1999 FORD E-150 Complaints

1999 FORD E150 CONVERSION VAN [XXX] GAS TANK IS LEAKING. THERE IS AN EXISTING RECALL FOR 1996-2000 MODEL YEARS BUILT AT THE LORAIN ASSEMBLY PLANT, HOWEVER, IT IS LISTED AGAINST E150 WAGONS, NOT VANS. I CHECKED MY VIN AGAINST THE RECALL AND IT WAS NOT LISTED. ACCORDING TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, WAGONS COME WITH SEATS AND VANS DO NOT. SINCE MY VEHICLE WENT DIRECTLY FROM THE PLANT TO AN AFTERMARKET CONVERSION COMPANY, I DOUBT IT HAD SEATS. BUT, IT CERTAINLY WASN'T MANUFACTURED AS A CARGO VAN. I BELIEVE MY VAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED BECAUSE IT WAS ORDERED WITHOUT SEATS. REGARDLESS, IT NOW HAS A LEAK FROM THE GAS TANK. THE LEAK IS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE ON TOP OF THE TANK THAT I CAN'T SEE. I INSPECTED THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND SAW NOTHING WRONG. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BOTTOM OR SIDES AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. EVEN IF MY VEHICLE ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, IT STILL HAS AN APPARENT SAFETY DEFECT. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAS HAPPENED TO THE VAN. NO WRECKS, JUST NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.*AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON BY THEMSELVES. ODOMETER LIGHT FLICKERS ON & OFF. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2001. *AK

THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING SUBMITTED ON 8/10/2004. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 1999 FORD E-150 VAN WITH A 5.4L ENGINE. OVER THE PAST 6 WEEKS WE HAVE HAD THREE FUEL SYSTEM FAILURES. THE MOST RECENT AND SEVERE CONSEQUENCE OF THE FAILURE IS THAT THE VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TWO FORD DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN MARYLAND AND THE OTHER IN OKLAHOMA) HAVE REPLACED NUMEROUS FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP THREE TIMES BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE UNDERLYING ROOT CAUSE FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. EACH TIME THE FORD DEALER REPLACES THE FUEL PUMP, THE VEHICLE WORKS FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK THEN FAILS AGAIN. INTERESTINGLY, THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE IS SOMETIMES ACCOMPANIED BY A SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND SOMETIMES NOT. WHEN A SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS PRESENT, IT INDICATED A FUEL PUMP FAILURE. MOST RECENTLY (LAST NIGHT) THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT ALL.

LTR FM DENIS BITTENBENDER (PA) WRITER IS A QUADRIPLEGIC USE OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT TO OPERATE VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENT REQUEST NHTSA TEST EQUIPMENT DEFECT, REPLY TO THE ALLENTOWN OFC DOT 2004-4251. *LA THE VEHICLE HAD RUN OFF THE HIGHWAY AND RAN INTO A TREE IN WHICH THE VEHICLE VEERED AT A 30 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT AN DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY ACTIONS THE CONSUMER TRIED TO PERFORM. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE BRAKE UNIT FAILED AND THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE UNIT. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *SC IT WAS ALSO POSSIBLE THE VAN HAD A STEERING PROBLEM. *JB

VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A TREE. *PH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE ACCIDENT. NHTSA DID SOME TESTING BUT COULD NOT PIN POINT THE PROBLEM. A RECALL WAS INITIATED WHICH THE CONSUMER RECEIVED AUGUST 24, 2003, 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE OUT OF SERVICE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS THE CONSUMER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REARRANGING HIS SCHEDULE TO COMPLY WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. FIVE DAYS AFTER THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE BRAKE UNIT FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE UNIT AFTER SOME INSTALLER/MANUFACTURER DISAGREEMENTS. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. *NM

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED GAS. CONSUMER LEANED BACKWARDS AND NOTICED THAT SEAT BACK OVERHEATED, ALMOST UNTOUCHABLE. SMOKE CAME OUT OF SEAT. *AK

SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM CYLINDER HEAD OF MY 1999 FORD E-150 5.4L ENGINE. THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED AND THE DEALER SAYS $4000+ TOTAL REPAIR. THE FUEL AND AIR LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH A CONVENIENT IGNITION SOURCE, THE SPARK PLUG, FORTUNATELY DID NOT LEAD TO A FIRE BUT IT'S POTENTIALLY ENORMOUS. AFTER INTERNET SEARCHING, THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE FORD DEALER DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS. *LA

TIE ROD BROKE LOOSE ALMOST MAKE VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. TIE ROD ALSO BROKE TWO YEARS AGO. *LA

CONSUMER STATES UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED AT 36000 MILES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TS

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT GOES UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE IS CONVERSION VAN. *AK