1999 FORD E-250 Complaints

VERY BAD BUMP AND CLUNKING SOUND FROM STEERING WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH SURFACES AT SLOW SPEEDS OR WHEN GOING DOWN HILL AND PUTTING ON BRAKES ESPECIALLY IN A TURN. BOUNCES OVER ROAD AND HARD TO CONTROL WHEN GOING DOWN HILL AND USING BRAKES. THE SAME PART HAS BEEN REPLACED IN THE STEERING COLUMN BY DEALER 7 TIMES AND ONLY STAYS FIXED FOR SHORT TIME. IT CONTINUALLY GETS WORSE UNTIL IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I BELIEVE BRAKES AND STEERING COLUMN ARE THE PROBLEMS. BOTH HAVE WORN OUT EXCESSIVELY. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE BUYING THE VAN NEW. FORD GAVE ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. *JB

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURER.*AK

MY HUSBAND AND I EXPERIENCED TWO BLOW OUTS ON FIRESTONE TIRES DURING A TRIP IN JULY-AUGUST, 2004. AFTER HAVING TO REPLACE ALL OF THE TIRES DURING THE TRIP WE CALLED FORD AND FIRESTONE. FIRESTONE OFFERED TO PAY$100.00 TO COVER SOME OF THE EXPENSES OF SPARE TIRE REPLACEMENT(AFTER THE BLOW OUTS AND BEFORE WE PURCHASED NEW TIRES BECAUSE WE FEARED FURTHER PROBLEMS) BUT WE REFUSED THIS. WE BELIEVE THESE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S TIRES ARE HAZARDOUS AND SOME WARNING SHOULD BE ISSUED. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SURVIVED WITHOUT BODILY INJURY. I WILL CALL AND/OR SEND A COPY OF THE LETTER SENT TO THE FORD DEALER WHO SOLD THE VAN TO SPORTS MOBILE WHO CONVERTED IT INTO A CAMPING VAN. I ALSO SENT A COPY OF THIS LETTER TO FIRESTONE. *AK

BEGINING IN THE YEAR 2000, THE 98 E150 WENT THROUGH THE FACTORY MOTOR AT 90,000 MILES. COOLANT MIXING WITH OIL WITHOUT EVER OVERHEATING. FORD WAS GOING TO FIX UNTIL I TOLD THEM THAT MY MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A PRIVATELY OWNED SHOP VERSUS THE DEALERSHIP (MY BROTHER OWNS THE SHOP AND THE LOCAL DEALER SENDS HIM ALL OF THEIR DIFFICULT REPAIRS). IT TOOK ME APPROXIMATELY 16 MONTHS COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO HAVE THE MOTOR MACHINED AND REPAIRED PROPERLY. TOTAL COST $4000. I FINALLY FELT CONFIDENT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SERVE ME WELL, UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP . OVERDRIVE MESSED UP AND CAUSED OTHER PROBLEMS AS WELL. NOW I HAVE NO WHEELS UNTIL I COME UP WITH $1700 MORE. I'M IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,AND IF USE INFERIOR TECHNIQUES OR PRODUCTS I AM HELD ACCOUNTABLE. SHOULDN'T FORD LIVE BY AT LEAT THE SAME STANDARDS AS A LOWLY CARPENTER.*AK

1999 FORD E250 CARGO VAN, 24K MILES, ALL 4 BALL JOINTS FAILED. REPLACEMENT SCHEDULED, WILL RETAIN PARTS. KNOW OF TWO OTHER LOW MILEAGE, LATE MODEL FORD TRUCKS WITH SIMILAR LOW MILEAGE BALL JOINT FAILURES. FORD DOES NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE YET THEIR OWN SERVICE PEOPLE ARE TELLING ME THEY SEE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF THESE FAILURES AND WONDER WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL.*AK

I OWN A FORD 1999 E250 VAN THAT HAS BEEN CUSTOMIZED BY THE SPORTSMOBILE COMPANY INTO AN RV. IT CAME WITH FOUR FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT225/75R16 M/S TIRES. AS I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF I-505S (JUST N OF EXIT FOR ALLENDALE RD), THE TREAD ON MY LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL ONTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I DROVE (AT REDUCED SPEED ON THE DAMAGED TIRE) TO THE MIDWAY RD RV PARK AT THE NEXT EXIT. THERE I MOUNTED THE SPARE. THE TIRES HAD 22K MILES ON THEM AND HAD BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY.*AK

GAS LEAKED FROM THE FUEL FILLER VALVE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REFUELED (CNG). *NLM

THE VEHICLE SWAYED WHEN DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE MECHANIC NOTICED A STABILIZER BAR HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE TO WEAR ON THE INSIDE. *JB *NLM

FIRESTONE STEEL TEX R4S, LT245/75R16, DOT VN11R1A338, REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT WITH 43000 MILES ON A 1999 FORD E250 VAN. TREAD SEPARATION AT 55 MPH ON DRIVER REAR.*AK *JB

MY WIFE AND I PLANNED TO TAKE TWO OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN TO THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY IN ASHEBORO, N.C.. ON THE MORNING OF JULY 7 WE HEADED SOUTH FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA ON ROUTE 29. WE REACHED LYNCHBURG WITHIN AN HOUR AND NOTICED THAT THE RIDE WAS GETTING ROUGHER. WE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE UNDERCARRIAGE, THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND THE WHEELS AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT CONTINUING OUR TRIP AND DECIDED TO TURN BACK AND HEAD HOME AGAIN. I DROVE 35 MPH WITH THE EMERGENCY BLINKERS ON UNTIL WE REACHED A GAS STATION NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 29 AND 60. THE VIBRATION HAD TURNED INTO A STEADY THUMPING AS I HAD PROCEEDED TO THIS POINT. I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND NOTICED A TEAR ALONG THE INSIDE SIDE WALL OF THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL. ON CLOSER INSPECTION I NOTICED THAT THE TEAR WAS ALONG THE EDGE OF THE TREAD AND COULD BE PULLED AWAY FROM THE TIRE. WE DECIDED TO CALL AAA AND HAVE THEM CHANGE OUT THE TIRE FOR US. AFTER ARRIVING HOME FROM OUR ATTEMPTED TRIP WE DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES WITH GOODYEAR TIRES FOR A TOTAL COST OF $529.33. THE ATTENDANT (MACKENZIE HORN) AT THE GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER, JENKINS AUTOMOTIVE, 1564 SEMINOLE TRAIL, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22901 (434) 974-6680 CONFIRMED OUR BELIEF THAT THE TIRE WAS INDEED DEFECTIVE.*AK