2000 FORD F-250 Complaints

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK *PH *JB

THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK BROKE. THE CABLE FRAYED AND SNAPPED. AS A RESULT, THE SPARE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

WHILE PARKING AT 5 MPH CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. THEN, VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A BUILDING. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ACTUATING ROD RETAINING CLIP BROKE, AND WAS LAYING ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

VEHICLE SUFFERED TIRE TREAD SEPARATION.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER SENT THE TIRE TO THE MANUFACTURER. *PH *NLM

2000 F250 CREW CAB TRUCK: STEERING CONTROL PROBLEMS, I.E.; STEERING WANDER, "BUMP STEERING". VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO FORD DEALERSHIPS FOR REPAIR BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A TAPPING NOISE, AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. A SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART, AND INSTALLED A NEW ELECTRICAL COIL, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH THE CONSUMER FELT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND THE CONSUMER CONTINUED WITH THE TRIP. CONSUMER STOPPED AT A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP TO FIND THAT TWO OF THE TIRES, FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WERE ABOUT TO SEPARATE. 2 TIRES WERE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE AND THE SPARE TIRE WAS PUT ON THE VEHICLE. ONE TIRE WAS BOUGHT TO REPLACE TO HAVE ALL FOUR TIRES THE SAME SIZE ON THE GROUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THOSE TIRES WERE NOT ON RECALL. *AK THE SPARE WAS FROM THE ORIGINAL SET AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. (REAR PASSENGER SIDE) *SCC *JB

THE TRUCK IS NOT STEERING PROPERLY, DRIVER HAS TO CONSTANTLY FIGHT TO KEEP TRUCK FROM WONDERING OVER THE ROAD. DEALER SAYS THERE IS A CRACK ON THE HANDLE THAT CONNECTS THE STABILIZER ARM TO THE AXLE. *AK

UNABLE TO STEER WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. THE WHEELS BARELY TURN AT ALL IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING. *LA

THESE TIRES (GENERAL GRABBER TR, SIZE 235/85R16) CAME AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 2000 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. THIS TRUCK IS USED MAINLY ON PAVED ROADS; OCCASIONALLY ON GRAVEL ROADS. THE WORST "OFF ROAD" DUTY THIS TRUCK EVER SEES IS A RARE TRIP ONTO DIRT OR GRASS. I AM CAREFUL ABOUT KEEPING WHEELS BALANCED AND TIRES PROPERLY INFLATED AND ROTATED. IN THE SPRING OF 2003, WITH ABOUT 20,000 MILES ON THE TIRES, I DISCOVERED A GRAPEFRUIT SIZED BULGE IN THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF ONE OF THEM. A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FROM GENERAL TIRE PROCLAIMED THAT THIS BULGE WAS DUE TO A "ROAD HAZZARD." [MY FIRST SIDEWALL BULGE IN 37 YEARS OF DRIVING, BUT I GUESS IT CAN HAPPEN. HOWEVER, DON'T LET THE LOW MILAGE ON THE TRUCK FOOL YOU. ALTHOUGH I DRIVE LESS NOW THAN I USED TO, WITH OTHER VEHICLES I STILL AVERAGE OVER 35,000 MILES PER YEAR. I HAVE OWNED A LOT OF TIRES.] I WAS NOW SUSPICIOUS OF THESE TIRES, SO IN AUGUST 2003 (AT 22,000 MILES) BEFORE A 2,000 MILE TRIPT WHICH I HAD TO MAKE WITH THE TRUCK, I CAREFULLY INSPECTED THE TIRES AND DOUBLE CHECKED THE INFLATION. UPON MY RETURN HOME I DISCOVERED A LEMON SIZED BULGE IN THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL OF ANOTHER ONE OF THIS SET. I THEN IMMEDIATLY REPLACED THE TIRES ON THE TRUCK WITH ANOTHER BRAND. UPON INSPECTION OF THE REMOVED TIRES, I DISCOVERED THAT A THIRD TIRE HAD A WALNUT SIZED BULGE IN A SIDEWALL. SO, IN 24,000 MILES, THREE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUR TIRES DEVELOPED SIDEWALL BULGES. INTERESTINGLY, ALL OF THE BULGES WERE BETWEEN THE BEAD AND THE WIDEST PART OF THE SIDEWALL, NOT BETWEEN THE WIDEST PART OF THE SIDEWALL AND THE TREAD - WHERE YOU WOULD WOULD EXPECT A TIRE TO BE MORE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER A "ROAD HAZZARD." IN MY OPINION, THE BIGGEST "ROAD HAZZARD" I'VE ENCOUNTERED IN THIS TRUCK ARE THESE TIRES. I AM NOT INTERESTED IN ANY "COMPENSATION" FROM THIS COMPANY. I JUST WANT TO WARN OTHER CONSUMERS AND NHTSA TO WATCH THESE TIRES. JUDGING FROM THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT GENERAL GRABBERS, SIDEWALL FAILURES ARE A HIGH PERCENTAGE PROBLEM.