TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE EXHAUST INLET PIPE AND OXIDATION CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,975. UPDATED 12/05/2011 *LN
2008 Ford F-550 engine problems
moderate 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$3,100
What owners are reporting 11 most recent
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550 SUPERDUTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACR COOLER FAILED WHICH CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO BE INJECTED INTO THE ENGINE FORMING A FUEL CLOUD BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD TO MONITOR THE COOLANT AND CHANGE IT EVERY 15,000 MILES. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW ACR COOLER BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTAC…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE SPEED IMMEDIATELY DECREASED TO 15 MPH. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, HOWEVER, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND FA…
EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE IS TYPICAL OVER ROAD DRIVING. THE FAILURE IS WITH THE MAIN COOLING RADIATOR, AFTER ABOUT 20,000 IT BEGINS TO LEAK AT THE DRIVERS SIDE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER. CONSEQUENCES ARE THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE UNTIL REPAIRS ARE MADE. THE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2007 AND WE ARE NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE THIRD RADIATOR. THE TRUCK WAS UNDER WARRANTY WITH THE FIRST REPLACEMEN…
I AM ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2008 F-550 SUPERDUTY USED FOR MY BUSINESS. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000 AND HAS REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE ENGINE ASSEMBLY TWICE. BOTH INSTANCES THE TRUCK WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE FAILURES OCCURRED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO GET TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. BOTH FAILURES ALSO GAVE NO WARNING. FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED IN AUGUST 2…
WE BOUGHT THIS TRUCK AND PAID OVER 30K AND PUT DOWN 10K. THEY NEVER GAVE US THE FULL REPORT HISTORY OF THE TRUCK... WITH TWO TO THREE MONTHS THE ENGINE WENT OUT. WE TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD US ITS NOT WORTH IT. THE ENGINE IF REPLACED WILL GO OUT AGAIN. FORD HAD A DIFFERENTCOMPANY BUILD THE ENGINES AND ALL OF THERE ENGINES WERE BAD. I BELIEVE FROM 2006 TO 2008 UNTIL FORD TOOK OVER. SO, W…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. ...UPDATED 06-…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550 SD. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, WHITE SMOKE POURS FROM THE EXHAUST TIPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN CONCLUDED. THE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT DIESEL FUEL IS MIXING WITH THE MOTOR OIL. THE RADIATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE C…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550 SD. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ENGINE OVERHEATING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CHAPMAN FORD OF HORSHAM (1100 EASTON RD, HORSHAM, PA 19044) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REP…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-550 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A "STOP SAFETY NOW" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST FUEL TEMPERATURE SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUF…
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2008 Ford F-550?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 12 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?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
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.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. 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.
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