2008 Ford F-250 Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHEN I TURNED OFF THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING WAS ALMOST STUCK- AS IF THE TRUCK HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. I MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND THEN IT STEERED OK. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE. *TR
VEHICLE HAS LOOSE STEERING WITH 2 TO 3 INCHES OF PLAY LEFT TO RIGHT. STEERING SOMETIMES DOES NOT EASILY MOVE AT LOW SPEEDS.
SUPER DUTY DIESEL IS WANDERING LEFT AND RIGHT GOING DOWN HIGHWAY ABOVE 35 MPH. STEERING BOX CREATING LOOSE STEERING RESPONSES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND SWERVED OFF OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS CAPABLE OF MOVING, BUT FAILED TO DIRECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MOUNT BOLTS WERE FRACTURED. THE BOLTS WERE REPLACED BY THE TECHNICIAN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BOTH FRONT TIRES BEGAN SHAKING WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,600.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE ROAD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE WAY, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO MOVE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,162.
THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO I WAS IN OCALA, FLORIDA. AFTER UNHOOKING MY GOOSE NECK TRAILER I THOUGHT MY STEERING WAS NOT RIGHT, I PULL INTO HOMEWOOD SUITES AND COMPLETELY LOSE MY STEERING. I HAD IT TOWED TO OCALA FORD AND THEY FIND THE NUT OF THE PITMAN ARM (STEERING) HAD FALLEN OFF AND WAS SITTING ON THE AXLE. NOW WHAT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY WITH THAT BIG TRAILER FULL OF HORSES. THEY PUT IT BACK ON. TODAY I NOTICED MY STEERING FELT "LOOSE". I HAD MY SON GET UNDER IT AND THAT [XXX] NUT IS READY TO FALL OFF AGAIN> AND I JUST HAD IT AT OXMOOR FORD A COUPLE MONTHS AGO & ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT FOR ME BECAUSE IT SCARED THE [XXX] OUT ME THE FIRST TIME SO I HAD IT CHECKED. WHAT IS FORD GOING TO DO TO ASSURE ME THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN??? I REPORTED THIS TO YOU ALL WHEN IT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME SO YOU HAVE MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE, IT FEELS LIKE THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND THE VEHICLE TURNS REALLY HARD AND IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO RETURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO CENTER WITHOUT USING EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE YOU CANNOT RECOVER FROM THE TURN AND THAT YOU ARE GOING TO CRASH. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TONIGHT. THEY WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM TOMORROW AND FIX THE ISSUE. I SUSPECT IT IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT I READ THE NHSTA HAS INVESTIGATED BEFORE, AND I AM WONDERING WHAT IT TAKES FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED. I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE PEOPLE DYING IN A CRASH BEFORE SOMEONE STEPS UP AND TAKES THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY. WE HAVE MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE METICULOUSLY AND ALL SERVICE ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THE DAY WE BOUGHT IT. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SAFETY ISSUE WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS TRUCK. *JS
LOUD POP NOISE ON DRIVERS SIDE FELT THROUGH FLOORBOARD. STEERING BECAME ERRATIC WITH TRUCK VEERING LEFT TO RIGHT AND VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN LANE. IF IT HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I WOULD HAVE GONE OFF THE ROAD FOR SURE. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ALIGNMENT AND FRONT END INSPECTION AND NOTHING FOUND OUT OF ORDER. DAY AFTER THAT IT DID IT AGAIN. JUST CAME BACK HOME NOW AND IT DID IT AGAIN WITH A POLICE OFFICER BEHIND ME. HE FOLLOWED ME TO MY HOUSE AND THOUGHT I HAD BEEN DRINKING BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE OUT OF CONTROL AT ONLY 20MPH. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE NOW BECAUSE THE FREQUENCIES BETWEEN NORMAL AND NOT ARE SHORTENING.VEHICLE SUSPENSION IS NOT MODIFIED FROM STOCK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS SLUGGISH AND, WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK IN THE TURN POSITION. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
STEERING ON VEHICLE BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT. THE POWER STEERING PUMP LOST HALF OF THE FLUID. REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. SIXTY DAYS LATER THE STEERING GEAR BOX BOUND UP AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE WHEELS TO BE TURNED.THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A GRAVEL ROAD AT 35 MPH WHEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP BUT HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED THE GEAR BOX HAS FAILED. *TR
I BOUGHT A SET OF WHEEL AND TIRES A YEAR AGO, THEY ARE STOCK SIZE. THE DAY THE TIRES AND WHEELS WERE PUT ON MY TRUCK THE STEERING WAS TIGHT AND WOULD NOT STRAIGHTEN BACK OUT WITHOUT RESISTANCE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I WENT TO THE TIRE PLACE AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS A BAD STEERING GEAR. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED I HAD A BAD STEERING GEAR. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE STEERING GEAR WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY COULD GET ONE. BUT NOTHING ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION. MY HOPE IS THAT SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THE STEERING GEAR IS RECALLED. *TR
THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT AND I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT . THAT'S WHEN THE TRUCK DARTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. I HAVE A TOUGH TIME KEEPING IT ON THE ROAD. AFTER ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD IT SEEMS TO GO AWAY. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT IS A VERY DRASTIC LEFT PULL THEN HARD TO THE RIGHT PULL. IT FEELS LIKE THE WHEEL HAS TO BE TURNED TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS ACTION, THEN IT TAKES OFF IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. *TR
THE TRUCK HAS ALWAYS HAD A ISSUE WITH THE STEERING GEAR BOX EVEN AT 53,000 MILES WHEN I BROUGHT IT WHEN ASKED THE DEALER THEY INFORM ME THAT THE GEAR BOXES NEEDS REPLACED AND ITS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THESE TRUCKS TO HAVE THIS ISSUE , AND ITS ONLY GETTING WORSE. *TR
INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. THE POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING DURING TURNS, THE STEERING BECOME VERY HARD LIKE (MANUAL). THE FAILURE LASTS ABOUT 4 SECONDS. NOT SURE HOW TO PROCEED, AFRAID TO DRIVE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE STEERING WHEEL GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH STEERING. SOMETIMES STEERING IS FINE.OTHER TIMES TRUCK WANTS TO PULL LEFT AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN. SAME CONDITION AFTER RIGHT TURNS. I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF EXPERIENCES WHILE STEERING IS PULLING RIGHT OR LEFT, TRYING TO CORRECT THE TRUCKS JUMPS FROM LANE TO LANE. NO ACCIDENT YET ! VERY SCARY! I LOOKED THE PROBLEM UP ON THE INTERNET THEY CALL THIS PROBLEM " MEMORY STEER". I ALSO READ THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING PUMP. THE SPOOLS IN THE PUMP THAT SHUTTLES POWER STEERING FLUID TO RIGHT OR LEFT TURNS ARE STICKING. I STRONGLY SUGGEST A RECALL BEFORE A FATAL ACCIDENT HAPPENS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED OFF-ROAD, OVER A DITCH AND INTO AN OPEN PASTURE BEFORE CRASHING INTO A ROW OF TREES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR WAS TORN OFF THE PANEL AND ENTERED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE AND WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED DURING ROUTINE SERVICING THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX ON MY 2008 FORD F250 DIESEL TRUCK IS FAULTY AND NEEDS REPLACING. THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN EASILY COMING OUT OF A TURN. THEY RECOMMEND THE STEERING GEAR BOX BE REPLACED WITH OFFICIAL FORD PARTS BUT THEN STATED IT COULD TAKE UP TO 120 DAYS TO GET THE PART. IT WAS RECOMMENDED I DON'T DRIVE THE TRUCK IN THE MEANTIME. I UNDERSTAND AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN STARTED ON THIS PROBLEM AS PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING. IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL YET. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND AM NOT DRIVING MY TRUCK BUT CANNOT WAIT LONG FOR A SOLUTION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING GEAR BOX FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AS THE VEHICLE SHOOK ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 55 AND 60 MPH AND REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE IN ORDER TO BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ADJUSTED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,600. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE STEERING BOX HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STUCK WHEN I TURNED AND NEVER RETURNED BACK ON ITS OWN. THE GEAR BOX HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THIS IS NOW THE THIRD TIME I HAVE TO REPLACE THE GEARBOX, ON TOP OF ALL THE AGGRAVATION AND SAFETY CONCERNS I HAVE THE DEALERSHIP NOW SAYS THEY CANNOT GET THE PART, IT IS ON BACK ORDER BEING BUILT??? AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE ME A NON FORD BUILT GEARBOX???I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR OVER 1 MONTH WITH NO SUCCESS. THIS TRUCK IS A BUSINESS TRUCK AND I AM SOOO UPSET HOW THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED BY FORD. I AM NOW GOING TO TRY TO FILE THE TRUCK UNDER THE LEMON LAW. WE NEED OUR TRUCK. PLEASE HELP!!!! *TR
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2008 Ford F-250 has 76 Steering complaints on file. 7 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.