FORD TRUCK: SOME TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A 6.0L DIESEL ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A HARD START/LONG CRANK OR NO START CONDITION DUE TO LOW INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE (ICP).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2005 Ford F-350 engine problems
moderate 27 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
27
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 27 engine complaints filed for the 2005 Ford F-350, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 27 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Engine accounts for 24% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 5 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
MISFIRE AND DTC P0300.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5.4L 3V OR 6.8L 3V ENGINE BUILT ON OR BEFORE 09/08/06 MAY EXHIBIT AN EXHAUST SYSTEM NOISE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS A SNAP/POP/TICK/PING NOISE.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners consistently report the engine either shutting down without warning or overheating, sometimes both. Stalling strikes without notice while driving 15–74 mph and recurs multiple times for individual owners. When it happens, power steering and brakes quit—a serious hazard in traffic. One owner spent $1,500 at a Ford dealership and the stalling continued.
Turbochargers blow out or the intake hose disconnects, leaving the truck with no power. Dealers replaced one owner's turbo under warranty, but the same failure returned three months later with overheating.
Fuel injectors fracture or malfunction, causing black smoke and stalling. One owner had injectors replaced three times under warranty before a mechanic said the failures would keep happening.
Oil coolers and EGR coolers fail regularly, starting around 60,000 miles. Head gaskets go bad too. One owner got a new engine, only to have the replacement engine develop the same turbo and EGR problems Ford blamed on "too much heat."
High-pressure oil and fuel pumps fail during highway towing, killing power with no warning. One diesel shop reported doing the same repair repeatedly on these engines. Repairs ran over $3,000 and took five days.
A handful of owners report fuel leaking into the coolant system, creating a fire hazard, and a few mention fuel rail or tank buildup problems. Dealers often claim they found no defect or that the vehicle is out of warranty—offering no help despite knowing about costly repairs.
Same Ford F-350 engine reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Turbocharger failure
Turbocharger blows out or air intake line disconnects, causing loss of power and overheating. Multiple owners report turbo-related failures recurrence despite warranty replacement.
When: 27,000–160,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power; Engine overheating; Air intake to turbo blows off; Smoke from exhaust
Repairs/costs cited: Turbocharger replacement under warranty; mechanic advised against stretch bolts to prevent recurrence.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty coverage mentioned; some owners claim dealer knowledge of costly repairs without disclosure.
Engine stalling without warning
Engine stalls unexpectedly while driving at various speeds (15–74 mph), sometimes with check engine light, sometimes without diagnostic codes found. Recurs multiple times per owner.
When: 60,000–170,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Unwarned stalling; Loss of steering and braking power when stalled; Check engine light (sometimes); Difficulty restarting or no restart
Repairs/costs cited: No diagnostic code found in some cases; independent mechanics unable to identify cause; one owner spent $1,500 at dealer with no resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer confirmed no recalls applied to VINs; offered no assistance.
Fuel injector failure
Fuel injectors malfunction or fracture, causing black smoke from exhaust, loss of power, stalling, and inability to exceed 10 mph. Repaired multiple times under warranty but failures continue.
When: 63,000–170,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Black smoke from exhaust; Stalling; Loss of power over 10 mph; Engine misfiring
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel injectors replaced under warranty three times; one mechanic stated failures would continue. One case: four injectors fractured; another: radiator replaced instead.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Covered under warranty three times in one case; offered no assistance in another.
Oil cooler and EGR cooler failure
Oil cooler and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler fail, causing overheating, smoke from exhaust, and coolant smell inside vehicle. Multiple owners report this combination failure.
When: 60,000–81,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine overheating; Smoke from exhaust; Coolant smell inside vehicle; Whining noise from engine
Repairs/costs cited: Oil cooler, EGR cooler, and head gasket replaced by dealers. One independent mechanic also recommended oil pump and fuel injector replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Some covered by warranty; others denied due to exceeding factory warranty period.
High-pressure oil pump and fuel pump failure
High-pressure oil pump and fuel pump fail during towing or highway driving, causing complete engine shutdown with loss of steering and braking power. Very costly repairs reported.
When: Not specified in narratives
Symptoms owners cite: Complete engine shutdown without warning; Loss of steering and braking power; Loss of power while towing
Repairs/costs cited: Repair cost over $3,000; diesel shop reported repeated repairs on same engine with same problems.
Fuel rail failure
Fuel rail goes bad while towing uphill, causing billows of white smoke and all systems to fail. Repair cost reported at $2,800.
When: Not specified; towing scenario
Symptoms owners cite: Billows of white smoke; All systems fail while ascending mountain pass; System shutdown
Repairs/costs cited: $2,800 repair cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer reportedly knew of costly repairs but failed to inform customer.
Head gasket failure
Head gasket fails, causing overheating. Multiple owners report replacement required.
When: 60,000–73,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine overheating; Whining noise
Repairs/costs cited: Head gasket replacement performed at dealer.
Cam phaser failure
Cam phasers malfunction, causing engine misfire and steering wheel seizure, along with brake response delay. Recurred after replacement.
When: 63,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine misfiring; Steering wheel seizes; Brake pedal depressed but vehicle fails to stop immediately
Repairs/costs cited: Cam phasers replaced at dealer; failure recurred after 176 miles.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware; vehicle not repaired.
Throttle position sensor (TPS) and electronic throttle body (ETB) malfunction
TPS failure code triggers replacement, but issue leads to idle problems. Owner reported that three Ford representatives stated 6.8 V10 owners with TPS codes often end up replacing entire ETB.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Idle problems after TPS replacement
Codes mentioned: TPS replacement code
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced TPS; idling problems persisted. Three Ford representatives indicated whole ETB often needs replacement for same code.
Engine buildup or blockage
Buildup in gas tank or oil system causes engine to stop working. Engine stopped again after repair.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stops working
Repairs/costs cited: Engine repaired; failed again after.
Fuel contamination in coolant system
Fuel spills out of coolant system onto exhaust components, coating engine and underside. Creates fire and environmental hazard.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel spilling into coolant system; Fuel coating engine and underside
Synthesized from 27 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Ford f350. The motor in the vehicle constantly fails. While towing a fifth wheel at approximately 65 MPH, the turbo charger blew out. The dealer installed a new turbo charger under warranty. Approximately three months later, the failure recurred and the motor overheated while driving approximately 65 MPH. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer and they tested the…
While approaching a stop light after doing 60mph on the highway, vehicle shut itself down causing loss of control and braking system. I was able to bring vehicle to safe and complete stop which caused a traffic jam. *kb
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford f-350. The contact stated that the vehicle misfired and caused the steering wheel to seize. Also, while driving various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to immediately stop. The vehicle was taken to formula Ford Lincoln (4318 middle rd, rutland, vt 05701, (802) 773-9168) where the cam phasers were replaced; however, the failure…
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Ford f-350. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH, four fuel injectors malfunctioned which caused the exhaust to emit smoke and the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the radiator was replaced. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's engine revved up when starting up, and when put into first gear, the engine jerked profusely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who upon examination could not duplicate the problem. The manufacturer was contacted, and determined that there was no recall on this issue.
Had engine trouble with your 2005 Ford F-350?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2005 Ford F-350?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 27 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 25 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 76,000 and 145,000 miles, with the median around 99,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 76,000; a quarter make it past 145,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Ford/F-350.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.