2002 Ford E-Series

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.

2002 FORD TAURUS HEATER BLOWER. DID NOT WORK TRIED TO FIX WITH DIFFERENT PARTS STILL DIDNT WORK. I CAN'T SEE WHERE I AM GOING WITH THE WINDOWS ALL STEAMED UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248017

Incident

Oct 17, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD E-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BOLTS ON THE FUSE BOX FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE'S WIRES TO BECOME EXPOSED. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE SIZE AND CORRECT VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,793.

NHTSA ID

10191462

Incident

May 20, 2007

Mileage

9,793 mi

WHILE I DOUBT THIS WILL ATTRACT ENOUGH ATTENTION FOR FORD TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, I TOO, MADE THE MISTAKE OF PURCHASING A 2002 EXPLORER XLT. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MAKES A HORRID WHINING NOISE BETWEEN 50-65 MPH. FROM WHAT LITTLE RESEARCH I'VE DONE SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED I'M FINDING THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY UNFORTUNATE FORD OWNER WITH THE SAME DEFECT. MOST OF WHAT I'M FINDING STATES THAT EVEN WHEN THE PROBLEM IS "FIXED" THAT IT RE-OCCURS. WHY IS FORD NOT ISSUING A RECALL? *NM

NHTSA ID

10150001

Incident

Feb 10, 2006

DRIVING ON PRIMARY ROAD WAY WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. SOUNDED LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK. PULL OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF ENGINE TO CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.CHECKED EXHAUST OK. REMOVED ENGINE COWLING, FOUND SPARK PLUG EJECTED ITSELF. SPARK PLUG WAS MISSING," COP" COIL MOUNTING BROKE, BOOT BURNT. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD DEALER AFTER BEING TOLD IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. TALK TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP,AN WAS TOLD THIS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE TRITON ENGINES. NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. I STILL HAVE THE "COP" COIL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10114848

Incident

Mar 23, 2005

Mileage

70,150 mi

DEFROSTER AND CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED REPEATEDLY. NO DEFROSTER, HEAT, OR AIR CONDITIONING BECAUSE BLOWER FAILED TO OPERATE. DEALER ROUTE 23 AUTOMALL WOULD NOT OR COULD NOT FIX.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008168

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

Mileage

300 mi

CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STEER TO THE LEFT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10002527

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are followed when diagnosing the condition prior to all module replacements and only order modules using the correct VIN.

FORD: THE BLOWER MOTOR ON SOME VEHICLES ARE OPERATING EITHER INCORRECTLY OR NOT OPERATING OR JUST FUNCTIONING ON ONE SPEED. *PE

SOME 1997-2008 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.6L 2V, 5.4L 2V, OR 6.8L 2V ENGINE--SPARK PLUG THREAD REPAIR PROCEDURE--NOT COVERED UNDER NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY. *NJ THIS INCLUDES F-53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS. UPDATED 2/23/10. *PE

FUEL CONDITIONER. LOW POWER, POOR FUEL ECONOMY, FUEL GELLING IN COLD WEATHER, EXCESSIVE WHITE SMOKE ON COLD START, HARD START, OR COKING OF COMPONENTS EXPOSED TO EXHAUST. *TT

WDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIP - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - ENGINE MISFIRE OR ROUGH RUNNING. *TT

SAFETY BELT RETRACTION SPEED. *TT