2003 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.

MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED SHUT OFF DEAD!!!! IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO RESTAR IT AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE CLOSEST MECHANIC SHOP.I PAID $49.95 FEE AND THEY SCANNED THE ENGINE. TOLD ME IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LOOSE WIRE, THAT THEY TOOK CARE OF IT AND GO AHEAD AND DRIVE IT. "BRING IT BACK, IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN" EASIER SAID THAN DONE. YES IT IS STILL HAPPENING. I LOVE MY CAR AND IT IS THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION I HAVE. I AM 69 3/4 YEARS OLD AND DRIVE AROUND WITH MY 92 YEAR OLD MOTHER. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10761845

Incident

Sep 4, 2015

Mileage

121,000 mi

I HAVE A FORD E350 4X4 VAN 2003. THERE HAS BEEN FUMES ACCUMULATING IN THE VAN WHEN DRIVING. I GET HEADACHES AND MY EYES TEAR AND MY FEEL SICK. I NOTICED THE FUMES INTENSELY ON 1.25.08 WHEN DRIVING HIGHWAY MILES IN COLD WEATHER AT A DISTANCE OF 2.5 HOURS AND 132 MILES ONE WAY AND 264 ROUND TRIP. THE FUMES BUILD UP WHEN DRIVING. I OPEN MY PASSENGER WINDOW WHILE STILL DRIVING AND IT SEEMS LIKE I GET MORE FUMES. IN ADDITION WHEN I PUT ON THE HEATER IT ALSO FILL UP THE VAN. ON 2.1.08 I DID ANOTHER TRIP LIKE THE ONE THAT WAS MENTION ABOVE. MY WIFE AN I EXPERIENCE THE SAME AFFECT WHICH WERE HEADACHES AND NAUSEOUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10216759

Incident

Jan 25, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD RATTLING SOUND AND STARTED TO LOOSE POWER, EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS BAD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER SINCE MAY 21, 2007. THE PART HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER SINCE THEN AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE ON JUNE 26, 2007. NOW AS OF TODAY JUNE 26, 2007, IT WAS PUSHED BACK TO AUGUST 25, 2007, BECAUSE IT'S AN ENGINEER PROBLEM. I AM OUT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE DEALER OR FORD IS NOT ASSISTING ME IN MUCH OF ANYTHING RIGHT NOW!*AK

NHTSA ID

10194269

Incident

May 20, 2007

Mileage

77,000 mi

GRINDING NOISE FROM THE REAR END WHILE BACKING OR MAKING LOW SPEED TURNS. PER 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD EXPLORER DUE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY DOCUMENTED BOTH HERE AND IN ONLINE FORUMS. IT REQUIRES A $1000.00 REPAIR WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE REPAIR WILL PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM RECURRING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10178866

Incident

Jan 6, 2007

Mileage

47,187 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPER CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10097540

Incident

Oct 22, 2004

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

FORD: CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH AMBULANCE PREP PACKAGE AMBULANCE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT; SPECIFIC COMPONENT WARRANTY EXTENSION. AWARENESS COMMUNICATION, DATED 4/20/09. *PE

FORD: CERTAIN VEHICLES, E SERIES AND F SUPER DUTY, WITH AMBULANCE PREP PACKAGE AMBULANCE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT-6.0L DIESEL ENGINE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY EXTENSION. AWARENESS COMMUNICATION DATED 4/20/09. *PE

FORD: MULTIPLE VEHICLES WITH A TORQ SHIFT TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENT CLUNK WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE, REVERSE AND PARK AND/OR DURING 2-3 UPSHIFT. MODELS F SUPER DUTY; E SERIES; EXCURSION; F53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS AND LOW CAB FORWARD. *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