NHTSA Complaint #10348624 — 2003 FORD F-350 SD

ON THE FORD F350 7.3 DIESEL, THE CLAMP BENEATH THE TURBO HOLDING THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL FUEL LINE IN PLACE IS A POOR DESIGN. THE CLAMP APPEARS TO BE ALUMINUM WITH A RUBBER COATING. THE RUBBER COATING WEARS AWAY AND THE FUEL LINE PASSES METAL ON METAL THROUGH THE CLAMP CAUSING WEAR. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THE PINHOLE LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE CAUSED BY THE WEAR CREATED A MIST OF FUEL TO BE BLOWN ON THE HOT TURBO CAUSING A FLAMMABLE CLOUD OF DIESEL. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE VEHICLES IGNITION OFF AND STOOD BY WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN TO SOMEBODY AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE INJURED OR THE VEHICLES ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL CATCH FIRE. THE FUEL LINE NEEDS TO PASS THROUGH A CLAMP OF BETTER DESIGN. *TR