Feds Investigate Ford’s 7.3-liter “Godzilla” V8 for Catastrophic Failures
Ford promised big things when the company introduced the new 7.3-liter “Godzilla” gasoline V8. This mechanical king of the monsters was meant to offer a gasoline-fueled alternative to the company’s diesel engines. It was also supposed to be among the best in its class in multiple categories. It certainly had the right combination of size and power, which helped make it very popular with customers. The engine makes 430 horsepower in most applications. The vans and the chassis models get 300 to 325 and 335 horsepower, respectively, out of their setups.
However, it seems this beast has a fatal flaw buried in its construction. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is launching an investigation into the V8 due to reports of it catastrophically failing in real-world use.
What’s Causing Godzilla to Self-Destruct?
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) announced it has opened an investigation into camshaft and lifter failures on vehicles equipped with the 7.3-liter V8. The list of affected vehicles currently includes the 2021 and 2022 Ford E-350 van, along with the 2021 F-59 chassis and F-750, but the list could grow since the engine has also made its way into other Ford models.
The ODI’s investigation began in June after it received a petition about these vehicles. This particular petition alleges that low oil pressure while the engine is idling causes “severe wear on the lifter rollers and camshaft lobes.” It goes on to say that this leads to “catastrophic engine failure and sudden loss of motive power while driving at highway speeds.” Ford was apparently aware of the issue. The document even says Ford tried to fix it by raising the idle speed via a software patch. However, that patch failed to fix the problem, and the company also didn’t notify owners in the first place.
ODI Investigation Comes as Fleet Owners Sound Off on Problem
The ODI’s investigation comes as angry fleet owners pour in complaints after watching 7.3-liter engines fail in their commercial vehicles. A North Carolina fleet owner filed one complaint in February 2024. It says that out of the 11 vehicles it purchased with the 7.3-liter “Godzilla” V8, five of them had engine failures.
The troubling aspect here is that two of these failures occurred with relatively low mileage. One happened at 103,177 miles while another failed with only 45,745 miles on the odometer. These failures paint a very grim picture of the engine. It’s also not known whether the issue affects Super Duty pickups equipped with the engine or the 615-horsepower Megazilla variant, which Ford sells as a crate motor.
Latest Investigation Builds on Ford’s Recall Woes
This latest ODI investigation comes as Ford is dealing with a surge of recalls in 2026. Ford has officially hit 80 recalls in the U.S. in 2026, more than double the 39 from Stellantis, the next-closest automaker. The recalls cover a wide range of issues, with powertrain and electrical problems leading the list.
Ford has said this surge in recalls is partly due to improved quality control measures and a more proactive approach to identifying issues, which it says isn’t a sign of declining quality. However, the sheer number of these recalls is hard to ignore, and Ford currently leads other automakers in recalls.
What’s Next?
For now, there’s not much owners can do. The ODI’s investigation is ongoing, but it has not escalated into a formal recall, and no one has identified a fix as of yet. However, owners can submit paperwork to NHTSA that documents the engine failure in their vehicles. ODI and NHTSA use paperwork as a form of evidence in their investigations, and the submitted reports also play a big role in determining whether a recall is needed or not.
If a recall is indeed needed to fix this issue, look for Ford and NHTSA to release the necessary information for owners once the investigation wraps up.