2001 Ford Econoline

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.

SPARKPLUG BLOWOUT

NHTSA ID

10967391

Incident

Feb 15, 2016

Mileage

124,000 mi

BUCKING, SHAKING, LOSS OF POWER. TIRES FELT OUT OF ALIGNMENT. STALLING AND ROUGH IDLE. LINING IN THE FUEL TANK PEELS OFF AND THE MATERIAL FROM THE LINING IS CLOGGING THE FUEL PUMP. THIS AFFECTS TRUCKS, VANS FROM THE YEARS 2000 UP. THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS .MUCH TRAFFIC TO BE NEGOTIATED UNTIL I FINALLY MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

10840428

Incident

Feb 16, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

NUMBER 7 CYLINDER BLEW THE SPARK PLUG OUT. TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. FORTUNATELY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING SIGNS AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10629796

Incident

Jul 13, 2014

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG HEARD FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE NUMBER ONE SPARK PLUG AND THE COIL WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX TIMES AFTER THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT AN AFTER MARKET PART COULD BE INSERTED ON THE SPARK PLUGS TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA ID

10499931

Incident

Sep 15, 2010

Mileage

86,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ECONOLINE. WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AND RESIST ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE EXACT FAILURE. THE FUEL FILLER WAS REPLACED APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES. THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED TWICE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10444383

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi

THERE IS A SMALL PLATE THAT HAS 2 ALLEN HEAD BOLTS HOLDING IT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT .THIS PLATE PUTS THE VEHICLE IN PARK. THE BOLTS CAME LOOSE AND THE VAN ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO THE GARAGE DOOR EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN PARK AND THE DRIVER WAS STANDING OUTSIDE,NEXT TO THE VAN

NHTSA ID

10443886

Incident

Nov 10, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD BACKFIRE NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROADWAY AND FOUND A SMALL FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A BLOWN SPARK PLUG THAT EJECTED FROM ITS HOUSING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

NHTSA ID

10351992

Incident

Aug 25, 2010

Mileage

220,000 mi

AMBULANCE ON FORD E-450 AND F-350 CHASSIS HAVE HAD MAJOR FUEL SYSTEM FAILURES. BOTH AMBULANCES IN THE PAST YEAR HAVE HAD THE LINING OF THE DIESELF FUEL TANKS RUST OFF AND GET PULLED INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE METAL FLAKES HAVE RUINED SENDING UNITS,FUEL PUMPS, DIESEL INJECTORS, FUEL FILTERS AND FILTER HOUSINGS. IT HAS CAUSED THE AMBULANCES TO STALL WHILE TRANSPORTING CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS TO THE HOSPITAL. IR HAS ALSO COST CLOSE TO $9000.00 TO FIX BOTH AMBULANCES. THE FIX WAS TO REPLACE ALL FUEL COMPONENTS FROM THE DIESEL TANK FORWARD TO THE DIESEL MANIFOLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285125

Incident

Sep 20, 2009

Mileage

74,000 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.

MERLIN MULTIPLEX SYSTEM WHEN A PROER/GROUND LUG IS NOT CORRECTLY TIGHTENED OR BECOMES LOOSE FOR ANY REASON; ERRATIC SYSTEM OPERATION IS POSSIBLE.

ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM CONCERNS WHEN USING FUEL WITH GREATER THAN 5% BIODIESEL CONCENTRATION. *TT

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) - SERVICE TIPS. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 F-SERIES. *TT

LOW POWER, POOR FUEL ECONOMY, FUEL GELLING COLD, EXCESSIVE WHITE SMOKE COLD, OR HARD START. *MJ THIS OASIS UPDATES PREVIOUS OASIS DATED 12/01/03. *TT

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 02M01 SUPPLEMENT #4. CERTAIN FORD 2000 THROUGH 2003 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TUBE-MOUNTED EGR PRESSURE SENSOR - ADDITIONAL EGR PRESSURE SENSOR WARRANTY COVERAGE. *TT SUPPLEMENT #3. *MJ SUPPLEMENT #6. *TT