2006 FORD E-350 Complaints

THE STEERING ON OUR 2006 PLEASURE-WAY RV VAN CONVERSION MODEL EXCEL TS ON A FORD E-350 CHASSIS COMPLETELY GAVE OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. FORTUNATELY, THIS OCCURRED ON A RESIDENTIAL SIDE STREET NEAR OUR HOME AFTER A STOP SIGN, SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE SLOWED TO A STOP WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL RV REPAIR SHOP, AND THE COMPLETE STEERING MECHANISM - STEERING GEAR AND CORE FOR STEERING BOX - HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT A TOTAL COST OF $1,603.96. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. A LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO FORD, WITH A COPY TO YOUR AGENCY, NOTIFYING THEM OF THIS STEERING FAILURE AND REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT.*TR

DURING SAFETY CHECKS ON A 2006 FORD E-350 15 PASSENGER (CHURCH) VAN IT WAS OBSERVED THAT APPROXIMATELY 9 OF THE 13 REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS WERE UNAVAILABLE BECAUSE THE BELTS OR BUCKLES HAD SLIPPED DOWN THROUGH THE SEAT CUSHIONS AND WERE LYING ON THE FLOOR. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH THE (DOUBLED UP) BUCKLES / BELTS BACK UP THROUGH THE SEAT. IT WAS NECESSARY TO USE A TORX T-50 BIT ON A 3/8 RATCHET TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS AND THREAD THE BELTS DOWN FROM THE TOP AND THEN RETIGHTEN THE ANCHOR BOLTS. IT APPEARS LIKELY THAT THE BELTS WILL SOON SLIP BACK TO THE FLOOR. THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM BY THE NHTSA BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY OF REPORTS OF CRASHES INVOLVING SIMILAR 15 PASSENGER VANS, OFTEN OVERLOADED WITH UNRESTRAINED STUDENTS. SEAT BELT USE WOULD BE ENCOURAGED BY ENSURING THAT THE BELTS REMAIN READY FOR USE AT ALL TIMES. THERE WERE PLASTIC INSERTS IN SOME OF THE SEAT BELT 'HOLES' WHICH APPEARED TO BE INTENDED TO KEEP THE BELTS IN PLACE. BUT, THE PLASTIC INSERTS PREVENT PUSHING BELTS UP FROM UNDERNEATH AND DO A POOR JOB OF KEEPING THE BELTS FROM SLIPPING DOWN. A MUCH BETTER TETHER SYSTEM IS NEEDED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD E-350. DURING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECK, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 34000.

RE: NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10021216 MOST OF THE VEHICLES IN THE DCAS MANAGED FLEET, AS WELL AS MOST OF THE VEHICLES AT DEPT OF CORRECTION HAVE THIS CONDITION OCCURRING. THIS LEADS TO DEACTIVATION OF THE ABS SYSTEM, AND A LACK OF SAFE BRAKING UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. FORD WILL NOT EXTEND ANY WARRANTY CONSIDERATION ONCE THE VEHICLES HAVE COME OFF WARRANTY. THE CITY OF NEW YORK IS BEING CHARGED APPROXIMATELY $1,500 FOR EACH VEHICLE NEEDING OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE. CONSIDERING THE SAFETY NATURE OF THIS FAILURE, I THINK FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL. *TR

FORD IS KNOWINGLY INSTALLING FAULTY DIESEL FUEL TANKS IN LIGHT TRUCKS SINCE 2002 AND REFUSING TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEFECT CAUSES THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BECOME CLOGGED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER. THEREFORE CAUSING A TRAFFIC SAFETY HAZARD. THE RESULTING DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE COSTS 6,000.00 PLUS. IN MY CASE I HAVE A FORD E350 W/A 6.0 DIESEL MOTOR W/ 80,000 MILES STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE CLAIMS THIS IS NOT COVERED. CHECK WEBSITE WWW.FINISHING.COM/442/19.SHTML FOR MORE DETAILS. THANK YOU *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD E350. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S JOB FOR TWO HOURS WHEN HE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE HOOD WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE MARSHALL INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THAT A FAULTY WIRE UNDER THE HOOD CAUSED THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE VEHICLE TO BE DESTROYED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD E-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. HE IS USUALLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HIS MODEL YEAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V270000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

STEERING IS VERY SLOW TO CENTER AFTER MAKING A TURN; AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WILL NOT CENTER. *TR

FAILURE OF INJECTORS AND INTERNAL OIL COOLER LED TO IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUT DOWN CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ETC. THIS HAPPENED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, (1 WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE DURING 8AM MORNING TRAFFIC, 2 WHILE TOWING A 5TH WHEEL RV IN HEAVY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITH NO SHOULDER AVAILABLE FOR ME TO GET OFF HIGHWAY). AS I OFTEN PULL RV'S TO THE FAR WEST, IT GREATLY CONCERNS ME AS TO WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE ON A 6% DOWNGRADE IN THE MOUNTAINS. I HAVE HAD THREE INJECTOR FAILURES RECENTLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD E-350. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY, BUT AT OTHER TIMES, IT WOULD RESTART AFTER AN HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DURING THREE OF THE VISITS, THE DEALER FOUND NO FAILURES. ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE SENSOR. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER PLACED A COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CODES FOR THE DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS A LOOSE RATTLE NOISE AFTER DRIVING OVER BUMPS. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED MULTIPLE REPAIR INVOICES. UPDATED 08/13/07 *TR