Ford F-350 Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the Ford F-350 across 18 model years. The 1999 model year has the most (15). The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (15% of reports).
- 111vehicle speed control complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 55%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 17 of 111 complaints (15%)
- Fire department: mentioned in 7 of 111 complaints (6%)
- Total loss: mentioned in 6 of 111 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 57 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 111 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 23 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford F-350 vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 F-350 | 3 | 3% | 7,352 |
| 2013 F-350 | 1 | 1% | 156,000 |
| 2012 F-350 | 5 | 3% | 70,500 |
| 2011 F-350 | 5 | 4% | 34,500 |
| 2009 F-350 | 1 | 4% | 50,000 |
| 2008 F-350 | 2 | 2% | 7,838 |
| 2007 F-350 | 1 | 3% | 36 |
| 2006 F-350 | 2 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2005 F-350 | 2 | 2% | 52,500 |
| 2004 F-350 | 13 | 8% | 19,850 |
| 2003 F-350 | 13 | 14% | 25,000 |
| 2002 F-350 | 7 | 6% | 41,651 |
| 2001 F-350 | 8 | 5% | 137,500 |
| 2000 F-350 | 9 | 3% | 182,000 |
| 1999 F-350 | 15 | 4% | 288,000 |
| 1997 F-350 | 8 | 5% | 105,000 |
| 1996 F-350 | 12 | 9% | 108,500 |
| 1995 F-350 | 4 | 3% | 91,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
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 or burn and an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)
Vehicle speed control
Model years: 1999
Problem: Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from may 29, 1996 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc or 5.0l engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5l, 3.0l ffv/efi or 4.0l engines and cruise control built from january 5, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 mustangs equipped with 3.8l, 4.6l 2-valve or 4-valve engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1999 f250/f350/f450/f550 (over 8,500 lbs.) trucks equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; and 1999 f-53 stripped chassis equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999. A cruise control cable can interfere with the speed control servo pulley and not allow the throttle to return to idle when disengaging the cruise control.
Risk: If the cruise control is used and this condition is present, a stuck throttle could result, which could potentially result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
I was on the road and I hit a bump on the freeway only going between 55 and 65 mph and the Truck immediately started to whobble out of control I almost hit the car next to me because I could not control it . It was a life and death experience I could never shake off . I spoke to the dealer and they…
Lost control of steering braking and speed .it has happen 3 times twice with my son . 1st time was about a month prior to the big one . Driving in a construction zone. So not about 45mph hit a pothole brakes started intermittently hitting all different sides . Very difficult to control. Almost hit…
Driving on the highway at 70 mph. The steering wheel wobbled out of control which made it so i could not control the vehicle. I applied the brake but it didn't respond until the truck slowed. Cars were serving off the road and i was within seconds of a very serious accident with 2 of my children. I…
I was driving and my steering arms caught on fire.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-350s have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 111 owner complaints about vehicle speed control 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 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-350?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 17 of 111 complaints, followed by “fire department” (7).
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)
- Electrical System problems (152)
See all Ford F-350 problems.