2003 FORD E550 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

IN REFERENCE TO OUR 2003 FORD F-550 DIESEL DUMP TRUCK. THE FIRST DOCUMENTED OCCURRENCE THE PROBLEM OF LOSS OF POWER WHILE ON THE ROAD AND RUNNING WAS BACK IN 2005. THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY PROPERLY DIAGNOSED ON 9/13/07 BY MCCAFFERTY FORD. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE LINING OF THE FUEL TANK WAS FLAKING AWAY AND CLOGGING THE FUEL LINES, FUEL PUMP AND FILTER. FORD'S REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING WAS THAT 5% OR MORE OF BIODIESEL WAS USED IN THE TANK. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH WE HAVE FOUND THAT JUST ABOUT ALL OF OUR FUEL PURCHASED FOR THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED BY EITHER EXXON OR SUNOCO. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN STATEMENTS FROM BOTH EXXON AND SUNOCO THAT DETERMINE UNDENIABLY THAT THERE IS NO CHANCE ANY BIODIESEL WAS PURCHASED FROM THEM. BEYOND THOSE STATEMENTS, SUNOCO HAS OFFERED TO NOT ONLY TEST THE FUEL WE SAVED FROM THE TANK, BUT WILL ALSO RUN TESTS ON EVERY STATION WE PURCHASED FROM AND GO TO THEIR BOARD AND ATTORNEYS ON OUR BEHALF WITH THIS ISSUE. MCCAFFERTY FORD HAS ALSO SHOWN THEIR SUPPORT OF US, JUST IN ORDER TO KEEP US HAPPY AS THEIR CUSTOMER, HAS CREDITED US BACK HALF OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THESE TANKS ARE OBVIOUSLY FAULTY FOR SOME REASON OTHER THAN THE USE OF BIODIESEL IN THEM. CUSTOMER CARE SPECIALIST IN THE ESCALATED DEPARTMENT TOLD US THAT MCCAFFERTY FORD STATED THAT THERE WAS PROOF OF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS 5% OR MORE OF BIO DIESEL USED AND THAT WAS THE SOLE BASIS OF FORD?S DENIAL. NO ONE AT MCCAFFERTY MADE THAT STATEMENT TO ANYONE. NOR IS THERE ANY PROOF OF SUCH. AND, MCCAFFERTY STATED THAT THEY HAVE ADDRESSED THIS SAME ISSUE WITH FORD 6 OR 7 TIMES PRIOR TO OUR ISSUE AND THAT FORD HAS BEEN ?VERY UNCOOPERATIVE?. WE CAN SUBSTANTIATE THE FACT THAT NO BIODIESEL WAS EVER PUT IN THIS TRUCK AND SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO ACCOUNT FOR, SUPPORT THE MAKE-UP OF, AND OBTAIN DOCUMENTATION ON EVERY DROP OF FUEL EVER PUT IN THIS TRUCK. *JB

IN THE THIRD WEEK OF JUNE 2007 MY WIFE MOVED MY TRUCK FROM THE PARKING SPOT IN THE DRIVEWAY, BRAKED TWICE WITH NO PROBLEM. ON THIRD BRAKE DEPRESSION, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD. TRUCK IMPACTED OUR 2004 FORD EXPLORER IN THE DRIVEWAY, DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES APPROXIMATELY $3000 TOTAL. AFTERWARDS THE BRAKES MAINTAINED PRESSURE. (THE F250 HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS WITHOUT MOVEMENT). ON AUGUST 17,2007 I PICKED UP THE F250 AFTER BEING PARKED AT THE AIRPORT FOR FIVE DAYS (HIGH TEMPERATURES - 100 DEGREES). AFTER STARTING, BRAKES APPLIED GOOD FOR TWO LIGHT APPLICATIONS, THIRD APPLICATION RESULTED IN PEDAL GOING COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. RAPID ACTIVATION OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE STOPPED VEHICLE PRIOR TO ANY COLLISION. ONCE IS A FLUKE, SECOND IS A DEFECT. TOOK F250 TO FORD DEALER, COULD NOT DUPLICATE FAILURE. WAS GOING TO HAVE ME DRIVE AWAY AS IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. AFTER CALL BACK TO FORD TECH, THEY THOUGHT POSSIBLE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER PROBLEM. F250 LEFT AT DEALERSHIP FOR MASTER CYLINDER REPLACEMENT AFTER BEING TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO SIGN LIABILITY IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE. MASTER CYLINDER WILL BE RETAINED AND AVAILABLE FOR NHTSA INSPECTION IF REQUESTED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TRUCK ENGINES WOULD SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTART. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIME ON A NARROW MOUNTAIN ROAD CAUSING ME TO LOSE STEERING FOR A SECOND OR TWO, VERY SCARY. PROBLEM FIXED AFTER I REPLACED THE CPS ON MY OWN. *TR

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, FORD F-250 POWER STROKE DIESEL, WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS CORRECTLY. *TR

DRIVING EAST BOUND ON I-30 1/2 MILE WEST OF EXIT 121, THE TREAD CAME OFF OF THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT. *TR