Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford F-350 SD owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The head bolts have a known defect, which Ford filed a class action suit against the engine manufacture novastar for and won. This defect/weakness can cause the bolts to fail/break causing many components to become damaged. This can potentially cause an accident and/or injury to the vehicles occupants. I believe this issue needs to be addressed as a recall because according to my research all of the 6.0 diesel engines in this year/model are affected.
For the past week my truck has been taking longer to start then normal today it started to stall on my I was able to get it home while it stalled 4 more times on the way. Shopped at a friends shop on the way home and had them scan the computer found out my ficm is no go my ipr is bad and my stc fitting is bad they found the stc when they pulled the turbo aswell as my dummy plugs.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Ford f-350 SD. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,723.
The public really needs to be educated regarding the fact that Ford motor company is covering up one of the largest problems in their automobile history regarding their hundreds of thousands of failed 2003 thru 2007 super duty 6.0 diesel pickups. If you could be so kind please help me and hundreds of thousands of other owners of these failed vehicles. Please forward this email to your supervisors. I am currently re-pursuing legal action along with media coverage to expose this terrible situation with these Ford vehicles that is ruining family finances while trying to keep these vehicles constantly repaired. Many owners including myself our being forced to build much less than safe lifts to remove the cabs from these trucks to repair the constantly failing engine components. …
Approximately 16,000 miles prior to this incident (96,450) the vehicle had a lack of towing power. I took it to Ford, and they told me that it was the EGR cooler and oil cooler. The service manager advised me that this happens to every 6.0 liter diesel. He stated they updated the coolers to fix the problem (pretty much admitting that they did not build it right). I searched online and found this to be true, but for some reason there is no recall. $4,730.78 later, my vehicle was fixed. Although I do tow with the vehicle (that's what its made for), I baby the vehicle. I do oil changes every 3000 (recommended at 5000) and change the fuel filter 2 times a year (recommended every 12,000). Three years later and only 16,000 miles later (113,239) the vehicle again had a lack of power. I took it to Ford again, and they told me it was the EGR cooler, oil cooler, and head gaskets. …
July 1, 2006 at approximately 10:30 am, I was traveling on I-81 at 65 MPH towing a 9,000 lb. Trailer and the truck stalled without warning. No check engine light and no hesitation. It simply died. Without power brakes or steering, the truck was completely uncontrollable. Luckily, we were on a section of highway with wide shoulders and light traffic. The truck died so suddenly that I couldn't even pull to the shoulder. The truck came to a complete stop in the left lane and would not restart. Drivers behind me swerved to the should to avoid a collision. The dealer did not find a problem and did nothing to prevent this situation from occurring again. After the truck sat at the dealer for 2 days (over the weekend), it started for the technician on the following Monday. …
I have a 2005 Ford 350 superduty 6.0 diesel truck. I pull a large 5th wheel unit. It is within the weight range indicated by Ford. I have installed a thermocouple gauge to monitor the engine exhaust temperature. I was told by Ford dealer that the normal exhaust gas temperature (egt) should be between 750 and 900 while pulling the unit. Under a nominal hill climb, I noted the egt never got below 1000, even when the transmission shifted to a lower gear. It was hard keeping the egt under 1400. I had to travel at 55 MPH and in 4th gear to maintain the 1000 degree temperature boost was between 24 and 28 psi. Near the top of a climb, the turbo hose blew. The dealer said it was a dirty gate valve or dirt in the vanes of the turbo. During the vacation they replaced the gate valve and the turbo. …
Tl contact owns a 2005 Ford f350 super duty. While the contact was driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine loss complete power with the engine warning light illuminated. There was also a burning odor of coolant. The contact allowed the engine to cool; and was able to start the vehicle the following day. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the technician stated that the failure was contributed to the EGR valves. The manufacturer was notified and stated that they the service warranty exceeded 30 days over the expiration and they refused to honor the repair under the warranty. An authorized dealer offered a fifteen percent discount towards the estimated repair cost of the vehicle which was approximately $4,000. The vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 41,800. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Ford f-350 superduty. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle was running hot. He drove onto the emergency lane and checked the coolant which he found to be very low. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the head gasket failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The current mileage was approximately 28,000. The failure mileage was approximately 27,900. Updated 12/02/10 the head gasket and EGR valve failed. Updated 12/07/10 updated 12/15/10. The consumer stated the vehicle was repaired at a cost of $9000. Ten days later, the exhaust valve dropped and was completely destroyed.
On 3/26/10 my 2005 Ford f350 6.0 diesel started smoking from the exhaust while hauling horses to a show. I was approx. 70 miles from home. Had the truck towed into my local Ford dealer to find out that the EGR valve went bad and also overheated my turbo. My truck has 58,000 miles and I purchased the ESP 100,000 warranty however, they said my warranty expired on 3/21/10. The bill was $3900. And Ford is not covering it. Now I come to find out that this has been a huge issue for Ford & the repairs don't seem to hold either as most people have had this reoccur 2 or more times. This was not a problem I could have prevented in any way but a problem with the engine itself. What can I do & is there a recall? [redacted]
Engine complaints in other F-350 SD years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2005 Ford F-350 SD?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2005 Ford F-350 SD, 26% of the model year's 217 complaints. The component named most often is engine › diesel (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford F-350 SD engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2005 Ford F-350 SD, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford F-350 SD engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 24% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.