control of the steering wheel she had to slow the vehicle down to a speed of 5 MPH or come to a complete stop. The contact took the vehicle to the dealership ,and they stated that they noticed the same incident as well on a test drive of the vehicle, but they could not do anything about the incident because the manufacturer hasn't giving the dealership any advise on how to fix the failure.*ak
We own a ford f350, 2005 model with about 6000 miles. On sun.,3/4, as my wife drove away from a service station pump, she lost control of the truck, I.e. She could not steer. Lucky for her she was able to stop before entering a heavily traveled highway. We found that the nut holding the pivot arm with the steering linkage had sheared off along with the cotter pin holding the nut. The nut threads were stripped off. I have the failed nut along with ring/clip holding the cotter pin. The bolt threads on the linkage, to the eye appear to be o'k. As stated though, the nut threads were stripped off. Was this due to a softer metal being used, over torquing or a bad nut??' the truck was towed to newberg ford in newberg, or. *jb
Other engine problem
2005 ford f350 6.0 diesel - strong exhaust type odor coming through the vents when either the air, heat, or defrost is on and the truck isn't moving. I read hundreds of internet posts regarding this problem and so far have yet to see anyone get the problem resolved, including myself. I'm fearful that this odor is a sever safety hazard.*ak
First incident: engine will stop running when you hit a bump or let off the gas fast. Although intermittent this occurred numerous times. This causes vehicle to loose power steering, and power brakes. Took vehicle to local dealer for repair and per the ford motor company hotline they "remove batt. & air cleaner to acess wire harness to check for chafing none found at this time per hot line report # 5eye7001"
Recalls on the 2005 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Ford F-350 SD, affecting an estimated 33,091 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover steering, exterior lighting:tail lights, electrical system:wiring and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fitt. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
STEERING
102 vehicles 2020-12-09- Defect
- Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.
- Consequence
- If the steering locks, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Icon will notify owners, and dealers will install a new shock assembly with a revised foam ring and steel support disc, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Icon customer service at 1-951-689-4266.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
26,715 vehicles 2011-07-13- Defect
- 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)…
- Consequence
- 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
180,104 vehicles 2005-06-10- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
78,675 vehicles 2005-06-09- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2005 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2005 — 79th riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 25 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1999 comes out best at 63 and 2012 worst at 81, with 2005 itself at 72.
If the model year is negotiable, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2016, 2001, 2025 and 2023 score lower than 2005 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1999–2007 generation specifically, 1999 is the strongest year at 63 and 2006 the weakest at 75.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1999-2007 generation, 1999 Ford F-350 SD scores best at 63 and 2006 Ford F-350 SD worst at 75.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other wheel or tire problem from about 7k, other powertrain problem from about 8k, other suspension problem from about 9k and other engine problem from about 19k.
On a 2005 Ford F-350 SD with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other wheel or tire problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.
The limits of complaint data
269 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 269 reports, 239 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 89% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Ford F-350 SD?
The most-reported failures are other suspension problem (36 reports, median 30,000 miles), other steering problem (34 reports, median 47,500 miles) and other engine problem (28 reports, median 35,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford F-350 SD problems start?
Other suspension problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 30,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 10,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 42,000 miles.
Is the 2005 Ford F-350 SD reliable?
It scores 72 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 79th riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2005 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Ford F-350 SD is best?
Within the 1999–2007 generation, 1999 scores best at 63 out of 100 and 2006 worst at 75. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed