"How reliable is the 2005 Ford F-250?"

"Based on 207 NHTSA complaints, the 2005 Ford F-250 has a median complaint mileage of 65000 miles. The most common issue is Steering."

"What are common problems with the 2005 Ford F-250?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2005 Ford F-250 is Steering, accounting for a significant portion of the 207 total complaints filed."

2005 Ford F-250: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 207 complaints

207

Total Complaints

65,000mi

Median Mileage

Steering

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

30,070 25th Percentile

65,000 Median Mileage

109,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Steering

Suspension

Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Electrical System

Power Train

Unknown Or Other

Service Brakes

Fuel/Propulsion System

Front

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"2005 FORD F250 DIESEL TRUCK HAS FOR ONE WEEK AND TRANSMISSION GEARS WELDED TOGETHER. HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP ALMOST THREE WEEKS AND NO HELP NOR EXPLANATION ON WHAT WENT WRONG. IF THERE IS A MODEL YEAR PROBLEM SHOULD BE KNOW QUYICKLY AS THESE ARE USED FOR HEAVY HAULING. *AK"

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE INITIALLY OCCURRED WHEN SHE HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND #..."

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPM FLUCTUATES WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN HE DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND SHUTS OFF WHEN DRIVING 65 MPH. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATES TH..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Steering 38 complaints

25th: 19,100 mi Median: 50,035 mi 75th: 109,000 mi

Suspension 29 complaints

25th: 23,500 mi Median: 49,517 mi 75th: 114,250 mi

Engine 26 complaints

25th: 54,750 mi Median: 97,500 mi 75th: 128,250 mi

Engine And Engine Cooling 12 complaints

25th: 37,500 mi Median: 76,547 mi 75th: 103,750 mi

Electrical System 11 complaints

25th: 80,250 mi Median: 104,550 mi 75th: 124,750 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 20 TX: 15 CT: 12 OH: 11 MI: 11 NC: 10 MD: 10 AZ: 9 NY: 9 NJ: 9

Who Files Complaints?

5.8%

Original Owners

94.2%

Second+ Owners

Ford F-250 — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1991	145	94,177	Switch	5
1992	149	91,000	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	6
1993	183	152,500	Tank Assembly	6
1994	156	114,581	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	7
1995	238	115,000	Front	12
1996	212	125,000	Tires	11
1997	348	114,000	Tires	21
1998	76	114,500	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	2
1999	702	94,000	Tires	61
2000	417	75,768	Tires	39
2001	269	67,000	Tires	20
2002	189	89,000	Engine	15
2003	148	90,000	Tires	7
2004	201	55,079	Engine And Engine Cooling	12
2006	332	61,200	Steering	14
2007	84	42,000	Steering	3
2008	255	75,000	Steering	12
2009	92	69,000	Steering	0
2010	109	80,400	Steering	2
2011	384	70,000	Suspension	8
2012	418	78,000	Suspension	5
2013	153	78,000	Suspension	2
2014	235	83,154	Suspension	3
2015	425	70,300	Steering	7
2016	424	62,000	Steering	9
2017	1713	30,000	Steering	18
2018	615	28,252	Steering	10
2019	1912	20,000	Steering	25
2020	336	41,900	Power Train	4
2021	200	43,000	Fuel System, Diesel	5
2022	136	40,000	Power Train	4

Active Recalls (1)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Service Brakes, Air

Campaign 06E087000 | 17/10/2006

BRAKE FAILURE CAN OCCUR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

HARSCO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE A REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARSCO AT 507-235-7112.

Protect Your Steering System

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

Get a wheel alignment annually or after hitting a significant pothole
Don't hold the steering wheel at full lock for more than a few seconds
Check power steering fluid monthly on hydraulic systems
Address wandering, vibration, or play in the wheel promptly
Replace worn tie rod ends before they cause tire wear

Vehicle Rankings

Most complained Worst transmissions Worst engines Worst brakes Most crashes Compare vehicles

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28