2000 FORD E-350 Complaints

SPRING SEAT IN FRONT SUSPENSION WAS CRACKING. MECHANIC HAD FRONT END OF AMBULANCE FRAME WELDED SO WE COULD CONTINUE TO USE THE VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY VAN LOST ALMOST ALL POWER, DROPPING FROM 65 MILES PER HOUR TO 25 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TRY AND MOVE OVER TO THE SLOW LANE. I QUICKLY LOST ALL POWER AND MY STOPPED RUNNING. PART OF MY LEFT REAR WAS SLIGHTLY OUT IN THE TRAFFIC LANE. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE MY VAN TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT MAINTAINS MY VAN. THE DEALER INFORMED ME MY FUEL TANK HAD "DELAMINATED", THE INSIDE COATING HAD DETERIORATED AND HAD CLOGGED THE ENTIRE FULE SYSTEM AND THAT THE TANK, FILTERS, PUMPS AND ALL LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED. I UNDERSTAND MOVING PARTS FAILING, BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A FUEL TANK FAILING EXCEPT THROUGH PUNCTURE OR EXTERIOR DETERIORATION THROUGH RUSTING. REPAIRS WILL COST SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS SAY THIS HAS OCCURED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WITH FORD DIESELS, RANGING IN MILEAGE FROM 30,000 TO 200,000. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAS SAID THE CAUSE IS FROM USING ADDITIVES OR FROM THE FUEL. I DO NOT USE ADDITIVES AND HAVE USED ONLY PROPER FUEL FROM REPUTABLE COMPANIES. I APPROACHED FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR ASSISTANCE IN COVERING THE COST OF REPAIRS BUT WAS TOLD THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM CAUSED BY EITHER A POORLY ENGINEERED OR INCORRECTLY APPLIED INTERIOR TANK LINING THAT FAILS WITH NO WARNING AND CAUSES EITHER TOTAL OR NEAR TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. IF THIS OCCURS ON A CROWDED, FAST MOVING FREEWAY, THE DANGER IS OBVIOUS. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT A TIME OF DAY WHEN THERE WAS LITTLE TRAFFIC. FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO ADMIT THERE IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THEIR DIESEL FUEL TANK LINING MATERIAL. I NOW AM HAVING A NEW TANK BEING PUT INTO MY VAN, BUT WHAT IS THERE TO ENSURE ME THAT THE SAME SITUATION WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN? IT IS NOT MILEAGE DEPENDENT ACCORDING TO THOSE WHO SHOULD KNOW, THE FORD MECHANICS. SUCH A SITUATION IS NOT ONLY UNSATISFACTORY, BUT EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR BOTH MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD.*AK

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 528 ON 7/1/04 AT AROUND 9 A.M., MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE THREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LIFT UP ON ONE SIDE ABOUT TWO FEET. I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.THE IMPACT DENTED THE SIDE OF MY FENDER AND DAMAGED THE TRIM PANEL ON MY TRUCK. THE TIRE WAS STILL FULL OF AIR AND I MANAGED TO LIMP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PUT MY SPAR TIRE ON FOR FREE. IT IS NOTED IN THE REPAIR INVOICE THE MILEAGE 57663 AND THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE. THE TIRES STILL HAVE GOOD THREAD AND SEEMED TO BE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. THE THING THAT SCARED ME THE MOST WAS THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE FOLLOWING WEEK I TOOK THE TRUCK TO SEARS AND HAD A COMPLETE SET OF NEW TIRES COOPER BRAND INSTALLED. THE TIRES THAT WERE ON THE TRUCK A 2000, F-350 WERE STEELTEX A/T, LT265/75R16 123/1200 M/S LOAD RANGE E. I HAVE SOME OTHER #'S THAT COULD HELP YOU IN SEEING IF THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM, 28216 EX, BM14474-3, E4 00 8061. I AM THE ORIGNAL OWNER AND TAKE VERY GOOD OF THIS TRUCK, I ALSO HAVE SOME PICTURES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU. *AK

WHEN BRAKING ANY SPEED, THE FRONT/REAR BRAKE ROTORS OVERHEAT AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *NM

OWNER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING STRAIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SPIN BUT IT WOULD NOT ALTER THE DIRECTION. OWNER SAYS THAT THE STEERING BOX WAS EFFECTED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS *NM

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 01V110000. HOWEVER, CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WOULD HAVE TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK

THE REAR BRAKE PADS HAS TO BE REPLACED EVERY 5,000 MILES. THE LAST TIME VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS WERE REPLACED. DEALER HAS BEEN REPLACED. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE REAR RIGHT OUTER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, BUT DIDN'T' GO FLAT. THE CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE NOISE. THE LEFT REAR INNER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED 9 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 40 MPH. THESE WERE LOAD RANGE E TIRES. BOTH TIRES WERE REPLACED. *AK THE SECOND TIRE CAUSED SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL AND THE FIRST TIRE SIMPLY MARRED THE INNER WHEEL WELL. BOTH TREAD SEPARATIONS BEGUN ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIM WHICH WAS ALSO AT THE SAME POINT ON THE TIRE. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED FRONT WHEELS SHIMMIED AND STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT REPAIRED SOME PARTS ON THE FRONT. THE PROBLEMS RECURRED AFTER THREE REPAIRS.*AK

ROLL OVER AT LOW SPEEDS....OUR CHURCH DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM UNTIL A VIDEO FROM 60 MINUTES SHOWED US JUST HOW DANGEROUS THIS VEHICLE IS. WE (THE CHURCH) WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FORD REPLACE THIS VEHICLE WITH THE SAFER 12-PASSENGER VERSION. IT IS BUILT ON THE STANDARD VAN FRAME AND NOT EXTENDED OUT LIKE THE 15-PASSENGER ONE.