2000 FORD E SERIES SUPER DUTY — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. ON INSPECTING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, I DISCOVERED THAT ALL 8 BOLTS HOLDING THE DUAL WHEELS TO THE AXLE HAD SHEARED OFF. (FORTUNATELY THE WHEELS REMAINED ON THE AXLE.) IN RETROSPECT, I HAD NOTICED A SLIGHT "CLUNK" WHEN MOVING FORWARD FROM A STOP. (THERE WERE ICING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE SOUND OF SUSPENSION COMPONENTS BREAKING FREE OF ICE.) WHILE RIDING WITH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD EVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT BEFORE, AND HE HAD, ESPECIALLY WITH DUAL-WHEEL-EQUIPPED FORDS. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT IN 2 YEARS WHERE I HAD BEEN DRIVING A VEHICLE OF THIS TYPE AND LOST A WHEEL. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, 4 OF THE 8 STUDS SHEARED OFF AND THE LUG NUTS HAD COME OFF THE OTHER 4; THE OUTER OF THE 2 WHEELS CAME OFF. (I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO A STOP WHILE THE INNER WHEEL WAS STILL ON THE VEHICLE.) IN BOTH OF THESE CASES, THE VEHICLE WAS A FORD VAN COMPLETED BY A 3D-PARTY MANUFACTURER, AND IN BOTH CASES IT WAS THE RIGHT-HAND WHEEL THAT FAILED. I HAVE LEARNED FROM SEVERAL SOURCES THAT SOME VEHICLES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED WITH LEFT-HANDED THREADS ON THE LEFT-SIDE WHEELS, TO AVOID A LOOSENING PROBLEM. (NEITHER FORD HAD LEFT-HAND THREADS ON ANY WHEELS.) I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW OFTEN SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED, AND IF ANY RECENT RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE ON THE ADVISABILITY OF LEFT-HANDED THREADS TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM. *JB

2000 MOTOR HOME,23650MI,AIR PRESS. CORRECT,OA TEMP 73F.12PM RIGHT REAR INSIDE FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRE SHREDDED, ONE HOUR LATER,LEFT REAR INSIDE STEELTEX TIRE SHREDDED. ALL TIRES INSPECTED AT THAT TIME SHOWED RIGHT FRONT STEELTEX WAS READY TO LOOSE IT'S TREAD. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. CONSUMER PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND INSPECTED IT . RIGHT OUTSIDE DUAL TIRE TOP LAYER SEPARATED, DAMAGING REAR OF VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, STEELTEX R4S, LT225/75R16. *AK THE CAUSE OF DAMAGE WAS WEARING DOWN OF THE THREAD OR SHOULDER AREA EXPOSING THE STEEL BELTS TO MOISTURE AND CONTAMINATION. THE CONTAMINATION CAUSED THE BREAK DOWN IN THE RUBBER TO STEEL ADHESION AND ALLOWED CENTRIFUGAL FORCE TO TEAR THE THREAD PACKAGE AWAY FROM THE BODY PLY OF THE TIRE. *LA

TIRE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. RIGHT REAR OUTER DUAL TIRES WERE CHECKED TO HAVE 80 PSIG COLD 3 HOURS EARLIER.*AK

TIRE TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED ON 2000 DUTCHMEN RV. *MR ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL TIRES BLEW OUT. ONE AT 16,000 MILES AND THE SECOND (SPARE TIRE) AT 19,000 MILES WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE TWO OTHER TIRES WERE ABOUT TO BLOW. (DUTCHMEN CLASS C MOTORHOME ON A FORD CHASSIS) *TT *JB