NHTSA Complaint #10512136 — 2008 FORD F-250 SD

ON 2 OCT 2008, RADIATOR WAS DISCOVERED TO BE CRACKED AND LEAKING AT LEFT LOWER CORNER AT 6,240 MILES AND WAS REPLACED BY FORD UNDER 3YR/36000 WARRANTY. FORD INSTALLED DEGAS BOTTLE "T" FITTING TO ELIMINATE ANY FURTHER RADIATOR FAILURE. ON 12 MAR 2012, RADIATOR WAS DISCOVERED TO BE CRACKED AND LEAKING FROM LEFT LOWER CORNER AT 47,895 MILES. FORD SAID FAILURE WAS CAUSED DUE TO AN HYPER-EXTENDED THERMOSTAT. FORD REPLACED THERMOSTAT UNDER WARRANTY BUT WOULD NOT COVER RADIATOR UNDER WARRANTY. RADIATOR WAS REPLACED BY NON-FORD MECHANIC. ON 25 APR 2013 RADIATOR WAS DISCOVERED TO BE CRACKED AND LEAKING FROM RIGHT SIDE SEAM AT 58,520 MILES. FORD WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO HELP OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. RADIATOR WAS REPLACED BY NON-FORD MECHANIC OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE 08 F250 6.4 COOLING SYSTEMS THAT FORD FAILS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. I TOW A 35FT 5TH WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR AND MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THE RADIATOR GOING OUT WHILE TOWING. IF THE RADIATOR BLEW AND THE TRUCK WENT INTO "REDUCED POWER" MODE, THERE IS A GREAT POSSIBILITY THAT A LIFE THREATENING INCIDENT COULD OCCUR, ESPECIALLY WHILE TOWING ON A STEP INCLINE. I HOPE FORD FIGURES THIS OUT SOON BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.