2005 Ford f-350 6.0 diesel. Keep it or dump it?

LI Happy amper · 07-20-2010, 03:12 PM

I need some help everyone. Here is my dilemma. I own a 2005 Ford F-350 DRW Lariat that is is showroom condition on the outside. The problem is the damn 6.0 diesel engine. The truck has 47,000 miles on it. The first 12,00 miles I had the turbo replaced, the egr replaced, the tranmission replaced and an oil leak that took 2 dealers to find. At 15,00 miles the tow command system went and needed to be replaced. Two weeks ago I lost my power steering and brakes while away with the family on the way to Hershey. Needless to say we never made it to Heshey. I had the power steering pump and hydroboost replaced. I still have 1 year left on my extended warranty so whenever something goes wrong I a only responible for $250. I don't feel safe towing with this vehicle anymore. I am always worried that I am going to break down again. Thanks to the Good Sams emergency roadside I have had to be towed on 4 seperate occasions. My question is does anyone out there have a similiar vehicle that had similiar problems but then went on to be a dependable vehicle for many years? Or should I just move on to a new tow vehicle? I really don't want to get rid of it seeing I no longer have payments on it and would have to start all over again. Please any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

angus242 · 07-20-2010, 04:35 PM

Sounds like you got a lemon. I have an '06 F350 6.0 and have not had any major issues. Had 3 injectors replaced under warranty but that's it.

A new '11 Superduty would be pretty awesome

GBHRPS · 07-20-2010, 04:57 PM

After reading your account I know what I would certainly be doing. For the remaining time that your extended warranty is still valid, I would still own the truck, but I would be finding another same year or newer by a year or two to take its place. The truck is taking the enjoyment out of your trailering, constantly worrying you as to what will be its next breakdown.

You don't want to throw good money after bad, so find a replacement. One within a year or two of your present TV should not be a substantial burden on your finances, if you can trade yours while its in a "running without problems stage". If you trade at a dealership, go for a change of manufacturer, since it'll add credence if you "like the looks of the GM/Ram better". And don't lose sleep over whether the buyer of your truck is getting a lemon. As you stated, maybe after this last set of problems are fixed, your old truck may not have any more issues. You can't know for sure. But if it does, they won't be your problems, and you'll be able to enjoy doing what your TV allows you to do.

Life's too short to be miserable! Good Luck, whatever you decide to do!

Seann · 07-20-2010, 06:05 PM

What are your state's lemon laws? You might be able to get Ford to buy it back. Fix Or Repair Daily... guess for you truer words were never spoken.

Bigk · 07-20-2010, 07:25 PM

There are literally tons of information online regarding the problems with Fords 6.0L diesel engines. You might try looking on Fords diesel truck forum for individuals who may have had some of the problems that are occurring with your truck. I'm not a ford guy so I don't remember the web address, but you can google it to start.

Festus2 · 07-20-2010, 09:55 PM

Regardless of how your truck looks on the outside, it is causing you needless worry and; even though it is paid for, you are still out $250 each time you have work done it. You have broken down and needed towing 4 times and I am sure that when you leave home, you are wondering if you will make it to your destination. How much fun can this be?? On one trip you lost your power steering and brakes. You said that you "don't feel safe in your own vehicle". I am left to wonder why you would continue to drive a truck in which you don't feel safe?

Given the mechanical history as you described it, you may indeed, as GBHRPS stated in his post, have a lemon and waiting for it to "become a dependable vehicle" may never happen.

I am not in your situation but if I were, I think I would bite the bullet and start looking for a different tow vehicle. You can wait until your extended warranty runs out and hope that nothing else happens to the vehicle. Knowing that I had one steering and brake failure would do it for me! You can't put a price on safety for you and your loved ones and for that reason alone I would chalk this up as a bad experience and move on to something better. Why leave home feeling unsafe and worried?

You are supposed to be enjoying RVing and it sounds to me that, because of your truck, you are not.

Start looking now.

Jim W · 07-21-2010, 04:01 AM

When I and the DW decided that we needed a new tow vehicle for our 5er. I started looking at all three US manufactures of pickup trucks with diesel engines. Being an engineer, I looked beyond the sheet metal of the trucks, I was looking at. I reviewed the repair history and checked out the serviceability of all three style of pickup trucks. I used this and another site to make up my mind. These may help you also in your decision making process. It did help me to make up my mind on what vehicle I purchased.
http://www.thedieselgarage.com/forums/ and http://www.turbodieselregister.com/

Good luck
Jim

angus242 · 07-21-2010, 06:13 AM

I don't see a lemon law being viable here. The vehicle is 5 years old. Most of the time a buy-back happens within the first year or two only.

As for issues with an '05 6.0, the 2 big issues with the 6.0 were head gaskets and the EGR system.

Navistar, in their infinite wisdom, decided it didn't need as many head bolt as the previous engine, 7.3. Under stress, the heads can lift and actually stretch the head bolts. It doesn't help that the factory cast heads are almost never flat. Neither issue was never really addressed totally. Ford redesigned the head bolts but the real fix is to install aftermarket head studs.

The EGR system can become dirty and clog up. There's an EGR cooler that's prone to failure. The fix has been to remove the EGR system (illegal) but there is now an aftermarket cooler fix for this too. Allowing the truck to excessively idle is not a good idea. You can clog up the EGR system quicker that way.

As with many of the newer electronically controlled injectors, they are prone to failure, mainly from getting dirty. Cummings had injector issues with their 6.7 when it first came out. I use a fuel additive to help keep them clean & change my oil at the recommended intervals. That's very important in a 6.0.

That said, the 6.0 gets a lot more bad press than it deserves. Not every engine is suspect. There are tens of thousands of Superdutys with the 6.0 on the road that don't have issues.

Actually, the 2006 MY 6.0 diesel in both F-Series & E-Series was the lowest warranty claimed engine Ford had in any full sized truck.

That said, you are spending too much on your truck. Dump it.

rjw · 07-27-2010, 12:08 PM

I'd hang on to it for now..something u might not know, short unloaded in town trips are murder on that 6.0, so is prolonged parking, and idling.

You didnt say if u bought new, but if you did a lot of your probs may be attributed to lot rot, new veh sat to long on dealer lot created potential issues

It's paid for, keep maintainance up oil/filter air filter, fuel filter, fuel additive for injector lube, those will go a long way to prevent problems, drive it like you stole it at least a couple times a month,

I plan on a bypass oil filter, PCV bypass filter or just bypass, as soon as I go over 100k, then if the oil cooler or EGR cooler clogs after 100k a bulletproof diesel replacement on the pair for about $ 3k once I get past the 100k mileage engine warranty,

There are trucks out there with 3-400k miles on em,
I just bought a 07 wirh 50k with late 06 production engine in it, I'm driving it for the rest of my life and expect to live at least another 20 yrs.

dsniper22 · 07-27-2010, 05:00 PM

Sorry to hear that you're one of the many who have endured the curse of the 6.0L. Where I work, everyone and their wife drive a diesel. With the amount of grief I have seen people go through with those engines, I will NEVER recommend it to anyone. Ford makes a nice truck, a great transmission (surprised that yours let you down) but they have had garbage for motors for quite a while now. A few coworkers bought the new 6.4L ford diesel and have had mixed results on reliability, but all of them say that they are fuel hogs. I own a 06 Duramax and an 01 cummins and couldn't be happier with either. Both have endured -50C - +35C and never skipped a beat. I love the cummins 5.9L diesel, but was quite dissapointed when they bumped it up to 6.7L ande started having a few issues with it. Only one of the big 3 haven't changed their diesel motor in the past 10 years. GM/Isuzu have continued to improve the Duramax over the years and that will be my next vehicle without a doubt. I hope the new ford 6.7L is good for the consumers sake, but I wouldn't consider buying one until it has been out for several years, because I don't want to be yet another Ford guinea pig.

You may also like: