FREEWHEEL MOBILITY IS RECALLING 4 MY 2005 FORD E-350 AND MY 2006 FORD E-250 PASSENGER VANS AND EQUIPPED

Jul 15, 2009 — Recall Campaign #09V275000

FREEWHEEL MOBILITY IS RECALLING 4 MY 2005 FORD E-350 AND MY 2006 FORD E-250 PASSENGER VANS AND EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT.

The recall was influenced by the Office of Defects Investigation with about 4 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

09V275000

Manufacturer:	Ford Motor Company
Recall date:	July 15, 2009
NHTSA Campaign #:	09V275000
Units affected:	4

Description:: FREEWHEEL MOBILITY IS RECALLING 4 MY 2005 FORD E-350 AND MY 2006 FORD E-250 PASSENGER VANS AND EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT.
Consequeces:: A LIFT OCCUPANT CAN BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT BEGIN TO STOW UNINTENTIONALLY.
Corrective action:: FREEWHEEL MOBILITY IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E097). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000.
Notes:: OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

Affects the following:

2005 FORD E-350 Complaints
The contact owned a 2005 Ford E-350. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH he smelled a burning odor and saw that the vehicle was trailing a large white cloud. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and as soon as he exited the vehicle it had become engulfed in flames. The contact stated that the flames came from under the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle burned, the contact stated the fire department was not able to locate his vehicle and later the police had called him and left a voice message advising him that the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11E047000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.;
2006 FORD E-250 Complaints
When I go to the lake boating, I always remove my battery from the engine compartment and take it with me as a backup in case my boat battery should fail. on September 26, 2022, when leaving the lake, I reinstalled the battery bas I always do and closed the hood. It appeared closed when the hood surface aligned with the side panel. After leaving the boat ramp I turned onto FM 2272 and was accelerating to the posted speed limit of 55. At 40 mph, all of a sudden, the hood flew up into the windshield shattering it from one side of the vehicle to the other. My view of the road was completely obstructed as I was covered in pieces of broken glass. Fortunately, I was able to see the white lane marker through the bottom of the windshield as there was about a 3-inch gap between the bottom of the hood and the bottom of the windshield so I could safely pull my vehicle off the roadway. I know I closed the hood before leaving the boat ramp and even if I hadn't fully closed the hood the secondary hood latch should have prevented the accident from occurring. The secondary. latch is not dependent on the release mechanism and is 100% a mechanical device requiring a person to physically push on the release lever under the hood in order to open it. Had the hood opened while I was on an interstate highway or at night the accident could have been fatal.;