2000 Ford E Series Super Duty Owner Complaints

AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. ON INSPECTING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, I DISCOVERED THAT ALL 8 BOLTS HOLDING THE DUAL WHEELS TO THE AXLE HAD SHEARED OFF. (FORTUNATELY THE WHEELS REMAINED ON THE AXLE.) IN RETROSPECT, I HAD NOTICED A SLIGHT "CLUNK" WHEN MOVING FORWARD FROM A STOP. (THERE WERE ICING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE SOUND OF SUSPENSION COMPONENTS BREAKING FREE OF ICE.) WHILE RIDING WITH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD EVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT BEFORE, AND HE HAD, ESPECIALLY WITH DUAL-WHEEL-EQUIPPED FORDS. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT IN 2 YEARS WHERE I HAD BEEN DRIVING A VEHICLE OF THIS TYPE AND LOST A WHEEL. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, 4 OF THE 8 STUDS SHEARED OFF AND THE LUG NUTS HAD COME OFF THE OTHER 4; THE OUTER OF THE 2 WHEELS CAME OFF. (I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO A STOP WHILE THE INNER WHEEL WAS STILL ON THE VEHICLE.) IN BOTH OF THESE CASES, THE VEHICLE WAS A FORD VAN COMPLETED BY A 3D-PARTY MANUFACTURER, AND IN BOTH CASES IT WAS THE RIGHT-HAND WHEEL THAT FAILED. I HAVE LEARNED FROM SEVERAL SOURCES THAT SOME VEHICLES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED WITH LEFT-HANDED THREADS ON THE LEFT-SIDE WHEELS, TO AVOID A LOOSENING PROBLEM. (NEITHER FORD HAD LEFT-HAND THREADS ON ANY WHEELS.) I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW OFTEN SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED, AND IF ANY RECENT RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE ON THE ADVISABILITY OF LEFT-HANDED THREADS TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184072

Incident

Feb 26, 2007

Mileage

124,700 mi

2000 MOTOR HOME,23650MI,AIR PRESS. CORRECT,OA TEMP 73F.12PM RIGHT REAR INSIDE FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRE SHREDDED, ONE HOUR LATER,LEFT REAR INSIDE STEELTEX TIRE SHREDDED. ALL TIRES INSPECTED AT THAT TIME SHOWED RIGHT FRONT STEELTEX WAS READY TO LOOSE IT'S TREAD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10080428

Incident

Jun 20, 2004

Mileage

23,650 mi

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. CONSUMER PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND INSPECTED IT . RIGHT OUTSIDE DUAL TIRE TOP LAYER SEPARATED, DAMAGING REAR OF VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, STEELTEX R4S, LT225/75R16. *AK THE CAUSE OF DAMAGE WAS WEARING DOWN OF THE THREAD OR SHOULDER AREA EXPOSING THE STEEL BELTS TO MOISTURE AND CONTAMINATION. THE CONTAMINATION CAUSED THE BREAK DOWN IN THE RUBBER TO STEEL ADHESION AND ALLOWED CENTRIFUGAL FORCE TO TEAR THE THREAD PACKAGE AWAY FROM THE BODY PLY OF THE TIRE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10063369

Mileage

25,243 mi

TIRE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. RIGHT REAR OUTER DUAL TIRES WERE CHECKED TO HAVE 80 PSIG COLD 3 HOURS EARLIER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10029156

Incident

Jul 19, 2003

Mileage

27,375 mi

TIRE TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED ON 2000 DUTCHMEN RV. *MR ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL TIRES BLEW OUT. ONE AT 16,000 MILES AND THE SECOND (SPARE TIRE) AT 19,000 MILES WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE TWO OTHER TIRES WERE ABOUT TO BLOW. (DUTCHMEN CLASS C MOTORHOME ON A FORD CHASSIS) *TT *JB

NHTSA ID

10025094

Incident

Aug 14, 2002

Mileage

16,000 mi

SOME HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING...ON MARCH 24,2002 WHEN WE WERE RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY CALL WE DROVE OVER A SMALL WATER WAY IN THE STREET OF OUR TOWN. A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE AMBULANCE LEANED TO THE RIGHT SIDE. AT THIS POINT TWO OF THE U POINTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF OUR AMBULANCE FAILED CAUSING A TIRE TO BLOW OUT AND MADE A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE AMBULANCE. NEEDLESS TO SAY OUR AMBULANCE WASN'T IN RUNNING CONDITION. I CALLED THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME WHERE TO TAKE IT AND HOW TO HAVE IT TRANSPORTED. NOW OUR AMBULANCE IS A 2000 FORD TRUCK. WHEN WE ORDERED THE AMBULANCE WE ADDED ON A VELVET RIDE SUSPENSION FOR ADDED COMFORT FOR OUR PATIENTS WE TRANSPORT. REMEMBER WE LIVE IN MINNESOTA WHERE THE ROADS ARE VERY ROUGH FOR A GREATER PART OF A YEAR. THE ADDED COAT OF THIS WAS $3800., BUT WE FELT IT WAS WORTH IT. HERE IS WHERE THE PROBLEM BEGINS. BF GOODRICH ADDED THE SUSPENSION, SINCE THEN SOLD IT TO A LORD COMPANY. THESE PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE TIME WHEN I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH A MIKE FOSTER, HE WAS WHISTLING. ANYWAY THE FORD DEALERSHIP TOLD US THE U BOLTS WERE MADE OF POOR GRADE STEEL WHICH CAUSED THEM TO BREAK. I SINCE THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALER IN OHIO WITH MANY PROBLEMS. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**763294

NHTSA ID

10006977

Incident

Mar 24, 2002

Mileage

18,380 mi

ORIGINAL TIRES ON A FORD, FUN MOVER, E450, 2000 DUALLY, STEELTEX LT22575R16, DOTVD1L1XD319/329. INSIDE PASSENGER REAR TIRE EXPLODED, AND TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF, CONSUMER PUT ON SPARE. 150 MILES LATER, DRIVER'S SIDE INSIDE TIRE EXPLODED, EXACT SAME WAY AS REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. AK *TT

NHTSA ID

8010879

Incident

May 24, 2002