2008 Ford F-150 electrical problems

Filed Jul 3, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · FL

I experienced a loss in power while driving and not driving, as well as locking my keys in the vehicle once It would not unlock. The gear shifting knob stopped due to what seemed like resistance an the damaged caused by sales man to the top plunger cap just after i paid. Recently the battery and the alternator are not working and when power is ran through the vehicle, an obvious sound of a live cable buzzing in the rear cab exterior light and seemed to be spliced in a n unsafe way.

Filed Jun 11, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · TX · fire

Vehicle caught on fire from the engine compartment while driving. Total loss, Fire Department responded to the scene. Two persons on board of the vehicle had to escape the fire, pulled over and jumped out.

Filed Apr 21, 2022 · Brakes, Electrical · OH

The three rear brake lights stay on all the time, even after the truck is turned off and key removed. The malfunction is definitely available for inspection upon request. The safety of myself and others are put at risk, because vehicles behind me don't know when I'm actually applying the brake. This safety defect has been an issue (off and on} for the last 2 years. I'm apprehensive about taking my truck to a Ford Dealership, due to an expense that I shouldn't be responsible for. I have not been able to drive my truck for the last 3 months, due to this safety defect. My truck hasn't been inspected by police or insurance representatives, because I haven't been in a fatal accident yet. I'm the original owner.

Filed Dec 26, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 127,940 miles · VT

My motor had started ticking a bit back in september 2018 I added some oil and it went away. Then, in january 2019 I had engine codes. Plugged my scan tool in and said I needed both camshaft sensors, misfire on cylinders 1, 3, & 7. Replaced all 8 plugs and coils, motor had 123xxx miles. Drove another 4000 miles and the same problems persisted and got worse. I took it to a mechanic for a diagnosis on the misfires and engine tick, come to find out it is a 'lifter tap', shavings of aluminum in my oil and plugging up the lifters. Mechanic said to get a new motor, don't both trying to fix it. I bought it used with 119xxx and truck ran fine in august of 2018.

Filed Jun 15, 2019 · Electrical, Lights · 82,350 miles · MA

The instrument cluster on mine is starting to fail, the gauges aren't always accurate, the brake light stays on most of the time even though there is no problem in the brake system the parking brake sensor is good already checked it, and the fluid level is full and the sensor in the master cylinder is good. Due to the cluster malfunction especially at night the interior light will come on and stay on while driving leading to a glare on the windshield and side windows witch makes seeing where your going very difficult, and above the cluster on the dashboard it begins to get hot while driving seems to be a safety issue. While the truck is parked the interior light will come on for no reason. I checked the switch its not that and from what ive gathered its the instrument cluster and the connection on it, the clusters seem to be a weak spot on these trucks ive seen multiple trucks with this problem

Filed Mar 21, 2019 · Electrical · 86,000 miles · NJ

Recently driving along a county road; vehicle warning tone sounds and I see the following. Battery, check engine, brakes, ABS and TPMS lights on. Speedometer and tachometer inoperative, engine temperature gauge inoperative. Vehicle information display showed titles, I.e. Trip a, mileage etc., but there were no values. Oil pressure and charging system and fuel gauges working normally. Engine performance unaffected. Drove 15+ miles to hometown and my mechanic. After a day of diagnosis, he stated the instrument cluster was the problem, and also that it was a known but not acknowledged issue by ford. New clusters are $700 to $900 which is outrageous. After a quick search online, there and a lot; and I mean a lot of people selling 2008 f-150 lariat instrument clusters. Sure I could pick one up for a couple hundred dollars, but an additional problem is the mileage; which is stored in the cluster rom. My truck only had 86k miles, whereas if I install a used one I inherit whatever mileage is on there. Considering the popularity of the f-150, you would like to think that ford would do the right thing; but I suppose I'm being naive with that wish.

Filed Oct 11, 2018 · Electrical · 137,000 miles · GA

My cigg lighter went out no power swapped out the unit no power. Check the 110 cigg lighter fuse works if fuse blown truck wont start. Checked other fuses all work. The utility socket works everything works but lighter. Very strange.dealer wants 160.00 to look at it .. Yeah that is going to happen. Going piggy back fuse. Be careful fords are very popular having electrical issues. Just got in one morning and found cigg lighter not working .. Checked with multi meter and fuse box no luck

Filed Sep 3, 2018 · Electrical · 125,000 miles · ID

My brake warning light started flickering on and off, and then turned on constantly. I've checked the brake components, and there are no problems there. Further diagnosis showed that it's a problem with the instrument cluster. This appears to be a common problem with this make and model, and has occurred in several model years. Besides the irritation of having the light on all the time, I now have no reliable way to know if there really is a brake issue.

Filed Nov 4, 2016 · Electrical · 75,000 miles · VA

Faulty circuitry in the rear of the instrument cluster causes red emergency brake warning light to stay on. The only fix from ford is to replace the instrument cluster at a cost of 900 dollars. There is nothing wrong with anything else on the truck except a light that will not go off. This light will cause my truck to fail inspection. Multiple ford mechanics I have spoken with state that this is a known issue, one stated he has replaced 12 clusters in just this past year. To spend 900 dollars to turn off a light bulb is insane ford dealer and ford corporate were asked and they would not assist in this cost to resolve this issue.

Filed Apr 10, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · 114,376 miles · VA

On tuesday, april 5, 2016, while driving 45 miles per hour, on a 2 lane, back country, road my ford f150, that had 114,376 miles began to clank and rumble up under the hood. The noise made the vehicle vibrate as the noise got louder so I pulled off of the road and popped the hood. There was smoke, clicking and clanking on top of the right side of the engine so I turned the vehicle off. I called my insurance and asked to be towed to a ford dealership 5 miles away. The truck was still drive-able but smoking and clanking. The next morning I learned #2 spark plug had loose stripping threads in the cylinder head and the coil cracked from the plug blowing out. The plug and boots had to be replaced. Replaced the #2 coil and the dealer had to extract the broken spark plug cylinder #2. The parts, supply, and labor cost was $1292.24. I have had large v8 engine, vehicles all of my life with 200,000 miles or more on the engine but never any spark plug issues with high mileage on both spark plug and other vehicle engine parts. If I had continued to drive my truck it surely would have ignited causing more damage or injury. The spark plug issues with ford need to be addressed. I purchased this truck in december 2013 with 81,160 and had no problems for 2 years, 4 months. At no time should spark plugs blow up or out unless they are defective parts or plugs not suitable to be transfixed into the cylinder or engine. Driver safety is at risk.