2000 Ford E-150 Suspension Problems

REAR LEFT LEAF SPRING CRACKS, CONSIDERED A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BY FORD SERVICE TECHS. THIS FAILURE WAS ON A 2000 FORD E-150 VAN. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW IN JAN. 2001 AND ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES. I AM A DISABLED DRIVER AND DO NOT DRIVE FAST OR ANY TYPE OF OFF RODE, ALL CITY DRIVING. IN DEC. 2006 I HAD FORD PERFORM A THOROUGH SAFETY INSPECTION PRIOR TO MY 6 YEAR WARRANTY END. THIS INSPECTION INCLUDED THE SUSPENSION AND IT CHECKED OUT FINE. 9 MONTHS AND ONLY 2,000 MILES LATER 3 OF THE STEEL BARS ARE CRACKED ON THE LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING. I WAS UNAWARE OF THE CRACKS UNTIL IT WAS CAUGHT DURING A ROUTINE MAITAINANCE VISIT AT FORD. I HAD NO ACCIDENTS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, OR HIT ANY POTHOLES, BUMPS ETC. IN FACT, I HAD THE FORD SERVICE TECH AND TWO INDEPENDANT TECHS TELL ME THAT CRACKED LEAF SPRINGS NOT RESULTING FROM AN ACCIDENT ARE ALMOST UNHEARD OF. ALL THE MECHANICS SAID IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN QUITE A JOLT TO HAVE CRACKED THE LEAF SPRING. I WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED AN EXTREMELY HARD JOLT AS I DRIVE FROM A WHELCHAIR AND WITH HAND CONTROLS, BELIEVE ME, YOU ARE VERY AWARE OF EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BUMPS. THERE IS NO BENT AXLE, TIRE, SHOCK, OR WHEEL RIM DAMAGE, AND EACH MECHANIC WAS LEFT SCRATCHIN THEIR HEAD AS TO HOW THE LEAF SPRING COULD HAVE CRACKED. THE TWO NON FORD MECHANICS SUGGESTED THE POSSIBILITY OF POOR QUALITY STEEL. FORD REPLACED IT, UNFORTUNATELY 7 MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDED. I ASKED THE FORD DEALER IF THEY WOULD SEND THE PART BACK TO THE FORD ENGINEERS TO SEE IF IT WAS DEFECTIVE, THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO IF IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE IT IS 7 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD LOOK INTO SENDDING IT BACK. ANYWAY, ITS FIXED, BUT I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WASN'T CAUGHT AND CRACKED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. ESPECIALLY USING FULL HAND CONTROLS.

NHTSA ID

10202012

Incident

Sep 4, 2007

Mileage

26,700 mi

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS TWICE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10101274

Incident

Oct 10, 2004

Mileage

12,000 mi

AT 35,500 MILES ON MY 2000 E-150 SERIES VAN, THE VEHICLE HAD A PROBLEM WITH PULLING OR "DRIFTING HARD" TO THE RIGHT. AFTER REQUESTING THAT THE VEHICLE HAVE A FRONT END ALIGNMENT CHECK, THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE BALL-JOINTS WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. JOINTS WERE REPLACED UNDER MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY ON 07/2002, BUT ALIGNMENT WAS CHARGED TO ME. NOW THE VEHICLE WAS JUST IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HARD DRIFT TO RIGHT (AT 55MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE ENOUGH OF DRIFT TO CHANGE ONE FULL LANE IN 5 SECONDS) WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AGAIN, AND WERE REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT DRIFTING WAS NORMAL FOR VANS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043544

Incident

Oct 23, 2003

Mileage

56,886 mi

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SHAKES REALLY HARD BETWEEN 35 AND 60 MPH, TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY CHANGE FRONT END PARTS. THAT DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

8021003

Incident

Aug 17, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 25MPH HEARD A POPPING NOISE IN FRONT END AND FELT VEHICLE WAS SWAYING, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT BUSHINGS WERE BROKEN, HAD BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND THEY BROKE AGAIN WITHIN 3 DAYS.ALSO, INDICATED THIS WILL BE A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

8002191

Incident

Dec 15, 2001

AT 24075 MILES THE FRONT BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE ROTORS ALSO WERE TURNED BUT THE PEDAL WAS NOT PULSING FORD JUST TURNED THEM ANYWAY, AT 35735 I NEEDED NEW UPPER BALL JOINTS WITH ALLIGNMENT , AT 38571 I NEEDED A NEW TIE ROD SLEEVE . THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERRY LOW STANDARD OF QUALITY IN BOTH THE BRAKES AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS THERE ARE NO GREASE FITTINGS SUPPLIED FROM FORD ON THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, THIS IS A MUST IF YOU WANT ANYTHING RELATED TO THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO LAST ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS USED FOR FLEET PURPOSSES. THANK YOU GREG.*AK

NHTSA ID

756152

Incident

Dec 27, 2001

WHEN REACHING THE SPEED OF 50 MPH OR MORE THE VEHICLE VIBRATES/SHAKES, WHICH PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S VERY WINDY OUT. ALSO, WHEN TURNING ON THE A/C THERE IS A VERY STRONG ODOR, WHICH CAUSES HEADACHES/NAUSEA. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT'S GLUE FROM PUTTING THE WOOD IN THE INTERIOR AND THE DEALER SAYS IT IS HARMLESS TO ME AND MY FAMILY.*AK

NHTSA ID

743949

Incident

Feb 15, 2001

WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE 50MPH OR SO WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE/VIBRATE. IT WOULD THEN DRIFT LEFT OR RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES FOR PROBLEM, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE DRIFTING. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

876923

Incident

Apr 12, 2000