2015 Ford F-350 SD: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2015 Ford F-350 SD
On the 2015 Ford F-350 SD, the failure owners report most often is other steering problem, and the reports cluster around 67,500 miles. The earliest to appear is DPF, EGR or DEF system failure, reported by a median of 35,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2015.
High risk for a 2015 — 185th riskiest of the 273 2015 vehicles we can rate. 315 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2015 Ford F-350 SD
Owners have reported 40 named failure modes on the 2015 Ford F-350 SD, and the three most-reported carry 46% of everything filed.
Other steering problem leads with 61 reports, about 2.1 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 53k to 85,000 miles.
Other suspension problem follows with 61 reports, usually reported between 48k to 100,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 22 reports, usually reported between 17k to 85,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into suspension (67), steering (65) and engine (35).
When these failures get reported
173 of the reports on the 2015 Ford F-350 SD came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 55,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 42% by 50,000 miles, 80% by 100,000 miles and 97% 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.
31% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: DPF, EGR or DEF system failure around 35k, other fuel system problem around 36k, other engine problem around 54k and other powertrain problem around 56k.
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 40. 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
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 5 mention a crash, 8 a fire and 1 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 3.75, 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 steering problem at $350–$2,400, other suspension problem at $350–$2,000, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other fuel system problem at $300–$2,200. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
18% 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 steering problem | steering | 61 | 31 | 53k | 68k | 84k | 2.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 61 | 24 | 48k | 74k | 99k | 2.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 22 | 16 | 17k | 54k | 83k | 0.8 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 18 | 13 | 10k | 36k | 55k | 0.6 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 14 | 10 | 14k | 56k | 84k | 0.5 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 13 | 5 | — | 55k | — | 0.5 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| DPF, EGR or DEF system failure | emissions | 11 | 10 | 7k | 35k | 51k | 0.4 | $800–$5,000 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 7 | 5 | — | 74k | — | 0.2 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 7 | 4 | — | 30k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 5 | 5 | — | 11k | — | 0.2 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 5 | 2 | — | 15k | — | 0.2 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 5 | 3 | — | 389k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 5 | 3 | — | 90k | — | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Turbocharger or supercharger failure | engine | 4 | 4 | — | 124k | — | 0.1 | $1,500–$4,500 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 4 | 4 | — | 62k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 3 | 1 | — | 61k | — | 0.1 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Engine knock or bearing noise | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 8k | — | 0.1 | $2,500–$9,000 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 3 | 2 | — | 73k | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 3 | 3 | — | 650 | — | 0.1 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 3 | 2 | — | 83k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 150k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 8k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 2 | 1 | — | 40k | — | 0.1 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 2 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 112k | — | 0.0 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 125k | — | 0.0 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Heater core failure | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,400 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Alignment fault and uneven tire wear | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 1 | 1 | — | 135k | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 23 | 12 | 10k | 24k | 56k | 0.8 | — | 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 2015 Ford F-350 SD draws about 11 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 91st percentile of complaint rates among 2015 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 28,557 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2015 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 steering problem
My 2015 is experiencing the death wobble! It's when the pickup starts shaking violently and you can't hang on to the steering wheel! With that being said I have put on new shocks, replaced the track bar, new steering stabilizer shock, new shocks, going to get a third alignment, and new tires and still have the death wobble! The rest of the front end is in good shape! I'm just asking for some help from ford! Thank you!
Steering wheel will randomly stick when turning right or left. When this happens it feels like flat tire and you have to muscle the steering wheel back the opposite way and then you can't control that. Just had front end rebuilt at tri-state ford in maryville missouri where we purchased it new and didn't fix the problem. Done it 3 times yesterday april 19 2018 almost causing us the hit another vehicle. At a stop sign turning left it stuck causing us to veer into opposing lane in front of another vehicle. Fought to correct this and then it caused us to shoot back right onto the shoulder. We spent almost $1,200 dollars to fix this issue and it has not been corrected and of course it's not under warranty 😡
Other suspension problem
2015 ford f350 super duty, full size bed. This truck will bounce like crazy on the highway if it is concrete, or asphalt covered concrete. It starts about 60mph and if I speed up it will go away at about 75mph. This bounce is very frustrating and makes me upset, mad and embarrassed that such a nice truck that cost so much money would have this issue. It is not just my truck, by far there are many, many, many of them with this issue and not limited to late or early model trucks. Search google for this issue and you will be as surprised as I was to how many there are and how long this has been going on!!! I have replaced the shocks with bilstein shocks, added 2" leveling kit to front springs, replaced steering damper shock with bilstein also, changed tires and rims 3 different times with no change in issue. The only thing that changed with the new bilstein shocks was not good either- now with the new shocks on the truck bounces more and sooner with my medium sized dump trailer connected. Before the shock change, if there was a load in the bed or trailer connected there was no bounce to deal with. I love this truck and have spent…
When traveling at highway speeds vehicle begins to bounce. The bounce is clearly coming from rear end of vehicle. I have done some research into the issue and have found other year have had this issue and is solved by a damper attached to the trailer hitch.
Other engine problem
Bought truck brand new in december 2014. At approx. 5,000 (still during the diesel engine break in period) while driving thru an intersection in traffic the truck and motor started violently shaking/bucking with the motor making a loud knocking noise- the truck then had a total loss of power in which I was unable to safely accelerate. The truck then went to the dealer in which I was told they could find nothing wrong. The truck now been in an out of the shop numerous times because the problem keeps occurring. Ford released a tsb stating that its normal for their trucks to experience "rough running" during the exhaust regen cycle. The experiences that have occurred with my truck have no correlation to the regen cycle and seem to happen at random times. The truck has become dangerous to drive and pull my horses with as the shaking/bucking is so violent and with a loss of power and unable to accelerate its scary to even attempt to drive in traffic.
At times while driving at 50-55 miles per hour when "cleaning exhaust filter" message comes on, the engine will shake and knock violently. This happens intermittently and am unable to recreate the problem at the dealership. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it feels like you have four flat tires and it is very violent. Ford said this is normal, I know it's not. We live on very narrow and winding roads in the mountains. I'm afraid that if this happens on snowy or icy roads conditions the vehicle will be very had to control. This has happened 4 times. The date below is the last time it happened, mileage was 6,865. This first happened at about 4500 miles. Seems to happen at about 400-600 miles.
Recalls on the 2015 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2015 Ford F-350 SD, affecting an estimated 29,974 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 back over prevention: sensing system: camera, steering and power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/t. 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.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
1,456,417 vehicles 2025-09-03- Defect
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
- Consequence
- A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
6,322 vehicles 2015-03-25- Defect
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks manufactured February 22, 2010, to January 30, 2015, and equipped with ambulance or fire engine preparation packages. The affected vehicles may detect an incorrect Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor (EGT) fault indicating that the vehicle is too hot, causing the engine management system to shut down the engine and prevent its immediate restart.
- Consequence
- Engine shut down and a subsequent cool down period may delay medical treatment or assistance to those needing it, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S09.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
3,973 vehicles 2014-04-17- Defect
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks manufactured September 13, 2013, through March 28, 2014, and equipped with 6.2L gasoline or 6.7L diesel engines and 6R140 transmissions. An error with the transmission control software may be such that while shifting from "Park" to "Drive" the vehicle may display "Drive" but possibly engage "Reverse" for 1.5 seconds before engaging "Drive." Therefore, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift…
- Consequence
- If the vehicle is in "Reverse" while the while the gear selection shows "Drive," unexpected movement could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the transmission software, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2014. Owners may contact Fords customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C04.
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 2015 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
How 2015 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2015 — 185th riskiest of the 273 2015 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
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 2015 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2016 score lower than 2015 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 2015–2019 generation specifically, 2016 is the strongest year at 66 and 2019 the weakest at 78.
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 2015-2019 generation, 2016 Ford F-350 SD scores best at 66 and 2019 Ford F-350 SD worst at 78.
Where to spend the inspection money
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: DPF, EGR or DEF system failure from about 7k, other fuel system problem from about 10k, other powertrain problem from about 14k and other engine problem from about 17k.
On a 2015 Ford F-350 SD with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether DPF, EGR or DEF system failure 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.
What this page cannot tell you
315 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 315 reports, 173 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 55% 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 2015 Ford F-350 SD?
The most-reported failures are other steering problem (61 reports, median 67,500 miles), other suspension problem (61 reports, median 75,000 miles) and other engine problem (22 reports, median 55,000 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 2015 Ford F-350 SD problems start?
Dpf, egr or def system failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 35,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 5,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 55,000 miles.
Is the 2015 Ford F-350 SD reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 185th riskiest of the 273 2015 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2015 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 2015–2019 generation, 2016 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 2019 worst at 78. 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