FordF-450 Super Duty2021Overview/ford/f-450-super-duty/2021/base/

2021 Ford F-450 Super Duty

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

The 2021 Ford F-450 Super Duty is the subject of this technical overview. This model year has recorded 12 recalls and 17 total owner complaints, with the most frequent reports categorized as "Unknown Or Other." These figures follow a model complaint history from 2009 to 2014 that remained minimal, peaking at two complaints in 2011 and reaching a low of one in 2010.

Model year20252024202320222021202020192018

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length263.8 in
Overall width79.9 in
Overall height81.1 in
Wheelbase176 in
Curb weight8589 lb
Track (front / rear)74.8 / 74.8 in

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the F-450 Super Duty of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.00 sec — 2017 King Ranch Crew Cab DRW (8.2 ft. Bed)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2017King Ranch Crew Cab DRW (8.2 ft. Bed) 6.7L Turbo Diesel V88.00 sec16.10 sec440 hp4x4

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 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 10,000 miAir Filter Restriction Gauge (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Diesel Emissions Fluid (fill)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Breather Filter (replace)
At 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
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.

The federal year-by-year record provided spans only 2009 through 2014 and includes no 2021 entry, so a direct before-and-after comparison for the 2021 Ford F-450 Super Duty is not available in this dataset. Within that earlier window, complaints stayed very low at zero to two per year and recalls held steady at three annually from 2009 to 2013, then dropped to one recall and zero complaints in 2014, with no investigations or TSBs recorded in any of those years. For 2021 specifically, the data shows zero crash complaints, one fire complaint, and low-count top complaint areas labeled Unknown/Other (2), Electrical System/Service Brakes (2), Electrical System (2), and Tires (1), though the dataset does not specify root causes or whether any categories overlap. Because the available counts are small and there are no crash complaints, the 2021 model appears to be a reasonable used-buy candidate, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms the condition of the electrical, brake, tire, and fire-related systems.

12
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
234
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
17
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 17 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other2
Electrical System,Service Brakes2
Electrical System2
Tires1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Power Train1
Fuel System, Diesel1
Power Train,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 12 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V090000Visibility:Windshield:Critical FastenersReported 18/02/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 F-150 and 2020-2021 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…

22V013000Fuel System, DieselReported 14/01/2022

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, and Medium Duty F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. A small void may be present in the top-center… Remedy: Dealers will replace the primary and secondary fuel filters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 234 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
25N10S12026-06-23StructureCertain 2017-2025 F-450 – F-600 Chassis Cab Upfitted with an Aerial Bucket Frame Rail…
TSB 26-22562026-06-19Unknown Or OtherThis article supersedes TSB 25-2572 to update the Parts List to correct the part number…
TSB 26-22162026-05-06Power TrainThis bulletin supersedes 25-2549. Reason for update: To add 2020 model year chassis cab…
SSM 547202026-04-02Electrical SystemVarious 2020-2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with blind spot information system…
25N172026-03-25Unknown Or OtherAdvance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year…

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 F-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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

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

NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.