Ford F-250 SD Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 126 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Ford F-250 SD across 26 model years. The 2017 model year has the most (17). The words owners use most often: “death wobble” (10% of reports).
- 126service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 52%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.
- Death wobble: mentioned in 13 of 126 complaints (10%)
- Trailer brakes: mentioned in 11 of 126 complaints (9%)
- Super duty: mentioned in 10 of 126 complaints (8%)
- Brake controller: mentioned in 7 of 126 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 82 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 126 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford F-250 SD service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-250 SD | 3 | 33% | — |
| 2025 F-250 SD | 5 | 29% | — |
| 2024 F-250 SD | 6 | 15% | — |
| 2023 F-250 SD | 7 | 16% | — |
| 2022 F-250 SD | 6 | 5% | — |
| 2021 F-250 SD | 6 | 4% | 33 |
| 2020 F-250 SD | 3 | 1% | 80 |
| 2019 F-250 SD | 11 | 1% | 13,000 |
| 2018 F-250 SD | 4 | 1% | 23,500 |
| 2017 F-250 SD | 17 | 1% | 23,000 |
| 2016 F-250 SD | 3 | 1% | 2,500 |
| 2015 F-250 SD | 12 | 4% | 40,500 |
| 2014 F-250 SD | 2 | 8% | 34,083 |
| 2013 F-250 SD | 1 | 5% | 11,750 |
| 2012 F-250 SD | 4 | 7% | 49,000 |
| 2011 F-250 SD | 4 | 3% | 30,200 |
| 2009 F-250 SD | 1 | 4% | 40,000 |
| 2008 F-250 SD | 8 | 6% | 45,500 |
| 2007 F-250 SD | 1 | 2% | 400 |
| 2006 F-250 SD | 7 | 3% | 80,608 |
| 2005 F-250 SD | 3 | 1% | 54,000 |
| 2004 F-250 SD | 2 | 1% | 139,500 |
| 2003 F-250 SD | 2 | 1% | 111,000 |
| 2002 F-250 SD | 5 | 2% | 74,000 |
| 2001 F-250 SD | 2 | 1% | 101,373 |
| 2000 F-250 SD | 1 | 0% | 233,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkagesDo not drive
Model years: 2025
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 F-550 SD, F-450 SD, F-350 SD, and F-250 SD vehicles. The brake booster pushrod retaining spring may not have been installed, which can allow the pushrod to disconnect from the brake pedal and cause a sudden loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems" and 105, "Hydraulic and electric brake systems."
Risk: A sudden loss of brake function increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. Dealers will inspect and repair the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C26.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Wrench light on dash comes on sporadically with message that there is a powertrain malfunction / reduced power. It said the system has detected a powertrain or 4 WD fault. Reduced power may put both the driver and others at risk depending on the area in which this occurs, ex interstate. Dealer has…
While driving, multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously â ABS, brake, and all driver assist/safety systems â and the drive mode drops to Standard Locked. During these events the anti-lock braking, stability control, traction control, and trailer sway control systems appear to go…
The dealer had attempted to repair the recall 26C10 on my truck that tows daily. The team has attempted to fix this problem with 3 service visits and performed multiple software flashes for Recall 26C10 which have failed to fix the safety defect. The trailer module hardware is bricked. Now Iâm…
After the vehicle was jumpstarted the vehicle failed to correctly enter gear- when shifting into reverse it instead rolled forward downhill. The following systems also displayed failure warnings: ABS Traction Control Parking Brake ( Parking brake also showed as activated when it was not active- it…
2k miles on a new 2026 ford transit. While in traffic there was sudden braking I had plenty of space in front of me (also reported by the driver in front of me) I was not able to stop in time which resulted in rear ending another driver. My abs acted extremely loose, as if I was on ice on a clear…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-250 SDs have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 126 owner complaints about service brakes 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 service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Ford F-250 SD?
The most frequent phrase is “death wobble”, in 13 of 126 complaints, followed by “trailer brakes” (11).
Other Ford F-250 SD problems
- Steering problems (2,485)
- Suspension problems (2,211)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (692)
- Electrical System problems (500)
- Power Train problems (457)
- Engine problems (323)
- Wheels problems (284)
- Tires problems (244)
See all Ford F-250 SD problems.