2001 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.

SPARK PLUG ON CYLINDER #7 BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. 2ND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THIS VEHICLE. REPAIR SHOP STATES IT IS NOT REPAIRABLE THIS TIME APPROX. $3000 FOR NEW HEAD INSTALLED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS 5.4 TRITION ENGINE. FORD SHOULD RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM 130,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK.

NHTSA ID

10947861

Incident

Jan 25, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 F250 FORD WITH AN 5.4L GAS ENGINE . THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT BREAKING IGNITION COIL CAUSING SMALL FIRE . THE THREADS WERE GONE AND HEADS MUST BE REPLACED ON VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354953

Incident

Sep 10, 2010

Mileage

128,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 30MPH ON A RURAL ROAD, THE REAR SPARE TIRE FELL OFF OF MY 2001 FORD E250 VAN. TIRE WAS SUSPENDED BELOW REAR VEHICLE. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN GRANTS PASS OR SAID THE CABLE WAS CORRODED CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL OFF. HERE IN SOUTHERN OREGON WE DO NOT USE SALT ON OUR ROADS DURING THE WINTER AND WE HAVE LESS RAINFALL THAN NORTHERN OREGON SO CORROSION FAULT IS QUESTIONABLE. THE COST TO REPLACE CABLE WAS NOT REALISTIC AND IF THEY USED A QUALITY CABLE, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. I WAS LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON A FREEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10341442

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

190,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE #2 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD AND STRIPPED OUT THE THREADS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REINSTALL THE SPARK PLUG WITHOUT HAVING MAJOR ENGINE WORK DONE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE IN THIS ENGINE. I HAVE SINCE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BEFORE THE HEADS WERE PUT INTO PRODUCTION. THE FORD DEALERSHIP WANTS APPROXIMATELY $3000.00 TO REPLACE THE HEADS. I HAVE USED AN AFTERMARKET REPAIR KIT APPROVED BY, BUT NOT USED BY FORD. REMOVED PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I AM LOSING COUNTLESS HOURS OF WORK TIME, I AM SELF-EMPLOYED, AND OVER $100.00 IN TOWING EXPENSES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328608

Incident

Apr 16, 2010

Mileage

150,854 mi

WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD E250 VORTEC V8 AT APPROX. 30 MPH WHEN A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY FROM HOME , IN A NOT SO GOOD AREA OF TOWN. I WAS LEFT STRANDED. 120,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328354

Incident

Apr 27, 2010

Mileage

120,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 FORD E250 VAN. THIS VAN HAS BEEN A RELIABLE VEHICLE AND MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN EASY AND PREDICTABLE. HOWEVER TODAY THE THIRD SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THOUGH IT WAS A EXHAUST LEAK AT FIRST BECAUSE OF THE SOUND. I PULLED OF THE FREEWAY AND OPENED THE ENGINE COVER. AT THIS POINT I RESTARTED THE ENGINE TO FIND THE EXHAUST LEAK. A LARGE FLAME IMMEDIATELY BEGAN BURSTING OUT OF THE OPEN SPARK PLUG HOLE. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF QUICKLY THIS SCARED ME CONSIDERABLY AS I KNOW THEIR ARE FUEL LINES THAT RUN RIGHT BY THE SPARK PLUG. I HAD IT TOWED FROM THEIR TO A SHOP. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY OF FORDS ENGINES. I EVEN FOUND CASES WERE CARS HAD BEEN DESTROYED BY FIRE AS A RESULT. IT CONCERNS ME THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. I DO NOT EXPECT WARRANTY FROM FORD FOR A VEHICLE THIS OLD. HOWEVER THIS SEEMS TO BE A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM AND I WOULD THINK THAT MERITS A RECALL. I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER THAT RIDES IN HER CAR SEAT NEXT TO ME IN THE VAN AT TIMES. THAT CAR SEAT IS LESS THAN TWO FEET FROM THE SPARK PLUG IN QUESTION. SEPARATED ONLY BY A THIN ENGINE COVER. AGAIN I AM REALLY QUITE AMAZED THAT THIS HAS NOT RESULTED IN A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10272715

Incident

Jun 2, 2001

Mileage

137,000 mi

REAR SPRING SHACKLE RUST OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10270141

Incident

May 20, 2009

Mileage

126,000 mi

I STARTED TO HEAR EXHAUST NOISE ON MY 2001 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY WITH A V10 ENGINE WITH ONLY 53,000 MILES. IN CHECKING, I FOUND THAT THE BOLTS THAT WERE HOLD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO THE ENGINE WERE BREAKING OFF AT THE CYLINDER HEAD. 6 OUT OFF 10 CYLINDERS HAD BROKEN BOLTS AND THE OTHER 4 WERE NEAR BREAKING. THERE IS A DANGER OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE DUE TO THE HOT EXHAUST GASES. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE DUE TO HAVING TO REMOVE THE BOLT STUDS STILL IN THE ENGINE HEAD WITHOUT DOING ANY DAMAGE . *TR

NHTSA ID

10223421

Incident

Oct 22, 2007

Mileage

53,240 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

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1131 AND/OR P1151 - 4.2L ENGINE. *TT

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