NHTSA Complaint #10253328 — 2004 FORD F-450 SD

THIS COMPLAINT STEMS FROM PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED WITH MY 2004 FORD F-450 DIESEL POWERED TRUCK. I PURCHASED THIS 2004 FORD NEW TRUCK IN LATE 2004. AT PRESENT, THE ODOMETER READS APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES. I EXPERIENCE LOSS OF POWER AT VARIOUS INTERVALS WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND POWER IS LIMITED TO A FEW MILES-PER-HOUR. I HAVE RETURNED THE TRUCK TO FORD FOR REPAIR NUMEROUS TIMES AND FORD HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. FORD HAS REPLACED THE TURBO TWO TIMES, THE WIRING HARNESS, THE EGR AND OTHER PARTS IN THE ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I RETURNED THIS TRUCK TO FORD AGAIN ON 12-26-2008. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REMOVED THE FUEL FILTER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE LAMINATION OR LINING OF THE FUEL TANK HAS SEPARATED FROM THE METAL WHICH MAKES UP THE FUEL TANK. THIS APPEARS AS A FLAKY SILVER SUBSTANCE WHICH CLOGGED THE FUEL FILTER AND LINES AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS FAILURE ON THE INTERNET AND IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS WHICH POINT TO THE SAME FAILURE OF THE FORD FUEL TANK, ESPECIALLY ON DIESEL POWERED VEHICLES. A SAMPLING OF THE INTERNET POSTS CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTP://WWW.FINISHING.COM/442/19.SHTML. IT APPEARS THAT FORD HAS TAKEN THE POSITION THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE FUEL THAT IS USED IN THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS STATEMENT TO BE TRUE. I BELIEVE THERE IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN THE APPLICATION OF THIS LAMINATE OR, THAT THE LAMINATE IS NOT OF CORRECT MATERIAL FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE. THE BOND WHICH HOLDS THE LAMINATE TO THE STEEL FUEL TANK IS BREAKING DOWN AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. I URGE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. I KNOW YOUR DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAVE READ YOUR RESPONSE IN NUMEROUS INTERNET CHAT ROOMS AND I URGE YOU TO ACT IMMEDIATELY TO DEMAND FORD RECALL AND MAKE RIGHT THESE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *TR