AI Damage2008 Ford F Super Duty: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Ford F Super Duty filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 31
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 32% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 26% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- Steering: 10 complaints (32% of all).
- Engine: 8 complaints (26% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (16% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 31 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My f250 when I was exiting foot on brake to slow down the steering wheel locked up and almost went off the road this is not the first time it has happened everytime I hit the brake and try to turn the wheel locks
Randomly and without warning a green wrench light came on my dashboard while I was driving on a busy highway. Date was 12/1/2015. I lost power and had to pull over on the side of the highway. There was no power when I tried to accelerate. There was no response when I would step on the gas pedal.
While travelling on a straight, slightly downhill, dry section of highway at a speed of approximately 40 miles per hour, an exaggerated shaking began on the passenger side front tire of the vehicle. This quickly became an almost uncontrollable bouncing of the truck.
(federal couragiam a/t lt 285/70r17) we also purchased a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty. Apparently defective tires are not included in this warranty. Tires are bubbling on inside sidewall. Took vehicle to tire service location and was told to replace tire immediatly. This was just a couple of weeks ago.
During the course of driving down the road the engine shut off and the truck lost all power. Required steering off the highway and stopping with the loss of all power steering and brake assist. In traffic. Truck would not restart once was pulled off onto side of highway.
The rear calipers were sticking and the brakes overheated to the point of failure. Failure of the rear brakes is a common and pervasive problem with ford f350 trucks of this model year. There needs to be a safety recall of these trucks.
Throttle stuck in excel mode and excessive white smoke from tail pipe. Ford stated to look deeper into engine and stated they can not fine problem to vehicle. Instructed to buy new engine. This diesel engine should not had gone bad with 30, 000 miles on it.
Front brakes over heated saw, smoke on left front , stopped to find both front calipers were hanging up. Replace both calipers and brake fluid.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,741 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the F Super Duty has 20 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 31, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- F Super Duty 19928 sources
- F Super Duty 19933 sources
- F Super Duty 199420 sources
- F Super Duty 199512 sources
- F Super Duty 19968 sources
- F Super Duty 199724 sources
- F Super Duty 199814 sources
- F Super Duty 199993 sources
- F Super Duty 200063 sources
- F Super Duty 200132 sources
- F Super Duty 200234 sources
- F Super Duty 200327 sources
- F Super Duty 200414 sources
- F Super Duty 200527 sources
- F Super Duty 99994 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Ford F Super Duty?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 31. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), steering or power steering problems (13%), vibration (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Ford F Super Duty?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Ford F Super Duty from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.