Ford recalls Super Duty trucks after tailpipe fires

By Kevin Krolicki

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. said on Wednesday it was recalling over 37,000 of its new 2008 model-year F-Series Super Duty trucks after reported tailpipe fires in the diesel version of the pickups.

Ford said it had received reports of three cases where leaking fuel or oil ignited when trapped in a diesel particulate filter near the tailpipe of the new trucks.

In one case in Texas, a truck's hot tailpipe set off a grass fire when the driver pulled off the road, a Ford spokesman said.

The fire was quickly extinguished, and no injuries or accidents have been reported as a result of the incidents, Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis said.

"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," 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.

Navistar International Corp. briefly halted shipments of the diesel engines for the new trucks to Ford in late February because of a contract dispute, although both sides have since been meeting under court order to resolve the matter.