Reports of fuel or oil igniting in diesel particulate filters (DPF) has led Ford Motor Co. to recall 37,400 of its 2008 F-Series Super Duty trucks with 6.4-liter diesel engines. Flames shot out of the tailpipe of some trucks, as evidenced by customer reports and videos posted on YouTube.

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“We noticed on a couple vehicles they had leaked a small amount of diesel or oil in the exhaust and for whatever reason it ignited,” Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis told FleetOwner.

Ford calls the action “a prevention move” that requires dealers to update the software for the truck’s powertrain control module (PCM). The PCM powers down the vehicle if it detects unusually high temperatures in the DPF.

Jarvis said that instances of ignition within the exhaust are “rare” and that the PCM would give drivers sufficient notice to pull over if the vehicle powers down. Customers should bring their truck back to the dealer for service if the PCM issues the warning.

Of the 37,400 vehicles affected, 8,400 are in the field while the remaining 29,000 are sitting on dealer lots.

“We’ve had problems with three vehicles out in the field,” Jarvis said. He added that cold starts were a factor in some instances and suggested that customers let their vehicle warm up at least 30 seconds in such conditions—as recommended for all vehicles with diesel engines.

The recall could well be the first major DPF-related problem for truck makers as they roll out diesel-powered models equipped with the technology, which allows the vehicles to meet stringent 2007 EPA emission standards. OEMs have committed significant resources to commercial customers insisting that the technology is reliable.

To comment on this article, write to Terrence Nguyen at tnguyen@fleetowner.com

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