2003 FORD F-350 SD Complaints

I PURCHASED MY FORD F350 IN JULY, 2003 FROM LEO KAYTES IN WARWICK, NEW YORK AND HAVE HAD 4 FUEL INJECTORS GO BAD SINCE THEN. I HAVE A $35,000 TRUCK LOAN AND HAVE ONLY PAID 10 MONTHS ON THIS TRUCK. I AM A SOLE PROPRIETOR AND HAVE A FAMILY TO SUPPORT. EACH TIME MY TRUCK GOES INTO THE DEALERSHIP, I LOSE ACCOUNTS AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ON 7/4/04 AND 7/7/04, A FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND THE GENERAL MANAGER AT LEO KAYTES FORD DEALER IN WARWICK, NY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FORD IS HAVING AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THEIR FUEL INJECTORS IN THE 6.0 LITER ENGINE. AFTER MANY HOURS OF RESEARCH, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A FIRST MASSIVE RECALL IN APRIL, 2003 FOR 66,720 TRUCKS FORD SOLD WITH THE 6.0 LITER DIESEL ENGINE TO REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE SENSOR. IVE ALSO LEARNED THERE WERE NEARLY 500 BUYBACKS OF TRUCKS WITH ENGINES SO BADLY FLAWED THAT THEY COULDNT BE FIXED. APPARENTLY, A BATCH OF FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS LEAKED SO MUCH DIESEL FUEL THAT FUEL FILLED THE CRANKCASE, CAUSING ENGINES TO SEIZE. THERE WERE ALSO GLITCHES WITH THE TURBOCHARGER AND ENGINE CONTROL SOFTWARE. LEO KAYTES REPRESENTATIVES HAVE STATED THAT THE BEST APPROACH IS TO REPLACE ALL THE FUEL INJECTORS BUT ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD MOTOR CORPORATION WILL NOT HONOR SAME UNDER THE WARRANTY. MY RESEARCH HAS ALSO REVEALED THAT MANY DEALERSHIPS HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINES FOR CUSTOMERS AND THAT FORD HAS BOUGHT BACK TRUCKS. MY CHIEF CONCERNS ARE WHO WILL BEAR THE FINANCIAL LIABILITY FOR FUTURE FAULTY INJECTORS ONCE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT MY ENGINE COULD CEASE IF CAREFUL AND COMPLETE REPAIRS TO THIS ENGINE HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AS OF THIS WRITING. TO DATE, THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO MAKE REPAIRS AS A BAND-AID FIX AND ARE NOT FINDING THE SOURCE OF WHAT IS CAUSING THESE INJECTORS TO GO BAD. AS A RESULT, I ANTICIPATE FUTURE FAILURES.*AK

JANUARY, 2004, THE FIRST "REAL" LOAD IN MY NEW 2003 FORD F-350 "SUPER DUTY" TRUCK, WAS MY HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR. IT LOADED WITH NO APPARENT PROBLEMS. ON OFF-LOADING OF THE MOTORCYCLE, AS THE REAR TIRE ROLLED ONTO THE LEADING EDGE (LOWER EDGE) OF THE TAILGATE, THE TAILGATE CRUSHED. I SPOKE WITH THE PURCHASING DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER WHO AGREED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS UNUSUAL AND PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. HOWEVER, HE WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE TAILGATE. I WAS REFERRED TO THE FORD FACTORY SERVICE "REP." HE AGREED THAT HE DIDN'T THINK THE TAILGATE SHOULD HAVE FAILED, BUT HAD NO BASIS FOR WARRANTY. THE TWO SERVICE MANAGERS REFERRED ME TO THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TWICE, HOPING TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAS TAILGATE SPECS AVAILABLE TO THE DEALERS THROUGH THE "FORD TECH HOTLINE." I CONTACTED THE DEALERS GENERAL MGR. HE "LOOKED INTO IT" AND SAID THAT FORD DOESN'T OFFER SPECS OR CAPYS FOR TAILGATES. THEREFORE, HE WOULD NOT WARRANTY IT. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FORD DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD (DSB) PER MY OWNERS GUIDE. THE COMPLAINT WAS VERY DETAILED. I ASKED THAT THEY DETERMINE IF FORD OFFERED SPECS AND CAPYS ON THEIR TAILGATES - IF SO, AN OBJECTIVE DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT I MET OR EXCEEDED THOSE SPECIFICATIONS. IF I DID, THE FAILURE WOULD BE ON ME; IF NOT, THE FAILURE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DSB RESPONDED: ...WE REGRET TO ADVISE YOU THAT THE CONCERN STATED IN YOUR APPLICATION DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD....IF THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS, YOU MAY CONTACT THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800------ FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE. TO DATE, NO ONE AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS WILLING TO DISCUSS THIS TAILGATE FAILURE IN OBJECTIVE, MEASURABLE TERMS. APPARENTLY, THERE IS NO AVENUE TO PURSUE OUTSIDE OF THIS LOOP OF DEALERSHIP TO FORD ASSISTANCE CENTER AND BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING RIGHT FRONT RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. ALSO, TWO REAR TIRES BLEW OUT, FIRESTONE, P205/70R14. *AK

THE TRUCK WILL NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT. THE TRUCK WANDERS ON THE ROAD. THERE IS APPROXIMATLEY 2 INCHES OF "PLAY" IN THE STEERING. FORD CALLS THIS NORMAL AND CONSISTANT WITH OTHER "LIKE" VEHICLES. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES, MAYBE 4. I'VE LOST COUNT. THE FACTORY "REP" SUPPOSEDLY HAS DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AND SAID IT'S NORMAL. I'VE HAD THE MOTOR PROBLEMS LIKE THE CONCERNS I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET, BUT THE DEALER HAS CORRECTED THOSE. THIS VEHICLE DOES "HAUL THE MAIL", BUT I PURCHASED IT TO PULL MY TRAVEL TRAILER. BUT, BECAUSE I CAN'T "SAFELY" KEEP IT BETWEEN THE LINES, WITH OR WITHOUT THE TRAILER, I DON'T FEEL SAFE HAVING MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE.

6.0 LITRE DIESEL ROUGH IDLE, DEAD ACCELERATOR AT TIMES, LOW POWER, EXCESSIVE SMOKE, POOR FUEL MILAGE 8 TO 12 MILES PER GALLON. HAVE 30,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, POOR ENGINE RESPONSE WHEN COLD, ENGINE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, HAS BEEN TO SELLING DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR REPAIRS, RE-FLASH OF COMPUTER FOR UPDATED INFO FROM FORD BUT PROBLEMS TILL PRESENT! DEALER HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR THE PAST FOUR DAYS ,SAID ITS FIXED! PICKED UP LAST NITE, ALMOST DID NOT MAKE IT HOME! THEY NOW HAVE BACK TO LOOK AT..HAVE BEEN AROUND DIESELS FOR THE PAST THIRTY YEARS; THIS ONE IS A DUD!! MOST ALL PROBLEMS STILL PRESENT, NOW FUEL ODOR IN CRANKCASE, DEALER DID REPLACE I.P.C. SENSOR AND DOWNLOADED LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO NO HELP!

ENGINE FAILURE/INJECTORS- 5/19/03,6/16/03,8/14/03,10/4/03 WE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK 4/17/03

THE PROBLEM IS CALLED DEAD PEDAL. WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL YOU GET NO RESPONSE AT ALL UNTIL YOU LET OFF THEN THE TRUCK LUNGES FORWARD USUALLY LEAVING HALFWAY IN A INTERSECTION. HAPPENED ON 6-26-03 AGAIN, LEAVING ME IN INTERSECTION WITH SEMI APPROACHING AND VEHICLE PULLED UP BEHIND ME, FORTUNATELY THE SEMI HAD ROOM TO STOP. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX THIS BUT HAS NO IDEA WHATS CAUSING THIS. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS ON FORDTRUCKS.COM/FORUMS I FOUND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE CUT OFF 3-4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. EACH TIME HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC THEY REPLACED A PART OR DID SOME ADJUSTMENTS, AND CLAIMED IT WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

2003 FORD F350 SUPERDUTY 6.0 POWERSTROKE. I PURCHASED IT NEW ON NOVEMBER 28, 2003. TWELVE HOURS AND 68 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY YET TO FIX PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE ANOTHER NEW TRUCK. THE DEALER WILL NOT GIVE ME ONE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE RUN-A-ROUND THE DEALER IS GIVING ME. THEY DON'T CARE THAT THE TRUCK WAS JUST PURCHASED. THEY ARE TAKING THERE SWEET TIME OF FIXING THE TRUCK. THERE WERE ALSO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE INJECTORS, PCM, AND TCM. WITH ALL THESE FACTORS AND BEING 12 HOURS OLD AND ONLY 68 MILES, YOU WOULD THINK OUT OF COURTESY FORD OR THE DEALER WOULD GIVE ME A IDENTICAL NEW TRUCK. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING IT TOOK THE WHOLE ENJOYMENT OF OWNING A NEW TRUCK. *LA

ALL SIX TIRES ARE BUBBLING AT SIDEWALL. DEALER REPLACED FOUR TIRES, BUT THOSE REPLACED TIRES ARE STARTING TO BUBBLE ALSO. *AK