The Lemon Index
The 6.4 L V8 twin-turbo diesel in the Ford Super Duty (F-250/F-350), model years 2008–2010. Owners filed 572 complaints about trucks with it (matched by VIN); 28% name the engine, #2 of the 12 diesel truck engine generations we track (1 = the most).
Known issues, checked against owner complaints
Problems owners of trucks with this engine name much more often than owners of other diesel truck generations (at least 1.5× the median, and 10+ complaints):
- Radiator and coolant leaks. 16 of 572 owner complaints (2.8%) mention coolant loss or overheating, against a median of 0.8% for the other diesel truck generations we track.
The radiator is separating at the seal at the edge. we are losing approx 1 gallon of antifreeze a day. I have heard this complaint from several dealerships we have talked to and other customers.
2008 owner · NHTSA complaint 11280385 - The DPF / regen system. 13 of 572 owner complaints (2.3%) mention the DPF, DEF or regen system, against a median of 0.1% for the other diesel truck generations we track.
The truck will go to regeneration mode with your foot on the brake and in drive . causing the truck to just about to take off into traffic. the dealer has try to correct the problem 3 times and it has not worked.
2008 owner · NHTSA complaint 10211287
Also often talked about, but not standing out in complaints to NHTSA: the EGR cooler (8 of 572, 1.4%, peers 0.3%); fuel leaks (0 of 572, under 0.1%, peers 0.5%). That doesn't mean it never happens, only that owners rarely file it with the government.
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 37/100 across 3 model years, from 165 videos about this engine and its cars.
Most-watched videos
- Tearing Down A Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Diesel "Core" Engine. A Pricey Core, But How Did I Fare? 627,921 views
- $5,000 2010 Ford F350 - 6.4L Powerstroke! Auction BUY! BAD ENGINE? 530,615 views
- The Truth About the 6.4L Powerstroke (And Why It's Not That Bad) 487,180 views
- Ford power stroke 6.4L. A complete build in 3 days 421,581 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Owner complaints by model year
Counts of complaints filed so far. Older trucks have had longer to collect them, and popular years draw more because more were sold: no one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-truck rate. Compare the shares below instead.
What owners complain about
Share of this engine's complaints that name each area (one complaint can name several).
What owners write
| Complaints that | Count | Share | Median, other diesel truck engines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mention a "death wobble" | 77 | 13% | 0.2% |
| Say the engine stalled, shut off or lost power | 65 | 11% | 7.8% |
| Mention coolant loss or overheating | 16 | 2.8% | 0.8% |
| Mention the DPF, DEF or regen system | 13 | 2.3% | 0.1% |
| Mention the CP4 or the high-pressure fuel pump | 12 | 2.1% | 0.3% |
| Mention the turbo | 9 | 1.6% | 1.0% |
| Mention the EGR system | 8 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Mention an injector | 6 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Mention an oil leak | 6 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
Counted from the owner's own words in each complaint (all of the truck, not only the engine). A share, not a failure rate.
When problems show up
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 30,000 and 114,825 miles; the middle report was at 64,000 miles (500 complaints with a mileage).
Recalls that name this engine 2
07V139000 Mar 2007 Power Train
On certain trucks equipped with a 6.4l diesel engine, excessive temperatures in the diesel particulate filter in the exhaust system may result from excess hydrocarbons in the exhaust.
Fix. Dealers will reprogram the power train control module. The recall began on april 3, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
07V140000 Mar 2007 Electrical System
On certain trucks equipped with a 6.4l diesel engine, insufficient clearance of the battery positive (b+) wire to the right hand splash shield bolt may result in the battery b+ wire contacting the splash shield bolt.
Fix. Dealers will inspect the battery b+ wire location and, if necessary, reposition the wire. The recall began on april 3, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA recalls on these trucks and years whose text names this engine (its size, or diesel / Cummins / Duramax / Power Stroke). The rest (brakes, air bags, wiring ...) are on each truck year's page.
Trucks with this engine
In owners' words
Yes the steering wheels are coming loose on all these trucks. Customers are having to fix their own steering wheels because there are no recalls. I don't believe steering wheels should be coming loose. The only thing they've done to fix it is make it easier to fix on the newer models.
2009 Ford Super Duty (F-250/F-350) owner · NHTSA complaint 11740789
Clock spring frayed and uncoiled. Unknown steering issue till clockspring checked. Airbag inflator is unoperational. Current clockspring recall for Ford does not cover this vehicle. Widen your recall. Most owners would believe it to be a power steering issue with pump and fluid, like we did.
2008 Ford Super Duty (F-250/F-350) owner · NHTSA complaint 11611228
When I hit a bump at between 55 and up, the Truck develops a death wobble even after having all the steering components, including ball joints, tie, rod ends, stabilizer, bar, shocks, replaced
2009 Ford Super Duty (F-250/F-350) owner · NHTSA complaint 11607069
Against the other diesel truck engine generations
| Engine | Years | Complaints | Name the engine | Name the fuel system | Stalled or lost power | Recalls naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 Power Stroke | 2003–07 | 1,708 | 34% | 16% | 31% | 2 |
| 6.4 Power Stroke | 2008–10 | 572 | 28% | 7% | 11% | 2 |
| Duramax L5P | 2017–26 | 1,229 | 16% | 10% | 14% | 2 |
| 7.3 Power Stroke | 1999–03 | 2,049 | 15% | 5% | 12% | 1 |
| Duramax LML | 2011–16 | 779 | 13% | 20% | 17% | 0 |
| 6.7 Cummins | 2007–26 | 7,667 | 11% | 8% | 6.4% | 9 |
| 6.7 Power Stroke | 2011–26 | 5,640 | 10% | 11% | 7.8% | 6 |
| Duramax LBZ | 2006–07 | 186 | 8% | 5% | 7.0% | 0 |
| Duramax LMM | 2007–10 | 385 | 8% | 6% | 5.2% | 0 |
| Duramax LB7 | 2001–04 | 592 | 7% | 17% | 5.4% | 1 |
| Duramax LLY | 2004–06 | 374 | 7% | 11% | 7.8% | 0 |
| 5.9 Cummins | 1999–07 | 3,245 | 4% | 7% | 5.0% | 0 |
Shares of each engine's own complaints, matched by VIN. They show what owners complain about, not how often trucks break. Every diesel truck engine compared
Quick answers
Is the Ford 6.4 Power Stroke reliable?
No one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-truck score. Of the 572 complaints owners filed about trucks with it, 28% name the engine, #2 of 12 diesel truck engine generations we track (1 = the most). 16 (2.8%) mention coolant loss or overheating, against 0.8% for its peers. 13 (2.3%) mention the DPF, DEF or regen system, against 0.1% for its peers.
What trucks have the Ford 6.4 Power Stroke?
In our data: the Ford Super Duty (F-250/F-350), model years 2008–2010, matched by the VIN in each owner complaint.
What are the most common 6.4 Power Stroke problems?
In owner complaints to the government: steering, engine, suspension.
How many recalls name the 6.4 Power Stroke?
2 NHTSA recalls on these trucks name it.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints (FLAT_CMPL + COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED_2025-2026), received through 20261109; engines: NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder; NHTSA recalls API. Engine names and years: Ford.