YearToAvoid

2009 Ford F-450 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

5/100

#20 most-complained of 21 F-450 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Ford F-450 has 3 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 5 out of 100 — #20 highest of 21 F-450 model years. The most reported problem area is engine (2 complaints, 67% of the total).

Complaints
3
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2009 Ford F-450 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine2 (67%)
  2. Other1 (33%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (33%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain1 (33%)
2009 Ford F-450 complaints: complaints filed per month3Nov 2011Apr 2014Jan 2015
5 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2011 to Jan 2015; peak Jan 2015 (3).

2009 Ford F-450 recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V498000Aug 13, 2014Other3 vehicles

    Equipment

    PJ's Truck Bodies & Equipment Co., (PJ's) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty chassis modified by PJ's and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket covering the exhaust.

    Risk: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.

    Remedy: PJ's has notified owners and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2014. Owners may contact PJ's customer service at 1-866-475-8782.

  2. NHTSA 14V360000Jun 23, 2014Other10 vehicles

    Equipment

    Palfleet Truck Equipment Company, LLC (Palfleet) is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 super duty vehicles modified by Palfleet and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket covering the exhaust.

    Risk: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.

    Remedy: Palfleet will notify owners, and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began on July 29, 2014. Owners may contact Palfleet customer service at 1- 502-376-2458.

  3. NHTSA 14V328000Jun 13, 2014Other21 vehicles

    Equipment

    Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc. will notify owners and dealers to inspect the Muncie PTO pressure switch to determine if it is from the range of defective switches and if required, remove the pressure switch assembly and put a plug in the port where the PTO switch had been installed. This switch was never being utilized. This will be done free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-July 2014. Owners may contact Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc. at 1-800-247-5958.

    Risk: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.

    Remedy: Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc. will notify owners, and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2014. Owners may contact Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc. at 1-800-247-5958.

See all 6 recalls for the 2009 Ford F-450 →

2009 compared with other F-450 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Good25162—
2008Avoid100684—
2009No verdict536—
2010No verdict037—
2011Good451510—

All Ford F-450 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Ford F-450 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Ford F-450 ranks #20 of 21 among F-450 model years (Complaint Index 5/100). It has 3 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ford F-450?
The most reported problem areas are engine (2 complaints), suspension, wheels & tires (1 complaints), and transmission & powertrain (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 3,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Ford F-450 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2009 Ford F-450, most recently reported 2014, covering other and electrical system.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.