Article Comments - 2008 F-450 Super Duty Full Test

146 messages, Last post on Oct 26, 2009 at 7:20 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford F-450 Super Duty, Truck

Article comments for Full Test: 2008 Ford F-450 Super Duty - For those hauling heavy loads — whether it's an extended horse trailer, a part-time home for recreation in remote areas or even a pair of hobby cars — your steed has arrived. (more)

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#108 of 146 Future by shellade Oct 11, 2008 (11:14 am)
If you have the financial clout to through the F450 to the dogs, then I would suggest contacting Dennis Schwalbe at Schwalbe.com (940-759-4966) and buy the ultimate Freightliner Sports Chassis with 4 X 4 drive, I very sadly wish I had never sold ours and never heard of the 08 F450 - Good Luck. By the way the Freightliner was the very best machine I have ever owed.....We never got stuck in any weather, we drove the rig from Ocala Florida to Vermont for a 100 mile distance ride then back thru a number of States, nothing went wrong - Oh well - Endurance crew.
#109 of 146 by norcalcal Oct 13, 2008 (8:31 pm)
OUCH, sorry I didn't find this blog before I bought my used F450 from Texas Direct Auto last month. It actually left us stranded in Flagstaff, AZ for two days because of a EGT sensor on the drive home. We also had a problem in Lubbock, TX but was able to drive on. (fuel starvation) After we got the truck home to Northern California I emailed the first owner and he reponded with all the problems he had. Of the 14 months the truck spent 7 months in the shop. Replaced the turbo's, high pressure pumps, wireing harnesses, oil pump. It's headed for the dealership tomarrow for a check-up. My big problem is with CarFax and AutoCheck. Both were checked and neither showed any problems only routine maintenance. Does anyone have information on Car Fax or AutoCheck. There may be some legal action toward Ford if Ford is not reporting repairs. I smell coverup> Cal in NorCal.
#110 of 146 Re: F450 [shellade] by norcalcal Oct 13, 2008 (8:41 pm)
Replying to: shellade (Jun 25, 2008 11:09 am) This is probably too late to help, but I had a trailer that was bucking and the solution was a little grease on the plug connection between the trailer and the truck. Seems some moisture was on the contact and it became rusty. I hauled a cattle trailer for years and know the problem a bucking trailer can do to livestock.
#111 of 146 by thedemoguy Oct 25, 2008 (7:15 am)
2008 F450 diesel 17400 miles, pulls race trailer and toy hauler. Catastrophic engine failure... 1: Radiator let go... 2: EGR cooler got hot, internal burst allowing coolant to inter air intake making it's way through turbos, and all that good stuff to the combustion chambers.... 3: What did we learn,...we can't compress coolant like a mist of fuel.... "HYDRAULIC PRESSER" Ford is well aware of the problem with there engines. the engine is a good engine but built with bad components. The "radiator" design has been a problem for a long time and that's where the problem starts, the radiator fails............ Then the "egr cooler" gets hot and it will burst and let coolant in to the intake,... the coolant will pass through the turbos and hot air return to the combustion chambers. Now I'm not a big time engineer working for ford but I know you can't compress coolant like a mist of fuel and something is going to brake,...like the piston rod, crank, all that good stuff.... To fix the engine problem would be as simple as putting a real "RADIATOR" in the truck and redesign the "EGR COOLER" to a cast steel instead of sheet metal that will not burst if it gets hot..........DAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ford is in the proses of putting a short block in my truck, what about the turbos, head's and every thing else...? If the presser was high enough to destroy a piston, rod and crank, what about the heads and turbos.........? Short Block.....? With the same radiator and egr cooler it will happen again. I will keep records of oil changes and service. All down time and cost for that down time, tows, hotels, rentals, lost revenue, and anything that costs me in relation to the truck failing to preform as advertised and what for the class action law suit... Replies to this message: charlie890 (Oct 25, 2008 7:32 am)
#112 of 146 Re: [thedemoguy] by charlie890 Oct 25, 2008 (7:32 am)
Replying to: thedemoguy (Oct 25, 2008 7:15 am) Geez sorry to hear about your problems with the F450. If you know of any class action suits please post the info. I would join in. Our F450 has stranded us twice with a load of horses. Once in Oklahoma and just a few weeks ago in Missouri. Both times took weeks to fix and ended up being electrical wiring harness problems. The last one was finally diagnosed correctly after changing out the #1 injector twice and the computer once. We have had the radiator fixed twice now. Fortunately for us we or the dealer spotted leaks and did the work before getting the point yours did. We will be checking for leaks at every fuel stop from now on (pain in the ass but better than a breakdown). We live in Canada and I am in the process of filling out the application under Canada's "lemon law" to see if I can get compensation for all the costs we incurred. Like you we had to put the horses up, get hotels, rent a truck to haul the trailer etc.
#113 of 146 Re: Gas Mileage - 2008 Super Duty [floorz] by charlie890 Oct 25, 2008 (7:45 am)
Replying to: floorz (Jul 27, 2007 6:27 am) We haul a 42' horse/living trailer with our F450 and get about 6mpg. Trailer and load weighs about 20,000 lbs. With the 4.88 and that weight that is all it will get. I agree it is disappointing. I think it is the 4.88 since we only get 10 or so mpg without the trailer. Aside from the mileage issue though we have had severe reliability problems. Stranded twice on the road, weeks to repair, mis-diagnosis, no parts available etc. We are filing under Canada;s "lemon law" for relief. The issues have both turned out to be problems in electrical wiring harnesses. We have also had the radiator(s) replace twice. Oh, an the IBC won't work properly with our trailer. This information is in the manual you get AFTER you take delivery.
#114 of 146 Re: My new f-450 [kcram] by charlie890 Oct 25, 2008 (8:03 am)
Replying to: kcram (Mar 11, 2008 2:40 pm) You need to read the posts more carefully or try driving an F450 with a trailer. There are REAL problems with this truck. I haul a 42' horse trailer with mine and I need to F450 capacity. - mileage is terrible 5-6mpg. my friends with Freightliners do better. - the IBC doesn't work with the type of brakes on most heavy trailers. You find this out AFTER buying the truck and trying to hook up. - the reliability sucks. We have been stranded twice, with horses, on the roadside. Weeks to fix, no parts available, unable to properly diagnose the problems, followed incorrect repair procedures, Ford "Customer Service" line is useless, - the radiator system is inadequate for the truck. It overheats then leaks, sometimes with catastrophic results. The people I know who own 450's need that size truck. Unfortunately the F450 just doesn't cut it. I am applying under Canada's "lemon law" for compensation or to have Ford buy the truck back.
#115 of 146 Re: Ford F-450 Lemon [dontbuyford] by charlie890 Oct 25, 2008 (8:06 am)
Replying to: dontbuyford (Jul 08, 2008 3:36 pm) Please post Mullaly's e-mail address. Maybe we can all bombard him. See my other posts ... the F450 is a LEMON.
#116 of 146 by thedemoguy Oct 25, 2008 (8:59 am)
This is nice: The Ford Motor Co. said Allan Mullaly, the company’s new CEO, will be getting an additional $1M bonus. The board of directors of the company has approved a $6 million stock option bonus, $1 million more than what was previously promised for Mullaly. Ford said Mullaly’s bonus was based on his performance during the first several months of working in the company. For 2007, his total compensation package could add up to $16.5 million. According to documents filed with Securities and Exchange Commission, Ford’s board also approved cash payments to other senior executives to compensate them for a bonus program the company is scrapping in favor of a new compensation plan. The news about Ford’s payouts came as thousands of salaried workers who signed up for buyouts or early retirement packages bid farewells to their friends and workmates. The announcement was also close to the reporting of the 2007 $12.7 billion loss report of the automaker. "(It was a) sad day today, lots of people I knew left," one worker said. "Many of the engineering offices look like Swiss cheese with all of the empty cubicles that have opened up." Replies to this message: jason550 (Oct 27, 2008 5:59 pm) charlie890 (Oct 27, 2008 7:26 pm) helplemonf450 (Dec 04, 2008 5:12 pm) and 2 more...
#117 of 146 Re: [thedemoguy] by jason550 Oct 27, 2008 (5:59 pm)
Replying to: thedemoguy (Oct 25, 2008 8:59 am) mine is a f550 with 77,000 miles. It has been in the shop for a total of four and half months. Its had 14 injectors replaced, three fuel pumps, six batteries, turbo, y-pipe, wireing harness, o-rings, multiple sensors, seals, and on and on. I have fought and fought with ford and gotten nowhere. I really need a good attorney. The service sucks bigtime, they hate to even see these trucks come in. Its been in 7 different shops for 13 times. Only once was I pulling a trailer, gooseneck with a skidsteer, not like I pull anything heavy or very often. Even if ford put a CAT engine in their trucks, I will never buy another ford again. The service is absolutely terrible and they want stand up and do what is right. Stand behind their product or buy it back. Two of the three ford dealers have shut down (all within 25 miles of my home) you would think they would see why. Replies to this message: charlie890 (Oct 27, 2008 7:26 pm) helplemonf450 (Dec 04, 2008 5:12 pm) charlie890 (Dec 04, 2008 6:41 pm) FCI (Jan 15, 2009 1:56 pm)