Ford F-350 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Ford F-350 across 18 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (19). The words owners use most often: “caught fire” (7% of reports).
- 152electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- 45%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.
- Caught fire: mentioned in 11 of 152 complaints (7%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 9 of 152 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 97 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 152 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 37 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford F-350 electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 F-350 | 6 | 7% | 108,250 |
| 2013 F-350 | 2 | 3% | 46,597 |
| 2012 F-350 | 6 | 4% | 58,500 |
| 2011 F-350 | 11 | 8% | 72,000 |
| 2009 F-350 | 1 | 4% | 180,000 |
| 2008 F-350 | 4 | 3% | 71,715 |
| 2007 F-350 | 4 | 11% | 7,528 |
| 2006 F-350 | 7 | 5% | 60,000 |
| 2005 F-350 | 15 | 13% | 123,000 |
| 2004 F-350 | 19 | 12% | 60,942 |
| 2003 F-350 | 11 | 12% | 16,000 |
| 2002 F-350 | 14 | 12% | 62,901 |
| 2001 F-350 | 10 | 6% | 127,500 |
| 2000 F-350 | 10 | 3% | 87,000 |
| 1999 F-350 | 8 | 2% | 63,000 |
| 1997 F-350 | 7 | 5% | 164,000 |
| 1996 F-350 | 8 | 6% | 227,000 |
| 1995 F-350 | 9 | 7% | 120,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Electrical system
Model years: 2009
Problem: Monroe Truck Equipment (Monroe) is recalling certain model year 2006, 2008 and 2009 Chevrolet C7500 vehicles, 2005-2006 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles, and 2009 Ford F-350, and F-450 vehicles, equipped with Sure Power-brand battery equalizers or DC-DC converters containing a particular epoxy sealing, aka 'potting', compound. The specific potting compound used in the subject products for insulation was found to be capable of conducting electricity after being exposed to heat.
Risk: Once electrically conductive, the material is capable of melting and burning, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Monroe will notify owners, and Sure Power will replace the equalizers or converters, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2014. Owners may contact Monroe at 1-608-328-8127.
Electrical system:software
Model years: 2011
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ford f-150, f-250, f-350, f-450, f-550, edge, and lincoln mkx trucks manufactured from october 25, 2010, through november 20, 2010. These vehicles were inspected using integrated diagnostic system (ids) that had a custom software routine to read the suspect body control module (bcm) serial number. Based on the serial number the bcm was either not affected or replaced. The custom software routine was not reading the correct set of characters, and was not able to identify a bcm that required replacement affected bcms may have the potential for an internal short.
Risk: If an electrical short develops, an overheating condition may occur which could result in a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealer will inspect the body control module and if necessary replace it free of charge. The safety recall began on march 7, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
Model years: 2008
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with a 6.4l diesel engine, insufficient clearance of the battery positive (b+) wire to the right hand splash shield bolt may result in the battery b+ wire contacting the splash shield bolt.
Risk: Long term contact could cause wire chafe, resulting in copper wire being exposed. If this condition occurs, the battery b+ wire could short to ground increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the battery b+ wire location and, if necessary, reposition the wire. The recall began on april 3, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
Model years: 2003
Problem: On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with 6.0l diesel engines, the engine ground stud that attaches the negative battery terminal eyelet to the engine block may be loose.
Risk: If the ground wire is loose, electrical current may flow to the radio suppression strap causing it to heat and potentially melt or ignite adjacent components which could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine ground stud and the radio suppression strap and adjacent components will be inspected for damage and replaced, if necessary. The recall began on july 23, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Model years: 1999
Problem: Vehicle description: supercab pickup trucks. The positive battery cable is taped to the negative cable which contains a clip to secure the assembly to the side frame rail. If incorrectly positioned, the positive battery cable can contact the air conditioning compressor pulley.
Risk: If the cable wears, a complete electrical system failure can occur and potential sparking and/or ignition of flammable material.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and/or modify the battery cable clips to ensure that they are properly located.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was under the truck working on it and the truck was on I had the emergency brake on and the truck went into reverse and ran me over
Odometer Fraud. The contact called on behalf of his client, who purchased a 2011 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while the client was in the process of selling the vehicle to a dealer, the dealer retrieved the Carfax report and informed the client that the odometer had been rolled back and that…
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 76 MPH with his wife in the front passenger seat, the vehicle shuddered uncontrollably and stalled. The contact and his wife were concerned for their safety. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact…
Since my vehicle has been in warranty I've had intermittent issues where my vehicle loses track of what gear its in and forces downshift to 1st gear. For the most part this only happened when I was going slower speeds. I told my Ford dealer about it but they said there were no recalls for it. On…
Vehicle stalls while driving and wont start again suddenly while operating. Fuel injectors wonât feed fuel line to restart or operate. Occasional start but then stalls continuously until battery dies from trying. Will start when priming the carburetor however will not stay running and stalls out.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-350s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 152 owner complaints about electrical system for the Ford F-350. 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 electrical system?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Ford F-350?
The most frequent phrase is “caught fire”, in 11 of 152 complaints, followed by “wiring harness” (9).
Other Ford F-350 problems
- Steering problems (514)
- Suspension problems (397)
- Tires problems (382)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (313)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (252)
- Power Train problems (237)
- Engine problems (162)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (111)
See all Ford F-350 problems.