2002 FORD ECONOLINE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

LEFT HOUSE FOR VACATION, GOT 75 MILES AWAY AT 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, AND ENGINE STARTED MAKING A POPPING SOUND. PULLED OFF ROAD AND CALLED A NEARBY MOBILE REPAIR COMPANY. THEY SENT OUT A MECHANIC, HE DIAGNOSED A BLOWN OUT SPARK PLUG, AND SAID THIS WAS COMMON FOR THE FORD V-10. MADE IT TO HIS SHOP, AND THAT'S WHERE IT SITS. ESTIMATES ARE OVER $4000 TO REPAIR.

DRIVING VAN ON HIGHWAY WHEN VAN BEGAN SMOKING. THEN FIRE. EVERYTHING WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ECONOLINE E-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR END OF THE FUEL TANK HAD DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS HAD BECOME COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN CAUTIOUSLY AND WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS AND INSTALLED A TEMPORARY STRAP FOR THE FUEL TANK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 76,000.

TOOK THE VAN TO THE STORE. UPON RETURNING FROM STORE STARTED THE VAN, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AS IF A BOMB WENT OFF. EVERYONE LOOKED BECAUSE IT WAS SO LOUD. TURNED THE VAN OFF AND RESTARTED IT. IT SOUNDED LIKE A DRAG CAR AT THE TRACK, NO EXHAUST SYSTEM AT ALL. TOOK COW OFF AND LOOKED INSIDE, FOUND THE SPARK PLUG WITH THE BOOT LAYING ON TOP OF THE VALVE COVER OR INTAKE, NOT SURE THERE IS NO ROOM AND JUST ENOUGH TO GET TWO FINGERS IN TO RETRIEVE IT. I HAD NOTICED A LITTLE TICKING EARLIER IN THE DAY LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK, BUT DID NOT FIND ONE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT IS NOW. NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. *TR

FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS ON 101 SOUTH ON THE WALDO GRADE APPROACHING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. VEHICLE LOST POWER HALF WAY UP THE GRADE AND SLOWED TO 10 MPH. LIMPED VEHICLE TO OFF RAMP. I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC, I ALSO HOLD MY CALIFORNIA SMOG LICENSE. I'VE WORKED AS A MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS. UPON GETTING THE VEHICLE HOME I DIAGNOSED THE CONCERN I FOUND THE FUEL TANK FULL OF METAL THAT HAD FLAKED FROMT HE WALLS OF THE FUEL TANK. I FOUND THE FUEL PICKUP IN THE TANK PLUGGED WITH FILINGS, THE FUEL PUMP RUINED, AND THE FUEL FILTER FULL OF METAL AND RUST. I SENT THE TANK TO WHO COATED THE FUEL TANK FOR ME. STATED THAT HE CONTINUOUSLY SEES THESE FORD TANK COMING FROM ALL THE DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH FORD FUEL TANKS. MY TOTAL COST FOR THIS REPAIR IN PARTS AND REPAIRS TO THE FUEL TANK HAS COME TO $1,200.00 WHOLESALE COST, NOT INCLUDING MY LABOR OR ANY PARTS RETAIL MARKUP. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE NEW AND ALWAYS RUN GOOD QUALITY FUEL IN MY VEHICLE AND TOPPED UP THE TANK WEEKLY OR MORE OFTEN TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE IN MY FUEL SYSTEM. I HAVE NOT FILLED UP THE FUEL TANK AND RUN THE ENGINE YET, AND HOPE THAT THERE IS NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY FUEL INJECTORS OR FUEL SYSTEM. IF THERE IS I COULD BE OUT ANOTHER $4,000 TO 5,000 JUST IN PARTS. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHY IF THERE SEEMS TO BE SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM OUR GOVERNMENT HAS NOT RECALLED THESE VEHICLES? IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT FORD IS PRODUCING VEHICLES WITH SUBSTANDARD FUEL SYSTEMS AND THAT THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT FORD IS NOT OWNING. THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BE HELD LIABLE OFR FORD'S DESIGN FLAWS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT