FordE-450 Super Duty2021Overview/ford/e-450-super-duty/2021/base/

2021 Ford E-450 Super Duty

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 E-450 Super Duty.

The 2021 Ford E‑450 Super Duty requires 8.0 quarts of 5W‑30 oil for its engine, and its early service record shows 27 owner‑reported complaints with the engine identified as the top concern alongside six recalls. This concentration of engine‑related reports and recall activity places the model year under a heightened reliability spotlight compared with earlier iterations. Consequently, owners and technicians should prioritize engine monitoring and recall compliance when evaluating this platform.

Model year202520242023202120192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity8.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI Equipped with 2 batteries: 65 · 750 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI Equipped with 2 batteries: 65 · 750 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeLT225/75R16/EOEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.0, Optional: 7.0 inOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 8.0 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, 75W-140 · Synthetic · 80W-90 in the differential, Dot 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity17.4 qt
Brake FluidDot 4
Differential Gear Oil75W-140 · Synthetic · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.86 qt
Engine Coolant Capacity20.3 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · Synthetic
Engine Oil Capacity8.0 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.14 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.14 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head InstructionsUse new bolts only.
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)35.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.051 in
Spark Plug Torque11.08 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeYN-12-D
Standard BCI Group NumberEquipped with 2 batteries: 65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance750 cca

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum51.0 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum62.0 psi
Engine Oil Pressure8.0 psi

Brakes

Minimum Pad Thickness0.118 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.511; Rear: 1.590
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114.75 ft. lbs., Step 2: 28.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 105°14.75 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
166.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Loosen 360°, Step 3: 129.0 ft. lbs., Step 4: 150°66 ft. lbs
Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
114.75 ft. lbs., Step 2: 26.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 60°, Step 4: 14.75 ft. lbs., Step 5: 26.0 ft. lbs., Step 6: 60°14.75 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°7.14 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 24.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 24.018 ft. lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
114.75 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60°14.75 ft. lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°7.14 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi; coolant at 200,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 200,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
Every 30,000 miDrive Axle Assembly Mounting Bolts (torque) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (repack)
Every 97,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 200,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2021 Ford E-450 Super Duty top in one area — the engine, 4 of 27 reports (15%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the engine are also the target of recall 20V-795 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
39
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
27
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 27 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine4
Steering,Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Steering,Service Brakes2
Vehicle Speed Control,Unknown Or Other2
Steering2
Forward Collision Avoidance,Vehicle Speed Control2
Air Bags1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V795000EngineReported 17/12/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 E-350 and E-450 vehicles. The underside of the engine cover may have mispositioned insulation, allowing the cover to get excessively hot. Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine cover for gaps between the rubber seal and the insulation. If gaps are present, the dealer will install engine cover…

20V175000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipReported 23/03/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 E-350 and E-450 vehicles. A wire harness in the rear of the vehicle may contact the vehicle frame, resulting in damage to the circuits that support the fuel pump and… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wire harness for damage. If no damage is found, dealers will apply anti-abrasion tape over the area and ensure clearance to…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 39 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB 26-22562026-06-19Unknown Or OtherThis article supersedes TSB 25-2572 to update the Parts List to correct the part number…
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
TSB 25-25722025-11-26Power TrainThis article supersedes TSB 25-2322 to update the Service Procedure, Labor Operations and…
25H052025-11-18Electrical SystemThis is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited…
SSM 543632025-11-10Power TrainSome 2021-2025 Expedition/Navigator/F-150/F-Super Duty/F-53 Motorhome/F59 Commercial…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific E-450 Super Duty. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2021 E-450 Super Duty take?

8.0 qt of Motorcraft 5W-30 Synthetic, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 E-450 Super Duty have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.