2001 Ford F-250 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 F-250 most often report tire tread separation and blowouts, cruise control and speed-control switch problems, spark plugs blowing out of the engine, transmission and clutch failures, and suspension/steering looseness. Some speed-control complaints describe fires or unintended acceleration, and several were filed long after the truck was new, so the list mixes early-life and high-mileage reports.

1. 1
   Tires

   Tire tread separation and blowouts

   • 51 complaints (23%)
   • median 51,400 mi at 6.0 yrs old (29 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2022

   Complaints describe tread peeling away from the carcass on one or more tires, sometimes as a bulge or imbalance, sometimes as a bang followed by a rough ride or a blowout. Owners report damage to fenders, running boards and wiring from flying tread, and several name Firestone Steeltex, Uniroyal Liberator or General Ameritrac tires. Tire sellers and dealers, according to complaints, often declined warranty help and pointed to low inflation pressure. Reported from about 18,000 to 150,000 miles on the odometer, often during highway driving.

   What to check: Ask for the tire brand, model, age and DOT date codes, and inspect the sidewalls and tread for bulges or separation. Replace older or mismatched tires before highway use.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Consumer heard a banging noise while driving 55-65 MPH. Then, he pulled over to inspect the unknown sound, and noticed the left rear tire tread separated. Firestone stelltex, lt265/75r4s. As a result, rear fender was damaged. Firestone doesn't want to take responsibility of the incident because they said that the tires ran low on air pressure.”

   NHTSA complaint #10061128, filed 2004-04, 27,833 miles

   “Involved in a single vehicle rollover, caused by tire tread separation according to state police, tire tread came of, tire still has air in it, vehicle is totaled, found piece that came off tire is a (general ameritrac tr lt235/85r16) sustained major injuries due to rollover.”

   NHTSA complaint #10274320, filed 2009-06, 18,371 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Speed control switch fires and unintended acceleration

   • 23 complaints (10%)
   • median 93,000 mi at 5.7 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2020

   Owners describe trucks catching fire while parked for hours, with investigators pointing to the speed control deactivation switch or brake pressure switch as the start point. Others report the cruise control engaging or sticking on its own, holding speed or accelerating and refusing to cancel, and one complaint links a bent brake pedal overlapping the accelerator. Dealers sometimes said the vehicle was not covered by the campaign. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 140,000 miles; parked-fire reports mention vehicles that had been sitting for hours.

   Recall 06V2860001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the speed control deactivation switch recall (06V286000) has been completed and whether the switch or harness was replaced or fused. Have the brake pedal and cruise control operation checked before relying on cruise.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were notified by police and fire department officials that there was a fire in our yard. Our Ford 250 was on fire and had not been driven for around 4 hours. Upon investigation the fire marshall indicated the location of where the fire began and presumed it was the brake pressure switch based on its location. The car has been totaled and caught another vehicle on fire next to it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10127808, filed 2005-07, 124,000 miles

   “Vehicle was parked in my garage and at 2:30 am smoke alarms went off and smoke was coming out of garage and my house burned down. Fire investigator told me was from faulty cruise control switch on Ford f250.”

   NHTSA complaint #10439800, filed 2011-12, 126,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Spark plugs blowing out of the cylinder head

   • 17 complaints (8%)
   • median 113,000 mi at 12.7 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2020

   Complaints describe a loud pop or bang, then a miss or rough running as a spark plug is pushed out of the aluminum head, sometimes taking the threads, coil and plug with it. Owners report the truck limping home, being towed, and repeat failures on different cylinders, with repairs done at their own expense or with thread-repair kits. The dealer or manufacturer generally did not cover the repair, according to complaints. Reported from about 40,000 to over 330,000 miles, often while accelerating or driving at highway speed.

   What to check: Have a mechanic check for thread repairs, inserts or missing plug hardware on each cylinder, and ask whether any plugs or coils have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Spark plug spit from motor smashing coil pack. 5.4 liter triton motor. This has happened three more times. I have lost four plugs to this engineering disaster. At a cost of one dealer repair, and time off work to repair the other three. Once I had to be towed over fifty miles. After what I have read, their should be a remedy to this problem. Why not!”

   NHTSA complaint #10450810, filed 2012-03, 105,000 miles

   “While driving 55 MPH, heard a load bang and then a steady popping sound. After pulling off road to check problem open the hood to see the coil exploded and arching against fuel rail, and spark plug on the valve cover. Got the truck home started researching this issue and I see this is a common problem yet Ford says it isn't. My best educated repair solution is cal van 38900 Ford 5.4l spark plug port repair kit at a cost of 250 . It took a day and a half to do a complete repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10448784, filed 2012-02, 85,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Front-end shake, tie rods and ball joints

   • 21 complaints (10%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2019

   Complaints describe violent front-wheel bouncing after small bumps or railroad tracks, a tie rod breaking while backing out, loss of power steering assist at low speed, and lower ball joint failures at low mileage. Owners report adding steering stabilizers, having parts replaced, and dealers being unable to reproduce or resolve the problem. Reported from a few hundred to about 220,000 miles, with the shake often triggered at around 30 mph over bumps.

   What to check: Inspect tie rod ends, ball joints, wheel bearings and the steering stabilizer for play or wear, and test drive over uneven pavement at moderate speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After traveling over small bumps, like railroad tracks most recently, at around 30mph, one front wheel started bouncing violently, making vehicle loose control until truck could be brought to a stop. Had experienced this numerous time in the past but thought problem was solved by adding a steering stabilizer a few years ago. Problem has returned. Each time, this has nearly resulted in a catastrophic accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #10439063, filed 2011-12, 65,000 miles

   “Vehicle loses power steering assist while driving at low speed or at at stop postion. The vehicle has been to the dealer, who was unable to resolve the probem. The consumer stated that he can not trun the steering wheel when he has the brake on.”

   NHTSA complaint #10111043, filed 2005-02, 35,000 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission and clutch problems

   • 23 complaints (10%)
   • median 41,158 mi at 3.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2025

   Owners describe harsh or jerky shifting and, in one case, a failed sprag that required a rebuild; on manual trucks, complaints describe the clutch pedal going to the floor or a failing clutch cylinder that made the truck lurch forward. Repairs were done by dealers or independent shops, with one owner reporting a cylinder replaced twice. Mostly reported between roughly 25,000 and 125,000 miles, in some cases in cold weather or during reverse engagement.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from cold and through reverse, checking for harsh shifts or a low or spongy clutch pedal. Ask for transmission service records and whether any powertrain control module programming was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The sprag clutch is breaking across in two sections. The material was made out of a iron/powder mixture. The vehicle was in normal use when the incident occurred. The consumer felt that the repair should be under warranty due to the low mileage.”

   NHTSA complaint #10082059, filed 2004-07, 32,730 miles

   “- the contact owns a Ford F-250 super duty, and stated while vehicle was in a parking lot he stepped on the clutch and the pedal fell all the way to the floor. The stud to which the cylinder connected to sheared off. Updated 03/02/07.”

   NHTSA complaint #10181360, filed 2007-02, 124,626 miles

Buying note. Check the tire age and condition and confirm the speed control switch recall has been completed before buying. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the front end, spark plug threads and transmission is worth the cost on a truck this old.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.