NHTSA Opens Review of Camshaft and Lifter Failures in 54,787 Ford 7.3L Vehicles
The petition covers 2021-2022 E-350 vans and 2021 F59 and F-750 trucks
Source: static.nhtsa.gov ↗
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a defect petition review on Oct. 23, 2026, into camshaft and lifter failures in Ford 7.3-liter gasoline engines, which NHTSA estimates affects 54,787 vehicles spanning 2021-2022 Ford E-350 vans and 2021 Ford F59 and F-750 trucks.
The review, designated DP26011, began with a defect petition NHTSA received June 13, 2026. Investigator Jason Williams is assigned to the case, with Joshua Neff as reviewer and Tanya Topka as approver.
The petitioner alleges that insufficient oil lubrication at low idle, producing approximately six psi of oil pressure, causes severe wear on lifter rollers and camshaft lobes. That wear, the petition states, leads to catastrophic engine failure and sudden loss of motive power at highway speeds with little to no warning to the driver.
The petition also alleges Ford Motor Company was aware of the root cause and released a software calibration patch raising idle speed to approximately 1,000 RPM, but did not initiate a public safety recall or notify vehicle owners.
NHTSA’s failure report summary shows one incident filed with the Office of Defects Investigation and no crashes, fires, injuries or fatalities recorded to date across all reporting channels, including manufacturer early warning reports and field reports.
NHTSA says the petition was opened “to evaluate the issue and determine whether to grant or deny the petition.”
The full petition is available at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11764421.
