2008 Ford F-150
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 369 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 26 F-150 model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 39 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 46 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine coolingOct 8, 2008
ROUSH IS RECALLING 213 MY 2007-2008 FORD F-150 TRUCKS ALTERED TO OPERATE USING LIQUID PROPANE INJECTION. THE HYDRO-CARBON PAPER AFFIXED TO THE INSIDE OF THE AIRBOX LID WITH ADHESIVE MAY BECOME DISLODGED DURING OPERATION.
THIS FAILURE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, ILLUMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) AND, IN EXTREME CASES, A STALLING OF THE VEHICLE DURING OPERATION WITHOUT NOTICE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIRBOX LID WITH A NEW ONE THAT INCLUDES THE HYDRO-CARBON PAPER WHICH HAS BEEN AFFIXED USING AN ADHESIVE PROMOTER AND GREATER PRESSURE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 21, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ROUSH AT 1-866-307-6788.
Campaign 08V523000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
369 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 24, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2008 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH and rounding a right-hand bend, the steering wheel veered to the left direction. The contact stated the "tire pressure" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle crashed into a guard rail on the driver's side and flipped over the rail and landed on the driver's side. The contact said that there was damage to the front fender, driver's and passenger door, and rear quarter panel. The contact said he had received medical attention on-site for minor lacerations to his left hand and bruising on his left shoulder. The police wrote an incident report. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The contact said that a day prior to the crash he had smelled a burning smell coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle had not been diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 08V523000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Other or unspecified, Apr 21, 2022
The three rear brake lights stay on all the time, even after the truck is turned off and key removed. The malfunction is definitely available for inspection upon request. The safety of myself and others are put at risk, because vehicles behind me don't know when I'm actually applying the brake. This safety defect has been an issue (off and on} for the last 2 years. I'm apprehensive about taking my truck to a Ford Dealership, due to an expense that I shouldn't be responsible for. I have not been able to drive my truck for the last 3 months, due to this safety defect. My truck hasn't been inspected by police or insurance representatives, because I haven't been in a fatal accident yet. I'm the original owner.
Power train, Mar 10, 2021
THE REAR END WENT OUT CANNOT GO IN REVERSE
Air bags, Structure, Seats, Mar 9, 2021, crash
THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON AN EXIT ON INTERSTATE (I-610 LOOP SOUTH IN HOUSTON). MY SON CAME TO A STOP WHEN CAR IN FRONT STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THIS IS WHEN MY SON WAS REAR ENDED BY 2016 F-250 THAT WAS TOWING HORSE TRAILER. THIS PUSHED MY SON'S TRUCK INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. IMPACT COMPLETELY BUCKLED MY SON'S TRUCK BED AND DAMAGED THE FRONT AND THE INSIDE CABIN. BOTH THE FRONT SEATS BROKE (BACK RECLINING PORTION SNAPPED BACKWARD) PLUS NEITHER AIRBAGS INFLATED FROM THE IMPACT. SO MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD THE FRONT SEATS SNAP BACKWARDS (IS IT DESIGN FLAW?) AND WHY DIDN'T THE AIRBAGS INFLATE FROM THE IMPACT TO THE CAR IN FRONT? FROM THE DAMAGE TO ALL THE VEHICLES INVOLVED YOU CAN SEE THAT IT WAS A VERY HARD IMPACT.
Power train, Feb 22, 2021
CV ON RIGHT FRONT AXLE CLUNKING WHEN DRIFTING IN NEUTRAL IN MOTION ON CITY STREET GOING STRAIGHT
Air bags, Jan 22, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR MECHANIC TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,036.*DT*JB
Power train, Jan 21, 2021
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 82,000 MILES, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILEAGE IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY AND HAD TO SPEND OVER $5,000 FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. THE VEHICLE RARELY USED FOR TOWING AND NEVER OFF-ROAD AND HAS BEEN TREATED LIKE A BABY.
Other or unspecified, Dec 14, 2020
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALERSHIP IN VIRGINIA AND THERE IS EXTREME PREMATURE FRAME CORROSION AND RUST. THE EXTERIOR BODY DOES NOT EXHIBIT SPOTS OR SURFACE RUST ON VISIBLE BODY PANELS. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED AND IS CRACKED UNDER BED AND REAR WHEEL WELLS. THE FRAME MAY NO LONGER SUPPORT WEIGHT OF VEHICLE DUE TO THE RUST HOLES AND LONGITUDINAL CRACKS FORMED ON THE BOTTOM AND SIDE FRAME SURFACES AT THE STRESS POINT BEFORE THE REAR WHEEL BEND. THIS CAR WILL NOT PASS THE STATE INSPECTION. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS RECALLED 385,762 FORD ESCAPE MODELS-YEAR 2001-2004 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.
Structure, Oct 28, 2020
A PILLAR POST ASSIST HANDLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BROKE LOOSE WHEN I WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE,I FAILED BACK OUT THE VEHICLE HIT MY HEAD ON THE DRIVERS DOOR, THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE MY DRIVEWAY,THE ASSIST HANDLE WAS INSTALLED WITH SCREWS INTO PLASTIC NOT GOOD,COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL IT VEHICLE WAS ON CITY STREET OR A HIGHWAY,ETC
Latches/locks/linkages, Oct 23, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HELD THE DOOR HANDLE TO STEP UP INTO THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED. THE CONTACT FELL AND HIT HIS HEAD ON THE DOOR AND THEN FELL ONTO THE NEIGHBORING VEHICLE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT SOUGHT HOWEVER, THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM HEADACHES. THE CONTACT CONTACTED RICHMOND FORD WEST (10751 W BROAD ST, GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060; (804) 273-9700) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HANDLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.
Service brakes, Aug 25, 2020
BRAKES FAILED, TWICE. AUGUST 2020, AUGUST 2019. BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT AND BRAKE PETAL WENT TO FLOOR, BOTH TIMES. VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN PUT IN GEAR, BRAKE WENT TO FLOOR AFTER TWO SOFT PUMPS AS VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD.
Engine, May 24, 2020
MY TRUCK TIMING BELTS HAVE BIN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN THE LAS 3 YRS. IT STARTS BY MAKING THE ENGINE JUMP THE RPM GO BELOW 300 AND IT SHUTS OFF AS I APPROACH A STOP SIGN OR A LIGHT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER COMES ON IT JUST SHUTS OFF AND IT WONT DRIVE. *TR
Engine, Apr 27, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ON SOME OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ROUSH TRANSITION TO PROPANE ON THE FORD F-150. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V523000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
Service brakes, Apr 13, 2020
MY ABS/BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. A COUPLE OF WEEKS PRIOR TO THE LIGHTS APPEARED I TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE. MY COMPLAINT THE BRAKES FELT SPONGY WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES. I WAS INFORMED NO PROBLEM FOUND.
Structure, Service brakes, Apr 12, 2020
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS SINCE I BOUGHT TRUCK IN 09', A MONTH OR 2 AFTER I BOUGHT IT I HAD ROTORS CHANGED AND THEN EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS AFTER THAT. MY FRONT WHEELS ARE BLACK AFTER 2 WEEKS OF DRIVING. I HAVE NEVER PULLED A TRAILER WITH THIS TRUCK AND THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN USED LIGHTLY. ALSO AFTER 12 YEARS OLD, MECHANIC TOLD ME YESTERDAY I HAVE A YEAR OR 2 BEFORE MY FRAME IS GOING COMPLETELY RUSTED THRU AND BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *TR
Steering, Power train, Mar 22, 2020
CAM PHASERS WENT OUT TWICE BEFORE 150K. STEERING SHAFT AND STEERING FLUID LINES RUST OUT AROUND 150K.
Steering, Feb 7, 2020
THREE MONTHS AGO I HEARD A POP NOISE UNDER THE HOOD THEN SHORTLY AFTER THE STEERING BEGAN TO FEEL STIFF EVEN ON THE RETURN AFTER TURNING I NEEDED TO HELP.UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT JOINTS ARE EXTREMELY CORRODED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED UPON CHECKING THIS SEEMS T BE A LARGE PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD MUCH OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE.
Service brakes, Feb 7, 2020
THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED TAKING LONGER TO STOP SO I REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ALL AROUND, THIS DID NOTHING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. IT FEELS LIKE THE SYSTEM IS TELLING ITSELF TO NOT BRAKE USING THE ABS EVEN ON DRY ROADS OR JUST NOT APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES.
Other or unspecified, Dec 31, 2019
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SPEEDS UP LIKE THE ACCELERATOR IS BEING PRESSED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN BUT THE TRUCK DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT ACCELERATED. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED, I WAS BACKING UP AND PRESSED THE BRAKE WHEN I WAS FINISHED BUT THE TRUCK ACCELERATED BACKWARDS. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE WHERE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED, I KNOW THAT I WAS ONLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY OCCUR WHEN IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING ME TO RUN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE ACCELERATION ONLY OCCURS FOR A FEW SECONDS BUT I AM COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL OF MY TRUCK FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
Electrical system, Engine, Dec 26, 2019
MY MOTOR HAD STARTED TICKING A BIT BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2018 I ADDED SOME OIL AND IT WENT AWAY. THEN, IN JANUARY 2019 I HAD ENGINE CODES. PLUGGED MY SCAN TOOL IN AND SAID I NEEDED BOTH CAMSHAFT SENSORS, MISFIRE ON CYLINDERS 1, 3, & 7. REPLACED ALL 8 PLUGS AND COILS, MOTOR HAD 123XXX MILES. DROVE ANOTHER 4000 MILES AND THE SAME PROBLEMS PERSISTED AND GOT WORSE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS ON THE MISFIRES AND ENGINE TICK, COME TO FIND OUT IT IS A 'LIFTER TAP', SHAVINGS OF ALUMINUM IN MY OIL AND PLUGGING UP THE LIFTERS. MECHANIC SAID TO GET A NEW MOTOR, DON'T BOTH TRYING TO FIX IT. I BOUGHT IT USED WITH 119XXX AND TRUCK RAN FINE IN AUGUST OF 2018.
Air bags, Nov 22, 2019, crash
I,(MR.[XXX])WAS DRIVING MY GRANDCHILDREN HOME AND THEY LIVE @1025 [XXX] DR.,AND WAS DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD AND SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A DEER,AND OVERSTEERED AND HIT A LARGE TREE HEAD ON AND THE AIR-BAGS DID NOT EMPLOY,LEAVING US WITH ALL KINDS OF MEDICAL COST,THANKS TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY(GEICO) [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM
Vehicle speed control, Nov 22, 2019
HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET WHILE DRIVING ALONG FREEWAY. NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN AND TAPPED BRAKE TO RELEASE CRUISE CONTROL. NOTHING HAPPENED. PRESSED BRAKE AGAIN TO SLOW DOWN AND ENGINE POWER INCREASED TO COINCIDE WITH CRUISE CONTROL SETTING. MANUALLY SHUT OFF CRUISE CONTROL AND IT DISABLED. CRUISE CONTROL CURRENTLY WILL NOT SHUT OFF BY UTILIZING BRAKE SYSTEM.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 6, 2019
PLASTIC TIMING GUIDES ARE RIPPED FROM MOUNTING LOCATION BY TIMING CHAINS AND DROP INTO THE OIL SYSTEM, USUALLY CAUSING LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, CONTAMINATED OIL, TRASH-FILLED MOTOR, AND ACCELERATED WEAR OF THE TIMING CHAINS, RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE. USUALLY THE GUIDES BREAK OFF AT OR BEFORE 100,000 MILES AND THE CHAINS NEED REPLACING BETWEEN 120,000 AND 200,000 MILES, DEPENDING ON HOW THE TRUCK IS DRIVEN. METAL REPLACEMENT GUIDES ARE AVAILABLE AT MOST SHOPS AND ONLINE PARTS STORES.PRICES RANGE BETWEEN $10 AND $40. OCCURS IN 4.6L AND 5.4L V8 ENGINES.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 9, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, HE SMELLED EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAUSEWAY FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 375 NJ-72, STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ 08050, (609) 597-8083), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS, GASKET, AND HARDWARE BOLTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. *CW CONSUMER STATED HE HAS SOLD THE VEHICLE.*JB
Power train, Oct 7, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD OF LONDONDERRY (33 NASHUA RD, LONDONDERRY, NH 03053) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.