1997 Ford E-150

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY 1997 TO 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES.(2) MOST THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD, REPETITIVE CLICKING OR POPPING SOUND.(3) MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE POPPING SOUND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER; HOWEVER, IN 99% OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL.IN THE VERY FEW INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE DID STALL, MOST VEHICLES COULD BE RESTARTED.(4) ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINANTS CITED THAT THEY SMELLED GAS OR A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.(5) IN ALL BUT A VERY FEW INCIDENTS, VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINE.IN ONE INCIDENT, THE COMPLAINT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL RAIL WAS DAMAGED AND REPLACED AFTER ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE COMPLAINANT REPORTED THAT THE DAMAGE DID NOT RESULT IN ANY TYPE OF FUEL LEAK OR FIRE.IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, THE ONLY INCIDENT WHERE A FIRE WAS ALLEGED, THE COMPLAINANT REPORTED THAT NO FLUID LEAK WAS OBSERVED, BUT THAT A FIRE RESULTED AFTER THE SPARK PLUG HAD EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE AND HE HAD RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DRIVEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION.NONE OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE HOOD.(6) ONLY TWO COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOME DROPS OF FUEL COMING FROM THE CYLINDER WHERE THE SPARK PLUG HAD FAILED OR ON THE SPARK PLUG ITSELF; HOWEVER, EACH OF THESE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FLAMES AS A RESULT OF HIS INCIDENT.AS THE PETITIONER NOTED, AND ODI?S ANALYSIS SHOWED, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A SPARK PLUG TO DETACH FROM THE ENGINE CYLINDER THREADS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI?S ANALYSIS OF 474 COMPLAINTS DESCRIBING SUCH INCIDENTS FOUND ONLY A VERY FEW ALLEGED ANY SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES.NONE OF THESE SHOWED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SERIOUS SAFETY CONSEQUENCE.GIVEN THE LARGE POPULATION AND RELATIVELY LONG EXPOSURE TIME OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THE COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY FROM THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS VERY LOW.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA?S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY?S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

The contact owns a 1997 Ford E-150. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in a parking lot, the contact leaned over to the passenger’s side to pick up the cell phone. The contact stated that after sitting back straight in the seat, the air bag deployed unintendedly and without impact. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact’s eyes and jaw were injured and required medical attention. The contact’s vision became blurry but has since started to improve. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11626259

Incident

Nov 15, 2024

The contact owns a 1997 Ford E-150 equipped with Milestar Tires, Tire Line: Grantland, Tire Size: 235/75/R15, DOT number: TB20R028. The contact stated while driving approximately 45-50 mph, the tires were bouncing. The contact stated upon checking the tires, his son noticed that the tires were cracked and had holes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the tires were defective. The tires were not replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate vehicle mileage was 150,258. The approximate tire failure mileage was 800.

NHTSA ID

11423579

Incident

Jun 23, 2021

Mileage

150,258 mi

MY HUSBAND HAD JUST STARTED UP HIS E150 ECONOLINE VAN PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE AIRBAG JUST DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO REASON HE WAS NOT IN ANY ACCIDENT HE DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING HE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY THIS HAPPENED. IF HE HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE THAT HE DRIVES EVERY DAY HE COULD HAVE DIED OR KILLED SOMEONE.

NHTSA ID

11176181

Incident

Feb 11, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF TIGHT PARKING SPOT 9/1/17, WITH MULTIPLE TURNS OF THE WHEEL, TURNED WHEEL ONE LAST TIME TO PULL FORWARD INTO PARKING SPOT DRIVE AREA BUT AT THAT POINT, HEARD A CLUNK AND ALL STEERING CONTROL WAS GONE. CALLED FOR A TOW. TOW TRUCK DRIVE ASSISTED IN THE DIAGNOSIS NOTING THAT THE STEERING BOX HAD DISCONNECTED FROM VAN FRAME RENDERING STEERING WHEEL CONNECTION LINES USELESS. HAD VAN TOWED HOME. AFTER ONLINE READ, LOOKED AT FRAME THROUGH LEFT FRONT TIRE ACCESS AND SAW THE 3 BOLTS WE READ ABOUT. GRABBED THE TOP BOLT AND IT CAME RIGHT OUT. SAME WITH SECOND BOLT. LAST (THIRD) BOLT WAS A BIT JAMMED DUE TO THE STEERING BOX DROP, BUT ALL 3 BOLTS HAD SHEARED AND ALL STEERING WAS LOST. HAD WE NOT STOPPED AT A STORE FOR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY SUPPLIES ON OUR WAY TO CAMPSITE, WOULD HAVE LOST STEERING SOMEWHERE ELSE, LIKE ON THE FREEWAY, POSSIBLY DURING A SIMILAR TURN SITUATION. WE COULD HAVE KILLED OTHERS OR OURSELVES. FOUND THAT THIS FORD E150 STEERING BOLT ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN DOCUMENTED. WHY WHEN WE HAD THE VAN SERVICED AND SAID THE STEERING HAD FELT "LOOSE", WHY DIDN'T ANY MECHANIC FIND THIS POTENTIAL?? UN-EXCUSABLE SITUATION. OUR PARENTS, CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE CURRENTLY DEPENDENT ON US. HAD WE DIED DUE TO LOSS OF STEERING, WHAT A NIGHTMARE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN. GRANTED, THE 20-YR-OLD VAN IS RUSTY, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW TO LOOK UNDER THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA AND APPARENTLY, MULTIPLE (NON-FORD DEALERSHIPS) MECHANICS DIDN'T EITHER !!

NHTSA ID

11022067

Incident

Sep 1, 2017

Mileage

150,000 mi

DRIVING ON BESTBUY PARKING LOT, WENT OVER A SPEED BUMPER HEARD A LOUD CLUNK COMING FROM DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. DROVE HOME, STOPPED VAN, GOT HELP, WHILE TURNING THE STEERING TO LEFT, LOUD METAL CLUNK FROM THAT DRIVER SIDE, HELPER ON FLOOR NOTICED THAT BOTTOM BOLT HOLDING POWER STEERING BOX IS GOING IN AND OUT, RUSTED ON FRONT AND BACK OF FRAME, THIS BOX SHOULD BE MOUNTED ON REINFORCED BRACKETS FRONT AND BACK OF FRAME THEN WELDED TO FRAME TO PROTECT OCCUPANTS FROM POSSIBLE SEPARATION OF BOX AND FRAME WITH CONSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT (COULD BE FATAL WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE). SO, WITH THE ENGINE ON, IN PARK, IF THE STEERING IS TURN TO THE LEFT, DRIVER WILL FEEL AND HEAR THE CLUNK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10933940

Incident

Dec 6, 2016

Mileage

167,380 mi

GEARBOX BOLTS BROKE AWAY FROM FRAME CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10691445

Incident

Feb 14, 2015

I HAVE JUST RECENTLY LOST THE REAR SHOCK MOUNT DUE TO TOO EXTREME RUST OF THE FRAME, FORD DOES NOT MAKE A REPLACEMENT PART FOR THIS. AND THE FRAME IS NOW CRACKING IN TWO. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BUY A NEW FRAME REALLY. WELL IT WILL NOT BE LONG TILL THE OTHER SIDE GOES. OR MY FRAME BREAKS IN TWO AND CAUSES SERIOUS INJURY TO ME OR OTHERS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR TRUCK AND FORD DON'T SEEM TO CARE. IF THE FRAME NEEDS REPLACED IT SHOULD BE AT THEIR EXPENSE NOT MINE RECALL TIME. THEIR ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS STILL ON THE ROAD I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671451

Incident

Feb 23, 2012

Mileage

163,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD E150 VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE SPARK PLUG BECAME DISENGAGED FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 280,000.

NHTSA ID

10553069

Incident

Nov 15, 2013

Mileage

280,000 mi

VIBRATION/HARSHNESS ABOVE 45 MPH (72 KM/H) AFTER TIRE BALANCE. *TT

FRONT BRAKE PAD WEAR. *TT

SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4R70W TRANSMISSION (DRIVESHAFT >70 INCH) MAY EXHIBIT A VIBRATION / ROUGHNESS ON ACCELERATION OR UNDER LOAD AT ABOUT 50-55 MPH. *TT

SUBJECT REGARDING EXAGGERATED ENGINE BRAKING ON DECELERATION. *YD

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ACCELERATED FRONT DISC BRAKE PAD WEAR UNDER EXTREME LOADING CONDITIONS. *TT

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT RAPID WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKE PADS (UNDER 10,000 MILES). *TT