Ford Motor Co. said it was recalling 37,400 of its new 2008 model-year F-Series Super Duty trucks with 6.4-liter diesel engines after reported tailpipe fires.
Ford said it had received reports of three cases where leaking fuel or oil ignited when trapped in a diesel particulate filter (DPF) near the tailpipe of the new trucks.
"This is an important product for us and an important customer base, and we want to move swiftly to make sure this does not become a safety issue for our customers," Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis said.
The recall represents the second glitch since their January launch of the new Super Duty trucks.
The heavy-duty work truck is one of the automaker's most profitable vehicles and its sales success has been seen as key as Ford tries to rebound from a $12.7 billion loss last year
Ford dealers were advised on Wednesday to stop selling the roughly 29,000 Super Duty trucks with 6.4-liter diesel engines on their lots until engine control software can be updated.
That work should begin on Thursday and could be completed in less than 10 minutes per vehicle, Ford's Jarvis said.
Super Duty trucks still awaiting shipment from the Louisville, Kentucky, plant that makes them will have their engine control software updated there, he said.
Customers with the first 8,400 diesel Super Duty trucks already on the roads will be notified that they should bring their vehicles into dealerships for the same fix, said Jarvis.
Ford will send out a recall notice to customers in early April and dealers may contact them before then to alert them to the potential problem, he said.
Gasoline-powered versions of the Super Duty and previous model-year diesel trucks with 6.0-liter or 7.3-liter engines are not affected by the recall.