1996 Ford E350 Owner Complaints

APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES ON A 800 MILE ROAD TRIP WHEN IT WAS 90 DEGREES OR HOTTER IN THE AFTERNOON MY 1996 E350 MOTORHOME WOULD STOP RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEED STRANDING US IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON I40. AFTER SITTING IDLE FOR 30-60 MINUTES IT WOULD START AND RUN MAYBE 30 MILES AND STOP. IN THE COOL OF THE EVENING OR MORNING IT WOULD RUN AS LONG AS NEEDED. THE PROBLEM IS AN INADEQUATE FUEL PUMP WHICH IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON MANY INTERNET BLOGS. IN MID YEAR 1996 FORD UPGRADED TO A TURBINE FUEL PUMP WHICH I HAVE NOW PAID $450 TO INSTALL. THIS UPGRADE SOLVES THE PROBLEM. I WAS ALSO STRANDED AT MAJOR INTERSECTIONS ALSO. I READ THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH I CANNOT FIND. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP WAS A GEROTOR WHICH CAUSED CAVITATION OF FUEL WHICH CAUSED AIR TO REACH THE FUEL RAIL CAUSING THE VAPOR LOCK LIKE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11022754

Incident

Jul 21, 2017

Mileage

33,500 mi

ABS SPORADICALLY CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN PRESSING THE BREAK PEDAL WHILE RHYTHMICALLY PULLING HARD RIGHT. HIGHWAY OR SURFACE SPEEDS. GOOGLE HAS MANY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO FIX. NO CODES ARE THROWN. DEALERS ARE NO HELP. MUST DISABLE THE ABS BY PULLING THE 60AMP FUSE.

NHTSA ID

10898062

Incident

Aug 22, 2016

Mileage

345,000 mi

THIS ISSUE WAS ON A 1996 FORD F350 AMBULANCE ON ROUTE TO EMERGENCY CALL WHEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER LIKE IT WAS OUT OF FUEL 7.3 LITER DIESEL AND TANK WAS FULL. HAD UNIT TOWED TO CROSS WOOD FORD IN KERNERSVILLE NC AND $2700.00 LATER AFTER NEW FUEL TANK FUEL PUMP 6 INJECTORS AND TURBO DUE TO LINER INSIDE OF TANK CAME OFF AND CLOGGED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS NO HELP AND SAID SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE COST ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10520493

Incident

Jun 11, 2007

Mileage

109,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH DOES NOT LOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445627

Incident

Dec 6, 2011

DISCOVERY OF CRACKED FRONT ROTORS ON MY 1996 E-350 MOTORHOME. FIRST CRACKED ROTOR FOUND IN MAY 2007 WITH 35,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. SECOND CRACKED ROTOR FOUND IN SEPTEMBER 2009 WITH 41,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10279777

Incident

May 31, 2007

Mileage

35,869 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 45/55 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT OUT OF ROUND, AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF FATIGUE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED FRONT SHOCKS FAILED, AND THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPILLED ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERE FRONTAL VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10042686

Mileage

19,700 mi

SUBJECT VEHICLE IS A FORD E350 SUPERDUTY VAN CHASSIS MANUFACTURED IN MAY 1996 WITH VN [XXX] EQUIPPED WITH A E40D TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IN A 1997 CLASS C MOTORHOME STARTED TO LEAK. THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO GARAGE. WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT A SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACE. THE OEM PART NUMBER WAS E9TP 7AP48 AA. THE SEAL WAS REPLACE WITH A PART FROM PERCISION INTERNATIONAL WITH PART NUMBER 16601EV, WHICH CAME WITH THE FOLLOWING ADVISORY "THE ORIGINAL DESIGN SILICONE RUBBER IS NOT AS COMPATIBLE WITH NEW FORD MERCRON V FLUID. ALSO IT'S NOT ABLE TO HOLD UP TO THE DEMANDS OF HEAVY DUTY TRUCK APPLICATIONS." IF THIS IS IN FACT THE CASES THE AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND IF NECESSARY RECALLED. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10041552

Incident

Sep 8, 2003

Mileage

42,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT VALVE STEMS RECOMMENDED FOR VEHICLE IS NOT EFFECTIVE AFTER 8000 MILES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TIRES WOULD BECOME FLAT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER OF THE VALVE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10031897

Incident

Jul 8, 2003

Mileage

52,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH TREAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. *AK

NHTSA ID

10031886

Incident

Jul 9, 2003

Mileage

23,000 mi

THE INJECTOR MODULE FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO STOP WORKING. *JB THIS WAS THE SECOND FUEL INJECTOR DRIVER MODULE THAT FAILED DUE TO WATER IN THE MODULE. THE ENGINE STOPPED WITH OVT WARNING. SCC

NHTSA ID

10009381

Incident

Feb 19, 2003

Mileage

77,320 mi

GULF STREAM RV MANIFACTORYING. BUILT THE CLASS C RV ON FORD E-350 CUT A WAY CHASSIS. THE FORD CHASSIS MANUAL STATES THAT IT IS SUPPLIED W/ 2 HAZARD AND TURN LIGHTS ON FRONT AND 2 ON THE BACK (TOTAL OF 4 LIGHTS) AND A FLASHER FOR 2 BULB AND 4 BULB MAX FLASHER #SF-602 THIS IS THE ONLY FLASHER THAT FORD HAS. GULF STREAM ADDED ANOTHER TURN/ HAZARD BULB ON EACH SIDE ON REAR. PLUS TWO TRAILOR LIGHTS. THE FORD REFERENCE MANUEL PAGE 19 TABLE H STATES THAT IF MORE LIGHTS ARE ADDED THEY ARE TO CHANGE THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHER. WITH ONE HAVING THE CORRECT LAMP RAREING. GULF STREAM DIDN'T DO THIS THEY LEFT THE ONE THAT FORD PUT ON AT THE FACTORY. WHEN YOU TURN THE HAZARD FLASHER LIGHT ON IT OVER LOADS THE FLASHER OUT ($38.00 EA) THEN YOU DON'T HAVE FLASHERS. I HAVE BURNT OUT 2 SO FAR. I HAVE CONTACTED GULF STREAM RV ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND ON THIS. THEY SAID I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. ONLY THE 1996 FORD E-350 USES THIS FLASHER. I CAN'T FIND ANOTHER ONE ANY WHERE THAT WILL WORK IN THE E-350. FORD TOLD ME THAT IS THE ONLY FLASHER THAT WILL WORK AND THAT IT IS A GULF STREAM PROBLEM AND THEY DENY THE PROBLEM. THIS AFFECTS ALL 1996 FORD E350 VANS. DT

NHTSA ID

770404

Incident

Jul 20, 2000

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED 3 TREAD SEPARATIONS ON FIRESTONE STEEL TEX BRAND. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. TS ONE OTHER TIRE SHOWED SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION WHICH INCLUDED THE SPARE. ALL TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT *JB

NHTSA ID

8023267

Incident

Jul 5, 2002

Mileage

20,200 mi

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE SPEAR TIRE CARRIER HAD BROKEN CAUSING SPARE TIRE TO FALL FROM UNDER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

8023188

3 TIRES ALL SEPERATED AT DIFFERENT TIMES WITHIN A 3 MONTH. BOTH FRONT TIRES AND ONE REAR TIRE. ALL 3 TIRES HAD THE SAME DOT NUMBER. THE OTHER 3 TIRES DID NOT SEPERATE AND HAD A DIFFERENT DOT NUMBER. I STILL HAVE ALL OF THE TIRES. DT

NHTSA ID

769140

Incident

Aug 17, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

761336

Incident

Jan 12, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

761178

Incident

Apr 21, 2002

UPON INSTALLING PERFORMANCE FRICTION BRAKE PADS ON VEHICLE, I FELT THEY WERE WRONG. I CALLED AUTO ZONE FROM WHOM I PURCHASED AFTER MEASURING AND FINDING THEY WERE 0.773 THICK. THEY ASSURED ME THEY WERE THE RIGHT PADS. I INSTALLED AND THOUGHT NOTHING MORE OF IT. UPON DRIVING VEHICLE AROUND A MONTH LATER, I HAD NOT GOTTEN 5 MILES WHEN THE FRICTION CAUSED MY CALIPER SEALS TO CATCH FIRE. WE CONTACTED PERFORMANCE FRICTION THE SAME DAY AND TALKED TO MIKE COCHRANE, WHO ASSURED HE WOULD INVESTIGATE AND GET BACK TO ME. AFTER NOT HEARING ANYTHING FOR OVER A WEEK, WE CONTACTED AGAIN. THIS TIME I TALKED TO JENNIFER RAMSEY, WHOM CONTACTED ME THE FOLLOWING VIA E-MAIL AND SAID THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE AND GET BACK. I DID SOME INVESTIGATING MYSELF AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING : NAPA PADS MEASURED 0.719 ; ALBANY 0.720 ; WAGNER 0.717 ; WAGNER HEAVY DUTY 0.738 AAND MOTORCRAFT 0.738. I REPORTED THESE FINDINGS TO MS. RAMSEY AND ASKED WHY THEIR PADS WERE NEARLY 0.040 THICKER THAN ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER, BUT STILL HAVE NO ANSWER. THE LAST CONTACT I RECEIVED FROM MS. RAMSEY STATED THAT THESE PADS WERE HIGH VOLUME SELLERS AND THEY HAD NO OTHER COMPLAINTS, AND THEY WERE STILL INVESTIGATING DATED 11/07/01. I LAST E-MAILED MS. RAMSEY ON 12/07/01 AND HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID

755991

Incident

Oct 12, 2001

TIRES CAME APART& BLEWOUT.*AK (TIRESIZE: 225/75R16R)

NHTSA ID

753753

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT ON A FORD, E350, 1996. 10,000 MILES ON TIRES. TIRE SIZE LT24575R16. TREAD SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALL OF RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. CONSUMER REPLACED TIRE WITH SAME MODEL TIRE THAT HAD DEVELOPED SPLITS IN THE SIDEWALL. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

890319

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A SHOP, AND BOTH FRONT ROTORS WERE CRACKED. *AK

NHTSA ID

889602

Incident

May 1, 2001

AFTER NOTICING A FUEL SMELL CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED AND FOUND FUEL TANK WAS CRACKING AT SEAMS. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR FUEL TANK ON 1997-2001 VANS, BUT THIS MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

887448

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

CONSUMER HAS A 1996, FORD, 350 AND LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF WITHOUT WARNING. TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. TREAD GOT CAUGHT AND WIPED OUT HEATER AND A/C LINE. CONSUMER WAS WAS TRAVELING 60MPH. DEALER REPLACED TIRE WITH A SPARE. AT THIS TIME VEHICLE HAD 21,000 MILES. *AK RIGHT REAR TIRE ALSO EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, FIRESTONE TIRES, P225/75R16. *SLC

NHTSA ID

883946

Incident

Aug 14, 1998

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE ENTIRE TREAD CAME OF THE RIGHT INSIDE DUAL TIRE, FIRESTONE LT 22575R16, WHICH PUT A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTORHOME.

NHTSA ID

559372

Incident

Oct 25, 2000

SYMPTOM IS THE ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN STEADY. WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON, THE ABS IS INOPERATIVE (UNSAFE CONDITION). THE 1ST HCU FAILED WITHIN 2 YEARS ($550 TO REPLACE). THE SECOND FAILED JUST OVER A YEAR LATER. THE DEALER MECHANIC SAYS THAT HE SEES *LOTS* OF THESE ($550 TO REPLACE EACH OCCURRENCE). FORD CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE A CLASS C MOTORHOME BASED ON THE SAME '96 FORD E350 CHASSIS. THE ABS LIGHT IS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. I BELIEVE THE HCU'S THAT FORD IS INSTALLING ARE DEFECTIVE AND THEY SHOULD DESIGN A BETTER ONE (THAT LASTS LONGER THAN 1-2 YEARS). CURRENTLY, FORD EXPECTS THE CUSTOMER TO PAY $550 EVERY 1-2 YEARS JUST TO KEEP THE ABS SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL. THAT'S ON TOP OF ANY OTHER NORMAL MAINTENANCE THE VEHICLE REQUIRES. THANKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

739971

Incident

Jun 20, 1998

FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S TIRE (P225/75R16) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HOLDING TANK. *SLC

NHTSA ID

559145

Incident

Nov 20, 2000