Among the heavy hitters of the trucking world, the Ford E-450 certainly stands out. Its heft, rugged looks, dependability, and versatility certainly earned it its nickname "Super Duty"-it certainly went just beyond heavy duty work. Though barely over a decade old, the E-450 actually represents the natural evolution of the iconic Ford pickup and benefits from many decades of innovation and development. It's unsurprising, really, that there aren't that many complaints about this great truck. So while the following are the most common, the truth is that they affect a very small percentage. Still, it helps to be informed!

Tired tire treads

This problem is most commonly manifested in the very first iteration: the 1999 Ford E-450 Super Duty. The truth is that it has more to do with the Firestone Steeltex tires that it uses more than anything in the truck itself. What usually happens is rapid wearing-out and deterioration on the tread pattern of one or more tires which causes a dangerous loss of traction. The results are often not explosive and therein lies the problem-it's the type of problem that can creep up at the worst possible moment.

The best solution is actually preventive maintenance-keeping the tires at the proper psi levels prevents this from happening. In the event that it has already occurred, it actually is more economical to replace the tires with heavy-duty aftermarket equivalents as these are normally much more durable-if slightly more costly.

Engine hiccups

A serious but rare problem affecting the 2007 E-450 is an engine shutdown when climbing uphill at 45,000 rpm. This problem was noticed at 16,000 km, and give no warning prior to its occurring-the "check engine" light doesn't flash. It's potentially very unsafe and contrary to what the E-450 is supposed to be purpose-built for. Again, it's a very rare occurrence and, as such, has not raised enough red flags to warrant a recall order. When faced with this problem, bring the truck to the dealer for inspection before it gets worse.