Ford F-350 SD Engine Problems
Owners have filed 220 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Ford F-350 SD across 26 model years. The 2015 model year has the most (38). The words owners use most often: “motive power” (5% of reports).
- 220engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $5,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 60%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.
- Motive power: mentioned in 11 of 220 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Ford F-350 SD at $5,250, and half of them between $1,200 and $11,650.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2026), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 131 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 220 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 23 a fire, 5 an injury.
Ford F-350 SD engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-350 SD | 1 | 13% | — |
| 2025 F-350 SD | 2 | 14% | — |
| 2024 F-350 SD | 4 | 9% | 8,000 |
| 2023 F-350 SD | 3 | 7% | 192,000 |
| 2022 F-350 SD | 11 | 10% | 129,370 |
| 2021 F-350 SD | 15 | 15% | 85,000 |
| 2020 F-350 SD | 14 | 7% | 113,000 |
| 2019 F-350 SD | 18 | 4% | 57,000 |
| 2018 F-350 SD | 7 | 3% | 49,500 |
| 2017 F-350 SD | 22 | 4% | 24,465 |
| 2016 F-350 SD | 22 | 11% | 49,111 |
| 2015 F-350 SD | 38 | 18% | 51,992 |
| 2014 F-350 SD | 1 | 14% | 40,000 |
| 2013 F-350 SD | 2 | 22% | 500 |
| 2012 F-350 SD | 3 | 10% | 44,500 |
| 2011 F-350 SD | 9 | 21% | 65,000 |
| 2010 F-350 SD | 7 | 14% | 73,010 |
| 2009 F-350 SD | 1 | 5% | 140,000 |
| 2008 F-350 SD | 10 | 10% | 62,000 |
| 2007 F-350 SD | 1 | 4% | 130,000 |
| 2006 F-350 SD | 5 | 4% | 96,000 |
| 2005 F-350 SD | 8 | 4% | 52,000 |
| 2004 F-350 SD | 7 | 5% | 150,000 |
| 2003 F-350 SD | 4 | 3% | 100,300 |
| 2002 F-350 SD | 3 | 2% | 150,000 |
| 2000 F-350 SD | 2 | 1% | 123,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Engine; equipment:electrical
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.
Equipment; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Somerset Welding & Steel, doing business as J&J Truck equipment (J&J), is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty chassis with 6.8L gasoline engines modified by J&J to be equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket covering the exhaust.
Risk: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.
Fix: Somerset will notify owners, and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began August 2014. Owner's may contact Somerset customer service at 1-800-777-2671.
Equipment; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline
Model years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Utility Truck Equipment Company, LLC (Utility Truck) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 UTLI41A, 2011 UTLN41, and 2012 UTLN46 aerial trucks manufactured December 2010 to September 2013 equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies installed on 2010-2013 Ford F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket covering the exhaust.
Risk: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.
Fix: Utility Truck will notify owners, and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began in June 2014. Owners may contact Utility Truck customer service at 1-254-857-8813.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel
Model years: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle may function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 29, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Failed Component & Availability for Inspection: The Bosch CP4 high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failed internally, shedding metallic debris throughout the entire fuel system. This matches the exact defect in NHTSA Recall 24V-957 and Ford Safety Recalls 24S78 and 26S17. The failing CP4 pump and eight…
On June 9, 2026, the vehicle received a PCM reprogramming under Ford Recall 21E01. Before the update, the transmission had no symptoms: no slipping, no warning lights, and no diagnostic trouble codes. Between June 9 and August 11, the vehicle accumulated 1,894 miles. On August 11, 2026, while…
Vehicle lost complete power unexpectedly.
I have contacted my dealer several times over the past year, and filed a complaint with Ford Motor Company's, Office of General Counsel. To date, NO response from Ford. The dealer relies on Ford for the fix. This is an alarming issue, in that the failure will be mostly unexpected and perhaps…
Wife was driving the truck(I was the passenger) while towing our dump trailer. After approx 100 miles into this trip the dash showed a "Reduced Engine Power Warning", and then shuddered. That was immediately followed by a "Service Engine Soon" warning on the dash, and the truck shut down as we were…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-350 SDs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 220 owner complaints about engine for the Ford F-350 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-350 SD engine?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Ford F-350 SD?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,250 (half paid between $1,200 and $11,650), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Ford F-350 SD?
The most frequent phrase is “motive power”, in 11 of 220 complaints.
Other Ford F-350 SD problems
- Steering problems (1,091)
- Suspension problems (868)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (368)
- Electrical System problems (332)
- Power Train problems (288)
- Tires problems (247)
- Wheels problems (222)
- Fuel System, Diesel problems (197)
See all Ford F-350 SD problems.