NHTSA Complaint #715822 — 1993 FORD F-250

THE INCIDENT WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER,AGAIN RESULTED IN LOSS OF STEERING, AND BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS DUE TO THE VACUUM PUMP BEING RUN BY THE ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP, AND STEERING WAS EXTREMELY HARD. IF MY WIFE WERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THERE WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED ON THIS ENGINE. FORD HAS NOT COME UP WITH A SUITABLE ENGINEERING DESIGN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE. I EXPECT THAT THIS WILL AGAIN FAIL SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, I HOPE NOT WITH DISASTEROUS RESULTS. THE DAMPENER, SHOCK ABSORBER FAILED CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR, AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER. THE RECALL WHICH WAS DONE ON THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS YOU WERE LED TO BELIEVE. THE DEFROSTER ALSO FAILS TO GO INTO THE DEFROST MODE ONCE THE VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY COLD, AND THE BLOWER MOTOR IS MAKING A GRINDING, SQUEELING NOISE. I EXPECT THAT THESE WILL STOP COMPLETLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.