Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford F-250 SD owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The 2001 f250 I own has always stalled at any given time. Ford recalled the cam position sensor, I had already changed it just before recall then they did again. That never stopped it from stalling, it also doesn't read when you sometimes go to take off. I've changed (throttle switch) that did nothing. All of its mishaps has cased thousands of dollars in repair. Always broke down and can't make money when it's impossible to drive truck time after time. I have been in several close call accidents, when I lose powersteering and almost have crashed into cars. I figured out the fuel tank flaking off inside the tank could be the cause. The truck gets terrible fuel mileage when this happens costing a fortune in wasted diesel fumes. That have been know to cause brain cancer, also the amount of pollution from not running proper. …
I have a 2001 Ford f250 with a 6.8l v10. It has 149,489 miles on it. I am no shade tree mechanic, I have rebuilt engines, transmissions and trouble shoot cpu?s . I was driving down the road and came to a traffic light then made a right hand turn. As soon as I made the turn the #4 spark plug blew out. My father has a 2002 f250 with the 6.8l v10 and his blew out the #1 and about 300 miles later it blew out the #5 plug. It caught on fire when it blew out the #5. This is not right!! There have been to many complaints about these trucks with the same problem. The cause is not due to incorrect torque on the plug. But due to a combination of two things, 1. The amount of threads that hold the plug in place.2 the amount of compression that the engine produces.
Ford needs to do a recall on the cam position sensor. If this part fails on the super duty diesel at highways speeds, a crash could occur resulting in serious injury or death to the occupants of the vehicle or any other vehicle that the super duty May come in contact with. I was driving at 75 MPH when the engine suddenly died due to cps failure. The truck slowed so fast I almost hit the windshield. The engine wouldn't restart. Other motorist saw me in trouble and let me pull to the right shoulder. Steering the truck required "superman" strength. I scrapped my truck against the guard rail. Fortunately I wasn't towing 6,000 lb like I normally do at that time. Now I keep a spare cps and a 10 mm socket in my truck.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford f-250 SD. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle lost power and the steering wheel seized. In addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. The dealer (tomball Ford, 22702 tomball pkwy, tomball, tx 77375, [phone]) was contacted, but did not receive authorization from the contact to diagnose the vehicle. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the high volume oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 157,000.
My 2001 Ford f-250 was destroyed on 8/11/06 and approximately 75 acres of range Land was burned when the truck caught on fire. Contents valued at $1800 were also destroyed. No one was injured. The fire started in the engine compartment when the engine was off and the key was not in the ignition.
We have a 2001 Ford f-250 SD truck that has had 3-4 transmission failures since we have owned it. The transmission deteriorates 3-4 months after the warranty expires. On Monday, May 29, 2006 we were in a hay field picking up hay when the transmission exploded and caught fire with no warning.
Driving out of state for work and spark plug blew out of my engine. And from that results it cost me quiet a bit of extra money that I didn't have to spend and missed a days trying to get that problem fixed. And it ruin my fathers day weekend I wanted to spend with my kid.
I have a 2001 Ford f-250 with the triton 5.4l v8. The problem I have is the spark plugs blowing out I have had 3 total sense March. The first one happened at about 120,000 miles in March there is a slight "ticking" noise that comes from the engine then the boom from the spark plug blowing out with a sudden loss of power. The 1st to go was the number 7cylinder followed by number 1 and finally number 3 cylinders. The second and third happened about 200 miles from each other at the 143,000 mile mark this weekend. Friday August 29 the second one blew out on the interstate going normal speed with no indication of a problem. The truck was towed to wade Ford in smyrna to be repaired. The truck was repaired with in several hours and I was on the road again $750 later. I was headed to florida at the time and still made the trip. …
Sept. 07; my Ford 01 f250t. Cab 4+4 with the 5.4 l triton motor, blew out of the engine cylinder head its first of 3 spark plugs, on July 4th 09 it blew out 2 more; I had just gotten one fixed and picked up my truck and did not make it out of the parking lot. When the first one blew I was coming down a steep hill with a pop-up trailer in tow, I had my family with me, wife and 2 girls age 6 and 8. When it blew it sounded like a cannon under the hood, I almost lost control, after a 4 hr. Wait for a tow truck and a couple days at the dealer, and 600.00 later, I got my truck back, no further problems til 7-4-09 when 2 more blew.. I have went online and there are several stories about this happening to this motor and two other models, ages between '99 and '04. …
I was on a delivery with my 2001 Ford f 250 v10 with 8 thousand miles, when I heard what I thought was tappet noise then I heard a pop and then realy loud exhaust noise like I lost a exhaust manifold seal, I pulled over to find I had a suddden spark plug blow out, I was on a delivery and work in the hollywood andthe production needed me at location on time, so I drove it there after I isolated t he spark plug wire from grounding by floating it in air by purring it threw the oil dip stick, I drove on with the 9 remaining cylinders and made my delivery, I was out 250 miles and had to return to la for a child custody hearing so I drove it back the whole way sounding like a tug boat, it was like I was lindberg crossing the atlantic I did not know if I would make it, but I did, I called Ford and they want 700 to re tap the hole and put a insert in, I looked at the consumer complaints and see …
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Diesel
On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle May function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on December 29, 2007. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA investigations
Engine stalling
The cam position sensor (cps) provides a critical signal to the subject vehicle (sv) engine management system, the loss of which results in an engine stall.during pe06-011, Ford stated in their response to odi that it is continuing to investigate allegations of cps related engine stall and further advised that an update will be provided upon completion of the investigation.Ford data shows that 20% of the 716,000 svs…
Engine stalling
In a December 3, 2007 letter, Ford advised NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall to replace the cam position sensor (cps) in approximately 1.2 million subject vehicles to address reports of engine stalling.a new design cps with improved performance and durability will be installed as a remedy.owner notifications will begin in December 2007.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
Engine complaints in other F-250 SD years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Ford F-250 SD?
NHTSA has 99 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Ford F-250 SD, 34% of the model year's 288 complaints. The component named most often is engine (29 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford F-250 SD engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 07V-553 (diesel, Dec 5, 2007). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford F-250 SD engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 94,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 4 fires and 0 injuries and 1 death to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.