Ford F-250 SD Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 500 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Ford F-250 SD across 30 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (56). The words owners use most often: “super duty” (13% of reports).
- 500electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 6related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 46%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Super duty: mentioned in 63 of 500 complaints (13%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 34 of 500 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Ford F-250 SD at $1,550, and half of them between $810 and $3,600.
Based on 20 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 341 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 500 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 63 a fire, 7 an injury.
Ford F-250 SD electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-250 SD | 4 | 44% | — |
| 2025 F-250 SD | 2 | 12% | — |
| 2024 F-250 SD | 10 | 25% | — |
| 2023 F-250 SD | 13 | 30% | 500 |
| 2022 F-250 SD | 19 | 15% | 10,715 |
| 2021 F-250 SD | 18 | 11% | 47,500 |
| 2020 F-250 SD | 27 | 10% | 9,600 |
| 2019 F-250 SD | 33 | 3% | 32,500 |
| 2018 F-250 SD | 9 | 2% | 28,500 |
| 2017 F-250 SD | 54 | 5% | 36,000 |
| 2016 F-250 SD | 25 | 9% | 53,500 |
| 2015 F-250 SD | 9 | 3% | 50,000 |
| 2014 F-250 SD | 1 | 4% | 38,543 |
| 2013 F-250 SD | 3 | 14% | 11,608 |
| 2012 F-250 SD | 10 | 18% | 39,900 |
| 2011 F-250 SD | 6 | 5% | 63,000 |
| 2010 F-250 SD | 2 | 6% | 26,500 |
| 2008 F-250 SD | 9 | 6% | 49,000 |
| 2007 F-250 SD | 1 | 2% | 1,200 |
| 2006 F-250 SD | 9 | 3% | 32,000 |
| 2005 F-250 SD | 32 | 11% | 68,250 |
| 2004 F-250 SD | 56 | 22% | 80,620 |
| 2003 F-250 SD | 14 | 8% | 35,000 |
| 2002 F-250 SD | 29 | 12% | 92,994 |
| 2001 F-250 SD | 39 | 14% | 78,912 |
| 2000 F-250 SD | 23 | 10% | 80,000 |
| 1999 F-250 SD | 34 | 14% | 96,000 |
| 1997 F-250 SD | 6 | 15% | 88,700 |
| 1996 F-250 SD | 1 | 9% | 104,000 |
| 1995 F-250 SD | 2 | 22% | 187,872 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (6)
Exterior lighting:tail lights; electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
Model years: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driverâs ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Model years: 2025, 2026
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 F-550 SD, F-450 SD, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, and 2025 F-150 vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may fail at startup.
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information, such as warning lights or vehicle speed, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The instrument panel cluster software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S88.
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
Model years: 2022
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V-193. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
Risk: Loss of trailer brake functionality can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S18.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Model years: 2023
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
Model years: 2022
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
Risk: Loss of trailer brake functionality could result in extended stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S17.
Electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2004, 2005
Problem: 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.
Risk: Should the engine stall, a vehicle crash could occur.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2024 Ford F-250 SD. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that while towing a trailer, several messages and warning lights were displayed informing the contact that the trailer was…
My 2016 Ford F250 was flagged under safety recall notice 25S89, NHTSA recall 25V572 for the issue of where the backup camera could display a blank/distorted image, or message that the rear view camera is unavailable. The camera on my F250 has not completely failed, but has exhibited the known…
I am filing a complaint against Capital Auto Mall Premier regarding the sale of a 2019 Ford F\-250 Lariat \(VIN [XXX]\) that I purchased on XXX. The vehicle was represented as being in good working condition at the time of sale. However, almost immediately after taking possession of the vehicle, I…
A Ford Dealer came on a mobile call the replace the Clock spring in the steering wheel. It was an recall NHTSA # 22V337 ------- Manufactures # 22S35 They replaced it and now nothing works on my steering wheel. Dealer came to pick up my truck and take it to the Dealership. Has not been repaired yet .
I took a functional vehicle to Swant Graber Ford in Barron, WI in on [XXX] for Recall 24S78 and since then I have had numerous vehicle issues involving the PCM that they flashed. I have up to 16 different codes when the check engine light comes on including numerous communication U-codes indicating…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-250 SDs have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 500 owner complaints about electrical system for the Ford F-250 SD. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford F-250 SD electrical system?
Yes: 6 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Ford F-250 SD?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $810 and $3,600), from 20 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Ford F-250 SD?
The most frequent phrase is “super duty”, in 63 of 500 complaints, followed by “wiring harness” (34).
Other Ford F-250 SD problems
- Steering problems (2,485)
- Suspension problems (2,211)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (692)
- Power Train problems (455)
- Engine problems (322)
- Wheels problems (284)
- Tires problems (244)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (225)
See all Ford F-250 SD problems.