2000 Ford E-250

This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data related to overheating blower motor control switches in the subject vehicles, ODI did not identify the existence of a safety defect trend.ODI reviewed 1,036 complaints, claims, and field reports of failed blower motor control switches and determined that only two fires were likely to have been caused by a failing subject blower motor control switch.This represents a failure rate of 0.2 R/100K on a population of 1,076,975 vehicles that have been in service for up to 14 years.ODI has found that when the subject switches do fail and begin to melt, they are constructed in a manner that typically prevents the failing switch from igniting and developing into an open flame.Ford Motor Company has agreed to take two actions to further reduce the likelihood an overheated blower motor switch in the subject vehicles.Ford informed ODI that it has implemented a series of design changes to the subject switch that will help prevent it from developing internal high resistance short circuits.Ford has also informed ODI that it would release a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB-11-11-21) instructing subject vehicle owners to replace the electrical connector at the same time a failed switch is replaced.In light of the low rate of failure resulting in open flame and fire spread on the subject vehicles, and Ford's actions to reduce the likelihood of a switch failure through switch design changes and a TSB, further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following (ODI) numbers: 10427875, 10114393, 10257890For additional information, see the attached closing report.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD E-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND STATED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION ON THE AREA THAT WAS EXPOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10555043

Incident

Dec 25, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

2000 FORD E250 VAN, PURCHASED NEW AUG 2000. PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY, 5 YEARS. NOVEMBER 2005; HARMONIC BALANCER FELL OFF ENGINE. ~79K MILES (APPROX 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY) TOWED TO DEALER AND REPAIRED. JULY 2007; HARMONIC BALANCER FELL OFF ENGINE. ~101K MILES. TOWED TO DEALER AND REPAIRED. REPAIR PARTS ARE WARRANTED FOR 12 MONTHS. THIS IS 8 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. PLEASE NOTE: HARMONIC BALANCERS DO NOT USUALLY FALL OFF OF ENGINES. THIS REPAIR HAS A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10197959

Incident

Jul 21, 2007

Mileage

79,000 mi

UNDER HOOD FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10168782

Incident

Aug 7, 2006

Mileage

208,380 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR TWO DAYS, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE CONTACT'S HOUSE, THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE OWNED BY THE CONTACT. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE WIRING OF THE VEHICLE IN BACK OF THE BATTERY. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

10168254

Incident

Nov 13, 2005

Mileage

119,000 mi

BROKEN VALVE SPRING, 2 BENT PISTON RODS, 1 BROKEN PISTON ROD, TWO DAMAGED PISTONS, 2 HEADS REPLACED, GASKETS REPLACED WATER HAS BEEN THE CAUSE BUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS ALWAYS TESTED OK AS WELL AS THE HEADS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143966

Incident

Sep 26, 2005

Mileage

11,400 mi

SPARE TIRE ON 2000 FORD ECONOLINE 250 WAS DEFECTIVE AND COULD NOT BE USED. OUNG FORD IN CHARLOTTE, NC DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AND FIRESTONE TIRES CLAIMS THAT THE TIRE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1998 AND IS THEREFORE OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK FIRESTONE LT225/75R16 TUBELESS RADIAL TIRE, 32480UR BM18047. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10114284

Incident

Mar 16, 2005

POWER STEERING LEAKS AND PUMP FAILURE ON 2000 FORD ECONLINE E250. VEHICLES HAD PUMPS RELACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10082731

Incident

May 15, 2004

Mileage

44,038 mi

215/75R/16 FIRESTONE STEELEX WITH OVER 50% OF LIFE LEFT SEPARATED FROM ITS TREAD. THE 3/4 TON VAN SKIDDED ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY, AND FINALLY ROLLED OVER. THE VAN WAS TOTALED. THE TIRE FAILED WHEN LESS THEN MID LIFE WAS LEFT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016179

Incident

Jul 14, 2002

Mileage

43,000 mi

This SKU is a front upper ball joint. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for ball studs with excessive rotational friction in the ball joint assembly. Excessive friction in the ball joint assembly may cause a perceptible increase in steering effort.

HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT NEEDED. *KB

HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT - CHASSIS CAB INCOMPLETE VEHICLES. *TT

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

INTERMITTENT CLUNK ON 3-2 DOWNSHIFT DURING COASTDOWN/TIP-IN. OASIS. TO INCLUDE 2005 F-150, E-SERIES AND EXPEDITION. *TT

CLUNK FROM FRONT SUSPENSION. *TT