2003 FORD F-350 SD Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ACCELERATOR POSITIONER WENT DEFECTIVE ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OPEN AND MADE A LOUD SOUND. ALSO, THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE ROTORS FOR THE BRAKES FLAKED APART. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE DEALER WAS RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THESE ISSUES AT NO COST, HOWEVER THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE OFFERED TO FIX, BUT NOT FOR FREE.*AK UPDATED 11/3/2006 - WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROADWAY TO THE LEFT THEN RE-ENTERED THE ROAD THEN RAN OFF TO THE LEFT AGAIN AND ROLLED OVER RESULTING IN INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *NM

THE ENGINE OF A 2003 FORD WENT OUT AND WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ENGINE BY THE FORD DEALER SHIP. A FEW DAYS AFTER WE GOT THE TRUCK BACK IT WAS DRIVEN APPROX. 600 MILES, PULLING A TRAILER, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO BACK FIRE AND SPUTTER GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THE TRUCK WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT OFF. THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED FOR ANY VISUAL PROBLEMS AND THEN STARTED AGAIN. AFTER IT WAS RESTARTED THE ENGINE BEGAN TO PICK UP RPM. AT THAT POINT THE EGNITION WAS SHUT OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN! THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO INCREASE IT'S RPM UNTIL I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WOULD BLOW UP. I TOLD MY GRANDWON WHO WAS TRAVELING WITH ME TO HIT THE DITCH AND I TRIED TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLES. I FINALLY HAD TO LEAVE FOR FEAR THE ENGINE WOULD BLOW UP IN MY FACE. THE ENGINE DID BLOW BUT NO FIRE WAS STARTED. I TOWED IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MOST LIKELY THE TURBO THAT WENT OUT WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. WE ARE NOT HAVING IT FIXED AND IT HAS NOT AS YET BEEN DETERMINED IF THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY RUINED. IF IT IS, THE TURBO CAUSED THE FAILURE AND WE ARE BEEING TOLD THAT THE WARRENTY ON THE NEW ENGINE WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE. THE CONCERN IS THE RUN AWAY ENGINE. SHOULD THE IGNITION SWITCH NOT ALWAYS SHUT OFF THE ENGINE? WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS HAD BEEN IN GEAR AND THE TRUCK, PULLING A TRAILER, HAD BEEN RUNNING DOWN A CROUDED INTERSTATE? THE DEALERSHIP IS TREATING US FAIRLY ON THE TRADE IN BUT WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A DEFECT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE WHEN A TRUCK IS OUT OF CONTROL.

65 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE FAILURE (BLOW-OUT TREAD SEPARATION). 2003 FORD F350 DRW 4 WD PICK UP TOWING A 3 HORSE GOOSENECK HORSE TRAILER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE THERE WAS A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE SHOCKS AND TIRES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED INSTALLING AN AFTER MARKET DAMPENING KIT TO CORRECT THE FRONT SUSPENSION VIBRATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

2003 FORD F350 CREW CAB TRUCK WITH 6.0 DIESEL POWERED ENGINE LOOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. CAUSE: FUSE #22 BLOWS AND THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN A NINE MONTH PERIOD - LAST INCIDENT WAS ON DATE BELOW. TRUCK PURCHASED JUNE 30, 2003 AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN RTE 37W IN TOMS RIVER NJ WHEN A LOUD "BOOM" OCCURRED IN MY ENGINE FOLLOWED BY A CONTINUOUS LOUD "TICKING" SOUND. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED (2003 FORD F-350) TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION. AFTER SPEAKING WITH LEAD TECHNICIANS AT FORD, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH FORD MOTORS AND THEY ARE SURPRISED THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. MY SPARK PLUG WAS EJECTED OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD DUE TO LACK OF THREADING WITHIN THE CYLINDER HEAD. THIS WILL COST APPROX $4000.00 TO REPAIR THIS. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY AND THEY CANNOT ASSIST ME WITH THIS REPAIR AND DO NOT RECOGNIZE THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH FORD MOTORS. I STARTED DOING MY OWN RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE VIA INTERNET AND HAVE COME ACROSS HUNDREDS OF CASES AND COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE HAPPENING WITH FORD ENGINES. THERE IS EVEN A CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT IS IN THE WORKS OUT OF CALIFORNIA. SOME OF THE LINKS CONTAINING THIS INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND HERE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML HTTP://WWW.TWOGUYSGARAGE.COM/FORUM/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-7423.HTML HTTP://WWW.JASPERENGINES.COM/PDF/4.6_&_5.4_STRIPPED_THREADS.PDF THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. THIS IS ALSO VERY COMMON AMONGST FORD TRUCK MOTORS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LINKS I HAVE PROVIDED ABOVE OR EVEN DO A SEARCH ON SPARK PLUG PROBLEMS WITH FORD VEHICLES, YOU WILL SEE HOW OFTEN THIS OCCURS BUT FORD FAILS TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MATTER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE HESITATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO PARK, THERE IS A VERY LOUD CLANKING, METAL TO METAL NOISE. THERE IS A METALLIC SOUND THAT OCCURS ALL THE TIME, BUT IS VERY NOTICEABLE WHILE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO PARK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. ALL THREE DEALERSHIPS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.

WIRING HARNESS MELTED, HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER AT FIRST ATTEMPTED TO SAY IT WAS A LOOSE OIL CAP THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM, THEN AFTER A WEEK FOR REPAIR SIMPLY SAID THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP OVER AT 4,000 MILES, BECAUSE THE HIGH PRESSURE OIL CAP FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT LOST ALL OF ITS OIL, NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE SHOP FOR INJECTORS, FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE TRUCK. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY IT IS A FAULTY PRODUCT, IT HAS LOST ALL OF ITS OIL ONCE, ITS PARTS WERE MELTED, WHICH SAYS TO ME UNSAFE. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION ON A RECALL FOR THE ENGINE. MY FATHER WAS DRIVING IT TO THE SHOP WHEN THE RADIO WAS GOING IN AND OUT, HE THOUGHT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY. WHILE IT MELTED THE HARNESS IT COULD HAVE MELTED MY FATHER. THE TRUCK NO LONGER RUNS AND SITS BECAUSE IT IS TO COSTLY TO REPAIR EVERY 10,000 MILES. I DO NOT REMEMBER THE EXACT MONTH I HAVE A STACK OF REPAIR ORDERS. *JB

DT: THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE BRAKES AND THE STEERING FAILED BECAUSE OF THIS. THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WAS ON 7-1-05. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND THEY REPLACED A BLOWN FUSE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN ABOUT 36 MILES AFTER HE PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD HIM THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2004 MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SECOND DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE WIRING HARNESS. ALSO, THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE OF CHAFFING OR RUBBING OF THE WIRES. SO FAR THIS HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK