RoadVitals

2000 Velvet-Ride Rear Suspension System

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Dec 10, 2003
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2000 Velvet-Ride Rear Suspension System, most frequently naming the other / unspecified category. 2 NHTSA investigations name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Other / unspecified1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA03006ClosedEngineering Analysis

REAR SUSPENSION SEPARATION/FAILURE

Opened Apr 29, 2003
Closed Jan 23, 2004

THIS INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON FAILURES OF VELVET-RIDE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEMS.THE VELVET- RIDE SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED IN 1998 - 2002 INTERNATIONAL 4700LP TRUCKS WITH AMBULANCE BODIES.THEY USED A UNIQUE METHOD OF INSTALLATION, THAT BEING FLANGE HEAD BOLTS, WHEREAS ALL OTHER VELVET-RIDE SUSPENSION SYSTEM MODELS USED EITHER U-BOLTS OR STUDS WITH NUTS.WHEN THE FLANGE BOLTS FAILED, THE REAR AXLE WOULD SOMETIMES EJECT FROM THE VEHICLE.POSSIBLE REASONS FOR THE FAILURES WERE CORROSION OF THE BOLTS AND EXCESSIVE LOADING OF THE SUSPENSION BY AN AFTER MARKET SYSTEM USED TO PULL DOWN THE BODY TO FACILITATE LOADING PATIENTS INTO THE AMBULANCE. ALL TRUCKS WILL BE RETRO-FITED WITH AN AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF A PROVEN DESIGN.INSTALLATION OF THE NEW SUSPENSION IS BEING COORDINATED WITH INTERNATIONAL TRUCK, THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.INTERNATIONAL'S DEALER NETWORK WILL PERFORM THE INSTALLATION.THE VELVET-RIDE SUSPENSION PRODUCT LINE WAS SOLD TO LORD CORPORATION IN 2001.LORD HAS NOT SOLD THIS MODEL FOR ANY NEW INSTALLATIONS SINCE IT ACQUIRED THE PRODUCT LINE. THE EA WAS ORIGINALLY OPENED ON LORD CORPORATION SINCE AT THAT TIME, ODI BELIEVED LORD WAS THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER.

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:U-BOLT, LEAF SPRING TO AXLELed to recall 03E060000
PE02097ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

VELVET RIDE SUSPENSION

Opened Dec 20, 2002
Closed Apr 29, 2003

SEE ATTACHED REPORT (PAGE 2)FOR FULL DETAILS

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Other / unspecified
Filed Dec 10, 2003

LEAF SPRINGS ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF PICKUP,HAVE COLLAPSED BEFORE. THE FACTORY REPLACED THEM... NOW IT HAS DONE THIS AGAIN. I DON'T TOW ANYTHING BEHIND THIS TRUCK THAT COULD CAUSE THIS, THE HEAVIEST THING THAT I HAVE CARRIED IN THE BACK OF MY PICKUP IS 350 CHEVY BLOCK. THEY FORD DEALER SAYS THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL... I HAVE NOTICED QUITE A FEW OF THESE FORD RANGERS WHEN U DRIVE BEHIND THEM THEY ARE SQUATTED ON THE DRIVER SIDE, MOST PEOPLE MIGHT NOT NOTICE THIS... BUT I LIVES AROUND A BODY SHOP AND CAN NOTICE IT BY LOOKING AT MY TRUCK... I HAVE HAD MY SHOCKS REPLACED THINKING THIS MIGHT BE THE CAUSE, THE DEALER WHO CHANGED MY SPRINGS SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD FACTORY ONE HE REPLACED... COULD THERE BE A PROBLEM THAT NOBODY HAS NOTICED... YOU CAN TELL THE WAY IT RIDES... WHEN U HIT A BUMP THE REAR OF THE TRUCK JUMPS TOWARDS THE DRIVER SIDE... PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT WE FIND OUT ON THIS... I CANT AFFORD TO BUY A TRUCK AND IT HAS A PROBLEM NOBODY HAD NOTICED... THANK YOU... *LA

NHTSA ID
10049546
Incident
Jul 5, 1999

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Velvet-Ride Rear Suspension System by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002002—
2001002—
2000Viewing102—
1999002—
1998001—
1997001—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.