Ford F-250 SD Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 161 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the Ford F-250 SD across 26 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (17). The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (25% of reports).
- 161vehicle speed control complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 61%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.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 41 of 161 complaints (25%)
- Super duty: mentioned in 22 of 161 complaints (14%)
- Death wobble: mentioned in 15 of 161 complaints (9%)
- Caught fire: mentioned in 12 of 161 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 127 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 161 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 29 a fire, 7 an injury.
Ford F-250 SD vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 F-250 SD | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 F-250 SD | 4 | 9% | 4,500 |
| 2022 F-250 SD | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2021 F-250 SD | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 F-250 SD | 5 | 2% | 6,050 |
| 2019 F-250 SD | 14 | 1% | 20,000 |
| 2018 F-250 SD | 4 | 1% | 527 |
| 2017 F-250 SD | 11 | 1% | 25,000 |
| 2016 F-250 SD | 3 | 1% | 37,006 |
| 2015 F-250 SD | 3 | 1% | 10,000 |
| 2013 F-250 SD | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2012 F-250 SD | 1 | 2% | 20,000 |
| 2011 F-250 SD | 4 | 3% | 30,500 |
| 2008 F-250 SD | 6 | 4% | 7,416 |
| 2007 F-250 SD | 1 | 2% | 25,000 |
| 2006 F-250 SD | 3 | 1% | 38,000 |
| 2005 F-250 SD | 10 | 3% | 18,554 |
| 2004 F-250 SD | 17 | 7% | 35,000 |
| 2003 F-250 SD | 10 | 6% | 14,000 |
| 2002 F-250 SD | 14 | 6% | 54,300 |
| 2001 F-250 SD | 11 | 4% | 75,000 |
| 2000 F-250 SD | 15 | 6% | 129,000 |
| 1999 F-250 SD | 8 | 3% | 122,903 |
| 1997 F-250 SD | 7 | 18% | 150,000 |
| 1996 F-250 SD | 2 | 18% | 131,000 |
| 1995 F-250 SD | 1 | 11% | 230,401 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Vehicle speed control
Model years: 2003
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
Risk: Overheating could result in smoke, burn, or an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on march 12, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. (note: also see recalls 05v017, 05v388, and 06v286)
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
driving on two lane road with low visibility - car lost power and stopped in road- ford refused to cover repairs /tow for over one year vehicle sat - they compromised with us paying half for new engine -
when passing another vehicle in a passing zone, with gas pedal fully depressed, there is a 2 or 3 second lag time after releasing the gas pedal before the truck actually stops accelerating. this has happened since I bought the truck brand new from the dealership. first few times it happened it…
Speedometer not working correctly analog and digital do no match. Trailer brake and lighting module failure warnings displayed. Both have been looked at by Ford Dealership, twice. You donât know what is true, you canât rely on any warning lights as all have proven wrong. I am in the process of…
Intermittent delay in throttle response. Sometimes the delay is nonexistent or nearly imperceptible, other times the delay can be 2 seconds or more. Is very dangerous when trying to merge with flowing traffic. Occurs most often with the steering wheels turned and accelerating from stop, but has…
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while entering light traffic, the transmission became stuck between gears. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond or move. The vehicle was restarted and worked as designed. There were no warning lights…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-250 SDs have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 161 owner complaints about vehicle speed control 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 vehicle speed control?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the Ford F-250 SD?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 41 of 161 complaints, followed by “super duty” (22).
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.