2017 Ford F-350 SD Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a violent front-end shake that begins when the truck hits a bump, pothole or bridge joint at highway speed and stops only after slowing sharply. Steering and suspension complaints dominate, and most appear between roughly 15,000 and 60,000 miles. Smaller groups of complaints cover a power tailgate releasing on its own and rearview camera image problems, while diesel fuel-system stalling shows up mostly at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Steering

   Front-end shake after hitting a bump (steering oscillation)

   • 327 complaints (57%)
   • median 25,350 mi at 3.0 yrs old (268 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $700 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2025

   Owners describe the steering wheel and the front of the truck shaking violently after hitting a rough patch, pothole or bridge expansion joint at highway speed, often requiring hard braking and slowing to 30-50 mph before the shake stops. Complaints say dealers tried wheel balancing, alignment and new tires first, then replaced the steering damper, drag link or track bar, and many report the shake returned afterwards or that the dealer could not reproduce it. Mostly reported between about 8,000 and 60,000 miles, typically at 45-75 mph on rough pavement, expansion joints or while towing.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: During a test drive, cross expansion joints and rough pavement at highway speed and watch for any steering wheel shake. Ask whether the steering damper or steering linkage has been replaced and whether the steering linkage damper bulletin was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on the interstate at about 70 MPH when I hit a small pot hole in the road and my truck began to shake uncontrollably. The steering wheel was shaking violently and I could barely hold onto it. I had to immediately try to get out of traffic and pull off the side of the road to get it to stop.”

   NHTSA complaint #11317122, filed 2020-03, 29,000 miles

   “My 2017 Ford f-350 has started the well known (death wobble at speed above 30 MPH after hitting seams, repaired holes and pot holes. It becomes very unstable at times on highway. I had this same problem with my 2008 f-350 crew cab 4x4. I guess Ford doesn't see the violent shake as a concern.”

   NHTSA complaint #11311925, filed 2020-02, 28,000 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Diesel stalling or loss of power from fuel-system faults

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe loss of power, reduced-power messages, stalling at highway speed or failure to restart, with dealers diagnosing low-pressure or high-pressure fuel pump problems, a failed injector or a failed reductant tank sensor. Some owners report being told the entire fuel system needed replacement and that the repair was not covered by a recall. Mostly reported at higher mileage, from about 66,000 to 200,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for fuel filter and fuel pump service records and whether any fuel-system repairs have been done. Watch for hesitation, reduced-power messages or hard starting on a test drive, and have a diesel shop scan for stored codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly hesitated but the contact was able to drive to destination. However, upon attempting to leave from the location, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the high-pressure fuel pump, resulting in damages to the fuel system. The vehicle was repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11660428, filed 2025-05, 173,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the highway. The contact stated that the Engine Power Reduced and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11560008, filed 2023-12, 166,767 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Power tailgate opens by itself

   • 49 complaints (9%)
   • median 20,932 mi at 2.5 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2024

   Complaints describe the tailgate unlatching and dropping on its own, sometimes while driving or towing a trailer, and in some cases after the tailgate recall repair had already been performed. Dealers are reported to have inspected the latch and told owners the repair was not covered or that nothing was found wrong. Reported from low to moderate mileage, from near-new up to about 100,000 miles, often triggered by bumps or when shifting into reverse.

   Recall 19V8640003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the tailgate latch recall was completed and whether the tailgate has opened on its own since. Check that it stays latched over bumps and that the release switch works as intended.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Occasionally, the tailgate will automatically fall, when I put the transmission in reverse, from a stationary position. I verified that this can happen when the key fob is not in my pocket. Thankfully, it hasn't happened while driving. The truck has less than 50k miles on it. It started, for me, soon after I purchased it used, in june 2020.”

   NHTSA complaint #11348759, filed 2020-08, 48,500 miles

   “While driving on the highway in my 2017 Ford f350 pickup and pulling a bumper pull trailer the tailgate released by itself and lowered. It came in contact with the trailer jack and when I pulled of the road it damaged the tailgate. I had taken the truck in for a tailgate recall several months prior and a second time for the the tailgate not opening. Automax Ford in killeen tx advised me that the tech found nothing wrong with the recall work and they would not cover the issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11338360, filed 2020-07, 39,000 miles

Buying note. Check the front-end steering hardware and test-drive over rough pavement at highway speed, since steering shake is what owners of this model year describe most. Also ask about the tailgate latch and rearview camera recalls, and on higher-mileage diesel examples review fuel-system repair history.

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.