2003 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.

FUEL TANK DELAMINATION. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME I HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, SENDING UNIT AND FUEL PUMP ON MY E350 DIESEL VAN. FORD HAS HAD KNOWN ISSUES FOR SEVERAL YEARS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THE INSIDE COATING OF THE TANK PEELS AWAY AND CLOGS UP THE FUEL SYSTEM, THEN THEY TURN AROUND AND SELL YOU THE SAME TANK SO IT HAPPENS AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND WILL EVEN STALL.

NHTSA ID

10915055

Incident

Oct 6, 2016

Mileage

105,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ECONOLINE EQUIPPED WITH RADAR RADIAL RLT-9 TIRES, SIZE P245/75/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD WERE DRY AND THE APPROXIMATE TEMPERATURE WAS 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD WAS AGAIN DRY AND THE APPROXIMATE TEMPERATURE WAS 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE TIRES WERE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES ON THE VEHICLE WAS 62,000. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES ON THE TIRES WERE 6,000.

NHTSA ID

10467067

Incident

Jul 18, 2012

Mileage

62,000 mi

NO. 2 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10457740

Incident

May 8, 2012

Mileage

168,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ECONOLINE E-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE COOPER AMERICAN PROSPECTOR 225/70R15 TIRES ON THE VEHICLE HAVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING AND THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND WAS REPLACED. ONE WEEK AFTER THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BLEW OUT AND WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALL OF THOSE TIRES MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY OR FREE REPAIR AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ID

10284034

Incident

Aug 27, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

2003 FORD AEROSTAR LX VAN ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ON DASHBOARD WILL COME ON AND STAY ON ONE DAY, AND MAYBE NOT THE NEXT DAY. GOING ON FOR MONTHS. CAN'T PREDICT WHEN THIS WILL OCCUR. THE FORD DEALER OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR LESS THAN A $1000 DOLLARS!?!?!? VERY GENEROUS OF THEM! *TR

NHTSA ID

10277254

Incident

Jul 12, 2007

Mileage

100,969 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ECONOLOINE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISCONNECTED IN OCTOBER. EACH MONTH SINCE OCTOBER, THE DEALER HAS INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE THE FOLLOWING MONTH. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 03-18-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL NUMBER IS 05S28. UPDATED 03/18/08 *TR

NHTSA ID

10216955

Incident

Sep 1, 2007

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN 9/07 FROM THE FORD COMPANY CONCERNING MY 2003 MOTORHOME. IT INVOLVED THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH, WHICH THEY SAID WAS DEFECTIVE. WHEN I CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALER AS INSTRUCTED BY THE LETTER, I WAS TOLD THE REPAIR HAD TO WAIT TILL THE PARTS ARRIVED IN DECEMBER. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER LST WEEK, I WAS TOLD THE PARTS WOULDN'T ARRIVE UNTIL AT LEAST FEBRUARY. I CALLED THE FORD TOLL-FREE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. WHY ARE THEY DRAGGING THEIR FEET ON THIS? WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO GET THE PARTS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10214895

Incident

Sep 7, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) IN AUGUST OF 2007. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL MARCH OF 2008. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE WAIT TIME FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10207437

Incident

Aug 1, 2007

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.

FORD: VEHICLES MISTAKENLY CHARGED $100 POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE FOR FUEL INJECTOR REPAIR OR REPAIRS. NO MODEL OR MODEL YEARS PROVIDED. *PE ECONOLINE, EXCURSION AND F-SERIES SUPER DUTY VEHICLES, MODEL YEARS 2002-2005. UPDATED 10/24/08. *PE CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. UPDATED 10/27/08. *PE

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