1992 FORD ECONOLINE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FIRE IGNITED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AS THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 008V051000(VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1992 FORD ECONOLINE VAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE AND ASSUMED ONE OF THE TIRES WAS FLAT. AS HE WAS MOVING THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE POLICE ARRIVED BUT THEY DID NOT FILE A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

PROBLEM: DOOR LATCHES ON THREE OF SIX DOORS ON 1992 FORD ECONLINE CONVERSION VAN FAILED SUDDENLY WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF EACH OTHER PREVENTING DOORS FROM BEING OPENED. SAFETY HAZARD: DOORS NOT OPENING COULD PREVENT EGRESS FROM VEHICLE IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. FAILURE CAUSE: DETERIORATION OF PLASTIC RETAINERS AT BOTH END OF DOOR MECHANISM CABLES. FOUR RETAINERS ARE MOLDED TO EACH END OF TWO CABLES INSIDE THE DOOR. FAILURE OF THE RETAINERS PREVENTS DOORS CABLES FROM FUNCTIONING PROPERLY TO OPEN DOORS. IN ALL THREE CASES EACH OF THE FOUR RETAINS IN ALL THREE DOORS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. REPAIRS: FOLLOWING THE FIRST FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT REPLACEMENT RETAINERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THIS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE HANDLE A CABLE ASSEMBLY AT AN INSTALLED COST OF @$300. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC INDIVIDUAL CABLES WERE NOT AVAILABLE EXCEPT AS PART OF THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SECOND REAR DOOR FAILED. BEFORE REPAIRS COULD BE UNDERTAKEN, THE LEFT CARGO DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILED.. THE CONSUMER UNDERTOOK REPAIRS BY USING EPOXY PUTTY TO MOLD REPLACEMENTS OF THE FAILED PLASTIC RETAINER. IT APPEARS THAT THIS MAY WORK THOUGH THESE REPAIRS HAVE NOT YET BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE PLASTIC RETAINERS ON THE REMAINING THREE DOORS WILL FAIL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME REQUIRING SIMILAR REPAIRS UNLESS THE PLASTIC RETAINERS WERE PART OF A BAD BATCH WHILE THE REMAINING CABLES WERE PART OF A GOOD BATCH. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS IF ALL SIX DOORS FAIL WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1800 OR ALMOST HALF OF THE TOTAL CURRENT VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. RECOMMENDATION: FORD SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES FOR WHICH THESE PARTS ARE USED TO INSPECT AND REPLACE, AS NECESSARY, THE CABLES CONTAINING THE PLASTIC RETAINERS. AT THE VERY LEAST, FORD SHOULD MAKE AVAILABLE REPLACEMENT RETAINERS THEREBY AVOIDING THE NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HANDLE ASSEMBLY WHICH IS EXPENSIVE AND WASTEFUL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT HAD HIS CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATED IN FALL OF 2007 ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V051000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL), WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. HE THEN HAD THE NEW AND IMPROVED CRUISE CONTROL PART INSTALLED IN THE SUMMER OF 2008. AFTER THE INSTALLATION, HE NOTICED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NO LONGER OPERATIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD STAND BY THEIR REPAIR AND HONOR A REPLACEMENT FOR THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER EXPENSES OTHER THAN THE JUMPER HARNESS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,850 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,966.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD ECONOLINE. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE WATER PUMP BEGAN LEAKING FLUID. THE LABOR COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $100. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR AND MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE OBSERVED AN INCOMPLETE STICKER INSIDE THE DOOR BY THE MANUFACTURER IN 1992. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE STICKER INDICATED THAT THERE WERE SOME PARTS ON THE VEHICLE THAT WERE NOT COMPLETELY INSTALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END ALSO NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 1 YEAR AGO. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 187,000. UPDATED 06/16/08 *BF