2020 FORD F-550 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-550. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the remedy was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. 

At ~93,000 miles, my 2020 Ford F-550 (7.3L “Godzilla” V8) suffered catastrophic engine failure due to a roller lifter bearing failure, causing internal valvetrain damage and requiring full engine replacement. Ford dealer stated they recommended 90% coverage of the repair under goodwill through corporate, but later reduced coverage to 40% without explanation. After repairs, Ford corporate recommended a 3-year/36,000-mile PremiumCare warranty, then rescinded it a week later and offered only free oil changes. The 7.3L engine in my truck shares the same design as the F-53/F-59 motorhome chassis, which have multiple Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for lifter bearing failure, overheating of cylinders #2–3, and low oil pressure at idle. My vehicle shows identical symptoms but was excluded from those VIN ranges, suggesting Ford is segmenting related defects to limit recall exposure. Inspection revealed a cracked and arcing spark-plug wire on cylinder #2, matching the motorhome TSB’s overheating issue. This arcing poses a fire risk and likely contributed to localized heat and mechanical failure. The truck was often driven in Eco Mode, which holds low RPMs under load. This can increase cylinder pressure, reduce oil flow, and exacerbate heat in cylinders #2–3—factors that align with the failure pattern. This combination of design-related overheating, lifter bearing failure, oil-pressure fluctuation, and spark-wire arcing presents a clear safety hazard. Engine stall or fire could occur under towing or heavy-load conditions. NHTSA investigation is warranted into Ford’s 7.3L Godzilla engine design and VIN-exclusion practices.

At ~93,000 miles, my 2020 Ford F-550 (7.3L “Godzilla” V8) suffered catastrophic engine failure due to a roller lifter bearing failure, causing internal valvetrain damage and requiring full engine replacement. Ford dealer stated they recommended 90% coverage of the repair under goodwill through corporate, but later reduced coverage to 40% without explanation. After repairs, Ford corporate recommended a 3-year/36,000-mile PremiumCare warranty, then rescinded it a week later and offered only free oil changes. The 7.3L engine in my truck shares the same design as the F-53/F-59 motorhome chassis, which have multiple Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for lifter bearing failure, overheating of cylinders #2–3, and low oil pressure at idle. My vehicle shows identical symptoms but was excluded from those VIN ranges, suggesting Ford is segmenting related defects to limit recall exposure. Inspection revealed a cracked and arcing spark-plug wire on cylinder #2, matching the motorhome TSB’s overheating issue. This arcing poses a fire risk and likely contributed to localized heat and mechanical failure. The truck was often driven in Eco Mode, which holds low RPMs under load. This can increase cylinder pressure, reduce oil flow, and exacerbate heat in cylinders #2–3—factors that align with the failure pattern. This combination of design-related overheating, lifter bearing failure, oil-pressure fluctuation, and spark-wire arcing presents a clear safety hazard. Engine stall or fire could occur under towing or heavy-load conditions. NHTSA investigation is warranted into Ford’s 7.3L Godzilla engine design and VIN-exclusion practices.

At ~93,000 miles, my 2020 Ford F-550 (7.3L “Godzilla” V8) suffered catastrophic engine failure due to a roller lifter bearing failure, causing internal valvetrain damage and requiring full engine replacement. Ford dealer stated they recommended 90% coverage of the repair under goodwill through corporate, but later reduced coverage to 40% without explanation. After repairs, Ford corporate recommended a 3-year/36,000-mile PremiumCare warranty, then rescinded it a week later and offered only free oil changes. The 7.3L engine in my truck shares the same design as the F-53/F-59 motorhome chassis, which have multiple Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for lifter bearing failure, overheating of cylinders #2–3, and low oil pressure at idle. My vehicle shows identical symptoms but was excluded from those VIN ranges, suggesting Ford is segmenting related defects to limit recall exposure. Inspection revealed a cracked and arcing spark-plug wire on cylinder #2, matching the motorhome TSB’s overheating issue. This arcing poses a fire risk and likely contributed to localized heat and mechanical failure. The truck was often driven in Eco Mode, which holds low RPMs under load. This can increase cylinder pressure, reduce oil flow, and exacerbate heat in cylinders #2–3—factors that align with the failure pattern. This combination of design-related overheating, lifter bearing failure, oil-pressure fluctuation, and spark-wire arcing presents a clear safety hazard. Engine stall or fire could occur under towing or heavy-load conditions. NHTSA investigation is warranted into Ford’s 7.3L Godzilla engine design and VIN-exclusion practices.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-550. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle unintentionally rolled away while the transmission was in park(P). No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle jerked while driving uphill. The vehicle also jerked violently while downshifting from third to second gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V256000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.