Ford Power Stroke Fault Codes
Power Stroke is Ford's diesel engine family in the Super Duty pickup and medium-duty truck lineup. The first three generations (7.3L, 6.0L, 6.4L) were built by Navistar International; the current 6.7L "Scorpion" is Ford-designed and manufactured in-house. Each generation has its own common failure patterns, from the bulletproof 7.3L to the troubled 6.0L and the emissions-era 6.4L and 6.7L.
4 generations · P-codes + Ford-specific DTCs · 1994 - present
Power Stroke Generations
| Engine | Years | Applications | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.3L Power Stroke | 1994-2003 | Ford F-250/350/450/550, E-Series, Excursion | HEUI-injected pushrod V8 built by Navistar. Widely considered the most reliable Power Stroke ever. |
| 6.0L Power Stroke | 2003-2007 | Ford F-250/350/450/550, E-Series, Excursion | Known for EGR cooler failures, head gasket / head bolt (TTY) issues, FICM, and oil cooler clogging. Problematic. |
| 6.4L Power Stroke | 2008-2010 | Ford F-250/350/450/550 | First Power Stroke with DPF. Twin turbo, cracked pistons, fuel dilution in oil, cab-off repairs common. |
| 6.7L Power Stroke (Scorpion) | 2011-present | Ford F-250/350/450/550, F-600 (2020+) | First Ford-designed diesel. Single VGT turbo, inverted cylinder head layout. Generally reliable; CP4.2 pump concerns on earlier years. |
Common Power Stroke Issues
- 6.0L: EGR cooler failure leading to coolant in combustion, oil cooler clogging, head bolt stretch (requires head studs + gaskets)
- 6.4L: Cracked pistons, radiator cracking, fuel dilution in oil from regen strategy, DPF regeneration frequency
- 6.7L: CP4.2 high-pressure fuel pump failure (early years), turbo bearing failure, DEF system faults, EGT sensor issues
- 7.3L: Camshaft position sensor (CPS) failure, UVCH / valve cover harness connectors, glow plug relay
- Across generations: FICM power supply (6.0L), turbo actuator faults, exhaust back pressure sensor carbon fouling
Most Common Fault Codes
Power Stroke fault codes are mostly standard OBD-II P-codes (P0299, P2263, P2A00, P246D). Ford-specific DTCs also appear via Ford's module addressing. Individual code pages are being populated as the diesel database grows.