The Lemon Index2008 Ford F-150.
The 2008 Ford F-150 is better than average by owner complaints: 357 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 67, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about engine, it has 7 recalls, and it gets 14 to 16 mpg combined. The best Ford F-150 year is 2007.
Covers the whole F-Series (F-150 plus the F-250/F-350 Super Duty): Ford reports their sales together.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 1,038 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Ford F-150 year. 2008 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 27K to 100K miles on the car (905 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- steering complaints mostly came at 40K–120K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 15K–64K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 18K–79K miles
Recalls 7
- tires 2011
CONTINENTAL TIRE IS RECALLING CERTAIN CONTITRAC TR TIRES, SIZE LT275/70R18 125/122S OUTLINE WHITE LETTERS AND BLACK SIDEWALL, AND CONTITRAC, SIZE LT275/70R18 125/122S, BLACK SIDEWALL, PRODUCED FROM MAY 6, 2007, THROUGH S…
- engine 2008
ROUSH IS RECALLING 213 MY 2007-2008 FORD F-150 TRUCKS ALTERED TO OPERATE USING LIQUID PROPANE INJECTION.
- fuel system, gasoline 2008
FORD IS RECALLING 64,754 MY 2008 F-250 AND F-350 SINGLE REAR WHEEL, 4X4, 156 INCH WHEEL BASE PICK UP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO PIECE DRIVE SHAFT FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE FUEL SPILLAGE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR …
Show all 7 recalls
- seats 2008
FORD IS RECALLING 87,515 MY 2008 F250, F-350, F-450, AND F-550 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS." SOME 40% SPLIT AND CAPTAIN'S CH…
- airbags 2007
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.
- transmission & drivetrain 2007
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A 6.4L DIESEL ENGINE, EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES IN THE DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM MAY RESULT FROM EXCESS HYDROCARBONS IN THE EXHAUST.
- electrical 2007
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A 6.4L DIESEL ENGINE, INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE OF THE BATTERY POSITIVE (B+) WIRE TO THE RIGHT HAND SPLASH SHIELD BOLT MAY RESULT IN THE BATTERY B+ WIRE CONTACTING THE SPLASH SHIELD BOLT.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 122 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- 1999-2008 7.3l/6.0l/6.4l/4.5l diesel f-super duty - clean the charge air cooler (cac) system…
- Supply/return lines installation at high pressure pump-revised washer for trucks equipped with…
- Lincoln/ford: when driving from idle up to 1200 rpm, there may be an intermittent rattle noise
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedAlleged loss of steering2013–2014
- ClosedTire valve cracking2008–2009
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side — · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000–4600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 4.2L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl, 5.4L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
2008 Ford f-350 super duty truck. Consumer states vehicle is inherently unsafe because of a design flaw
2008 Ford F-150 owner · NHTSA complaint 10331743
More owner reports
Letter from senator brown on behalf of constituent re his Ford truck gas pedal accelerating, causing him to crash (dot/I#2010-1130)
NHTSA complaint 10334890
2008 Ford 350 diesel pick up. Consumer expresses discontent with Ford motor company
NHTSA complaint 10343288
Quick answers
Is the 2008 Ford F-150 reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.5× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 67; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford F-150 year by this measure since 2010 is 2025.
What are the most common 2008 Ford F-150 problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are engine (34%), steering (12%) and brakes (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2008 Ford F-150 have?
7 safety recalls (latest: tires). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2008 Ford F-150 get?
14 to 16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2008 Ford F-150 problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 27,000 and 100,700 miles. The middle report was at 55,000 miles, from 905 complaints.
Does the 2008 Ford F-150 have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 10% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2008 Ford F-150 cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 to $4600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2008 Ford F-150 have?
4.2L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl, 5.4L 8-cyl.
What Ford F-150 year is better than the 2008?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2010 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works