2003 FORD F-250 SD Complaints

I HAVE A FACTORY SONIC BLUE PAINT JOB ON MY TRUCK AND THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF MY TRUCK AT THE TOP OF MY WINDSHIELD. *NM

MY COMPUTER WAS "RE-FLASHED" IN JANUARY BY A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (MIKE FITZPATRICK). SINCE THEN MY TRUCK HAS VERY LITTLE POWER DURING THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF START-UP. THIS IS THE MOST NOTICABLE DURING THE FIRST START-UP OF THE DAY, BUT DOES HAPPEN PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE FORD DEALERSHIP HAS DONE VERY LITTLE TO CORRECT THE ISSUES. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY AND THEY DID RESPOND, BUT THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER TOLD THEM IT WAS FIXED AND HAVE HEARD NO FOLLOW-UP FROM FORD. A FORD ENGINEER HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO INSEPCT THE PROBLEM, BUT FOR 7 MONTHS NO FORD ENGINEER HAS LOOKED AT MY TRUCK!

BRAKES LINE FROM MASTER CYCLINDER TO REAR BRAKES FAILED CAUSING THE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND ALL BRAKING CAPABILITIES. POWER STEERING CABLE WAS APPARENTLY CHAFFING BRAKE LINE, CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO RUST, AND OVER TIME, FAIL. TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 18,000 MILES, WITH VERY LIGHT AND INFREQUENT USAGE.

THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE POWER STEERING WOULD RETURN AFTER LETTING OFF THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER CHANGED VARIOUS PARTS AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE HYDRO BOOST WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AND THE ENGINE HAD AN OIL LEAK DUE TO THE GLOW PLUG BOSS BAR ORINGS. *SC *JB

2003 F-250 SUPER DUTY 4X4 GAS. 46,000 MILES. FOUND 2 BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE. WHILE INVESTIGATING EXHAUST LEAK ALSO FOUND 2 FRONT BALL JOINTS BAD. FORD STATES THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT IT IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN 3 YEARS AGO. MOST OF THE MILES ARE TRAVELING BETWEEN TEXAS AND PA. THIS IS A 3/4 TON SUPER DUTY TRUCK. FORD NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *AK

F250 FORD DIESEL CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AS OF DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN TUSCALOOSA, AL IN JANUARY FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED FOR A BURNING SMELL AND SAID IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER. THEY REPLACED FUEL FILTER AND A MONTH LATER THE TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE.

2003 SD F250 4X2 REG CAB 5.4L EFI V-8 IS ONLY GETTING 11 TO 12 MILES TO THE GALLON. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE GETTING SOMETHING LIKE 16 TO 18 MPG. DEALER HAS NO FIX.*AK

I PURCHASED A NEW FORD F250 TRUCK, VIN 1FTNX20L33E, ON APRIL 17, 2003, FROM ELKHORN MOTORS IN ELKHORN, WI. ON OCTOBER 24, 2004, AT AROUND 45,000 MILES, I ROTATED THE TIRES FRONT TO BACK IN WISCONSIN BEFORE A TRIP TO FLORIDA. AFTER THIS TIRE ROTATION, I NOTICED A TENDENCY FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO OSCILLATE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. I ASSUMED IT WAS RELATED TO TIRES AND PLANNED TO REPLACE THEM ON MY RETURN. I PICKED UP A 5TH WHEEL IN FLORIDA AND STARTED BACK ON NOVEMBER 2. THE OSCILLATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MUCH WORSE, SEEMINGLY AGGRAVATED BY THE CHANGE IN CG WITH THE TRAILER ATTACHED. HARD BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS WORSENED THIS CONDITION BUT I WAS MOSTLY ABLE TO AVOID THIS SITUATION FOR THE TRIP HOME. THE TRUCK ACTED COMPLETELY NORMAL WHEN THE BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED. I REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES WITH NEW ONES. I INFORMED MY MECHANIC OF MY SYMPTOMS AND ASKED HIM TO REALIGN THE FRONT END IF HE WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING ELSE AMISS. HE FOUND THE TIE ROD END THREADS WORN SO MUCH THAT THE ADJUSTING SLEEVE WOBBLED INSIDE IT EVEN THOUGH THE BOLTS WERE TIGHT. THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE FROM RUST PATTERNS THAT THE ADJUSTING SLEEVE AND TIE ROD END HAD BEEN MOVING IN AND OUT. THE TIE ROD AND BALL JOINT WERE REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $285. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART PRESENTED A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. FORD'S POSITION IS THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS VEHICLE AFTER THE WARRANTEE IS OVER. THEY DID NOT EVEN ASK IF THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. (THEY ARE.). *AK

I HAVE A 2003 FORD F-250. IT HAS SEVERE HANDLING PROBLEMS. WHEN YOU PULL A TRAILER WITH IT, THE TRUCK DRIVES LIKE THE TRAILER IS TRYING TO STEER IT. IF YOU PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, IT IS ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE. THE BACK END STARTS TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE, WHICH IN TURN CAUSES THE TRAILER TO WHIP BACK AND FORTH. ALSO DURING PANIC STOP SITUATIONS, THE TRUCK DARTS LEFT AND RIGHT AND FEELS LIKE IT IS OUT OF CONTROL. I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS FORD DEALERS. ONE TOLD ME TO CHANGE THE TIRES AND/OR TIRE PRESSURE. I TRIED FROM 35 PSI TO 75 PSI IN 5 PSI CHANGES, IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I BOUGHT ANOTHER TYPE OF TIRES. THEY HELPED A SMALL AMOUNT. FORD HAS REPLACED MOST OF THE FRONT STEERING COMPONENTS. THIS HELPED FOR ABOUT 2000 MILES. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS STATED "YOUR TRUCK HAS HANDLING PROBLEMS, BUT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR TRUCK". THEY WILL NOT FIND THE PROBLEM OR REPLACE THE PARTS I FEEL WILL FIX IT. I THINK THE SPRING PACKS AND SUSPENSION BUSHINGS ARE TOO SOFT. I KNOW OF ANOTHER FORD THAT HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FORD BOUGHT THE TRUCK BACK FROM THE CONSUMER AFTER ADMITTING IT HAD PROBLEMS THEY COULD NOT FIX. MY WIFE REFUSES TO RIDE IN THE TRUCK WHEN PULLING A TRAILER OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK

FORD F 250 SAFETY ISSUE. *BF THE PEDAL DISPLAYED A DEAD PEDAL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED, THERE WOULD BE A THREE SECOND PAUSE CONDITION. FORD WAS UNABLE TO FIX THIS CONDITION. *SC *JB