NHTSA Complaint #10172698 — 2004 FORD E-450

PARAMEDIC PLUS DBA SUNSTAR PARAMEDIC, IN PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA, PURCHASED 54 AMBULANCES, FORD E-450, 6.0 LITER, IN AUGUST OF 2004. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS OF USING THESE AMBULANCES IN ONE OF THE COUNTRIES BUSIEST EMS AGENCIES, WE'VE INCURRED A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES, WHICH HAVE HAMPERED OUR ABILITY TO PUT AMBULANCES ON THE STREET. THESE PROBLEMS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: EGR VALVES, EGR COOLERS, OIL COOLERS, INJECTORS, AC COMPRESSORS, RADIATORS, WIRING HARNESSES, SEVERAL ENGINES. EVERY AMBULANCE IN OUR FLEET HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. IN SPEAKING WITH EMS AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. WE ARE SPENDING COUNTLESS HOURS OF LABOR AND COST OF REPAIRS OVER TWO YEARS WITH 54 OF THESE VEHICLES. WE HAVE MAINTAINED ALL RECORDS OF REPAIR AND CAN DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT THIS HAS ON OUR EMERGENCY 911 SERVICE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT YOUR CONVENIENCE SO WE CAN DISCUSS MORE OF THIS IN DETAIL. *JB