2017 Ford F-250 SD
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2017 Ford F-250 SD has 119 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.2x the segment average of 37. The most common issue is steering problems (41% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2017 ford f-250 sd. the contact stated that there was a death wobble on the front end of the vehicle. the failure impacted the steering and caused a strong vibration in the steering wheel. the dealer (schmidt ford of salem, 1815 w main st, salem, il 62881, (800) 562-2014) stat. There are 15 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.
119
Total Complaints
15
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
3.2x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
STEERING
49 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEATH WOBBLE ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE STEERING AND CAUSED A STRONG VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER (SCHMIDT FORD OF SALEM, 1815 W MAIN ST, SALEM, IL 62881, (800) 562-2014) STAT
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A "DEATH WOBBLE". THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE STEERING AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. MCGRATH FORD (4001 1ST AVE SE, CEDAR RAPIDS,
- • VIOLENT STEERING OSCILLATION AKA "DEATH WOBBLE. TRUCK HAS 18K MILES AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD AT SPEEDS ABOVE 35 MPH THE TRUCK WILL SHAKE SIDE TO SIDE AND UP AND DOWN UNTIL THE TRUCK IS SLOWED DOWN UNDER 20 OR IN SOME CASES THE TRUCK MUST COME TO A FULL
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEATH WOBBLE ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE STEERING AND CAUSED A STRONG VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER (SCHMIDT FORD OF SALEM, 1815 W MAIN ST, SALEM, IL 62881, (800) 562-2014) STAT”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Recalls (15)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2017 Ford F-250 SD
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Recommended Ford F-250 SD Service Intervals
IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.
"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.
Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2017 F-250 SD, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 119 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐STEERING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEATH WOBBLE ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE STEERING AND CAUSED A STRONG VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER (SCHMIDT FORD OF SALEM, 1815 W MAIN ST, SALEM, IL 62881, (800) 562-2014) STAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SUSPENSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A "DEATH WOBBLE". THE FAILURE IMPACTED THE STEERING AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. MCGRATH FORD (4001 1ST AVE SE, CEDAR RAPIDS,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 55 NORTH OF SIKESTON, MISSOURI. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK. AND WAS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT PASSING A SEMI-TRUCK. SHE NOTICED THE TRUCK LOST POWER IN THE ENGINE AND A LIGHT CAME ON ON THE DASH. A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH RELATING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F -250 SUPER DUTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CUP HOLDER ASSEMBLY IN THE CONSOLE WAS NOT SEALED; THEREFORE, LIQUID LEAKED INTO THE CONSOLE COMPARTMENT AND THE CONSOLE LIGHTS FAILED. ADDITIONALLY, SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE CONSOLE AND THE CABIN FILLED UP WITH SMOKE. THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 15 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford F-250 SD — Year Comparison
How does 2017 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 119
- Recalls
- 15
- Fire reports
- 7
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 2
- Segment avg
- 37
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2017 Ford F-250 SD