2001 FORD E-450

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.

The contact owns a 2001 Ford E-450. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while restarting the vehicle, the front driver’s side air bag deployed independently. The contact did not sustain any injuries nor seek medical attention. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

Mileage: 61,000

MULTIPLE FAILURES OF NEARLY NEW NEXEN ROADIAN LT TIRE USED ON TWO SEPARATE FORD E-450 LIMO/SHUTTLE CHASSIS. FOUR FAILURES WERE EXPERIENCED WITHIN A 6 MONTH PERIOD, AND INCLUDED CORD/TREAD/INNER LINER SEPARATION, BULGING AND RELATED FAILURES. ONE FAILURE RESULTED IN A BLOW-OUT AT SPEED, ONE FAILURE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS AND/OR CATASTROPHIC BULGE/SEPARATION, AND THE REMAINING FAILURES WERE SIMILAR, BUT CAUGHT PRIOR TO BECOMING DANGEROUS. THE REMAINING TWO TIRES WERE REPLACED/DISCARDED W/O OBSERVED FAILURE. ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED. ONE EXPERIENCED, HEAVY TRUCK REPAIR AND MOBILE TRUCK TIRE SERVICE LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDICATED THAT THE TIRES WERE UNSAFE. THE BRAND, NEXEN, MADE IN KOREA, IS NOT LISTED IN THE CPSC LIST OF TIRE MANUFACTURERS? *TR

Mileage: 20,500

FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON MY 2001 FORD E450 ABS LIGHT CAME ON STAYED ON AFTER I STARTED MY MOTORHOME. THE UNIT WAS PARKED FOR 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM. THE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ONE WHILE DRIVING TO THE LOCATION, ONLY AFTER BEING PARKED FOR THE FOUR DAYS. *NM

Mileage: 19,750

I JUST HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT/TREAD SEPARATION ON A 2001 FORD E450 RV. THE VEHICLE HAS 28000 MILES AND THE TREADS SHOW LITTLE WEAR. THE TIRES ARE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S II LT225/75 R 16 LOAD RANGE E. UPON INSPECTION OF THE OTHER TIRES, NOTICES CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALLS OF ALL THE REMAINING TIRES AND A BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL OF ONE TIRE. WHAT ARE MY ACTIONS IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT OF THESE TIRES? THANKS. *NM

Mileage: 28,500

DRIVING ON I70 IN DENVER, BLEW ANOTHER SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THIS TIME IT STRIPPED ALL THE THREADS OUT. *JB

Mileage: 95,356

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO ODI #10143249. DRIVING ON I70 IN DENVER, BLEW ANOTHER SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THIS TIME IT STRIPPED ALL THE THREADS OUT. 2) CAUSED A COST OF TOW AND REPAIRS. *JB 3) SERVICE REPAIR DID A HIELARCH (SP?) ON THE SPARK PLUG SLEEVE. TOTAL INCURRED COST = $631.30. *JB

Mileage: 95,356

1- TRAVELING FROM EAST COAST WEST THROUGH INDIANA 2- SPARK PLUG CAME OUT OF CYLINDER CAUSING A BREAKDOWN AND TOWING 3- SERVICE REQUIRED TO REPLACED PLUG AND HARNESS - COST OF 75 FOR TOW AND 213.85 FOR PARTS/LABOR. *NM

Mileage: 94,292

A CRACK IN THE DRIVERS SIDE SPRING TOWER FRAME ON A 2001 FORD E-450 AMBULANCE.

I HAVE A 2001 JAYCO 33' CLASS C MOTOR HOME ON A FORD E-450 V-10 CHASSIS. I WAS TRAVELING ON HI I 5 SOUTH ABOUT 45 MILES FROM SACRAMENTO, AT 65 MPH WHEN THE RIGHT REAR DUAL TIRES BLEW OUT. THE OUTSIDE TIRE TREAD CAME OFF AND FLEW ONTO THE HAWAII, THE INSIDE DUAL TREAD CAME OFF AND WRAPPED AROUND THE AXEL. THE TIRES ARE FIRESTONE STEELTEX LT/225/75R16. I HAVE BOTH COMPLETE TREADS AND THE INSIDE IS VERY SMOOTH ALL THE WAY AROUND. I HAVE WHAT IS LEFT OF THE REST OF THE TIRES. I CONTACTED FORD AND FIRESTONE ON SEPT. 19TH AND GAVE THE SAME REPORT. THE BLOWOUTS CAUSED SOME DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR HOME STORAGE COMPARTMENT. FORD TOOK MY INFO AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT FORD WOULD DO WITH THE INFO. FIRESTONE SAID THEY WOULD SEND ME COMPLAINT FORMS. I AM TELLING YOU FOLKS ABOUT THIS AS I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND FIRESTONE HAS BEEN NO HELP. I THINK THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. MY WIFE AND I CREDIT THE EXCELLENT DESIGN, AND PERFORMANCE OF THE FORD VE

Mileage: 47,400

FIRESTONE STEELTEX LT22575R16 TREAD SEPERATION. TIRE PRES:75PSI, SPEED 65, TEMP:80F, ROAD SURFACE: SMOOTH HIGHWAY,. THIS IS ALSO THE THIRD TIRE FAILURE ON THIS RV. ( AT WORK OUR FORD SUV HAS HAD THREE TIRE FAILURES JUST LIKE MY RV)

WE BELIEVE THIS MOTOR HOME WAS SOLD TO US WITH DEALERSHIP KNOWING OF AXLE PROBLEM, CAUSING RV UNABLE TO HAVE WHEEL ALIGNMENT CORRECTED. FRONT REAR AXLE HAS SLIPPED CAUSING DRIVING HAZARD. MAY HAVE CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE MAKING IT UNSAFE TO OPERATE. RV HAD NUMEROUS SMALLER PROBLEMS WITH THIS LAST ONE BEING THE WORST. THIS HAS CAUSED US LOTS OF LOSS OF TIME TO TRAVEL AND ENJOY THE RV. WAS ADVISED NOT TO TAKE ANY LONG TRIPS BECAUSE OF PROBLEM. WAS ON A VACATION WHEN PROBLEM WITH SHOWER PAN OCCURED AND SHADE BROKE AND DRAWERS BROKE. AT SAME TIME REFRIGERATOR LEAKED WATER ONTO WOOD FLOOR, WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.IN ADDITION, THIS HAS CREATED AN IMPAIRMENT OF MARKET VALUE BECAUSE OF DEFECTS IN THIS VEHICLE.*AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN I94 IN MPLS, WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. I HAD 3 KIDS IN THE RV AND A BOAT BEHIND. ALMOST LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. WAS ABLE TO STEER RV TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. THE ENTIRE TIRE HAD BEEN COMPLETED DEMOLISHED. IT LOOKS LIKE COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION, SIMILAR TO OTHER FIRESTONE ISSUES. TIRE DAMAGED UNDERNEATH STORAGE COMPARTMENT OF THE RV, COST ME $200 FOR EMERGENCY ROADSIDE REPAIR, APPROX. $2000 IN DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, AND COST OF A NEW SPARE (WHICH I HAVEN'T BOUGHT YET). I WAS TRAVELLING THE SPEED LIMIT, NO ROAD ISSUES, NO OBJECTS - NOTHING. TIRE COMPLETING SEPARATED WITH NO PROVOCATION. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, ALONG WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILY.*AK

I HAD TWO OF THESE TIRES BLEW OUT WITHIN 400 MILES OF EACH OTHER. IF YPU PUT THE TIRES SIDE BY SIDE THE DAMAGE TO TIRES LOOK ALMOST EXACTLEY THE SAME. THER IS 10,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES. THE SIDEWALL ON BOTH TIRES SEPERATE FROM THREAD. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BLOW OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE AND LEFT SIDE DUAL TIRES, BOTH ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. FIRST INCIDENT THE ENTIRE FACE CAME OFF THE RIGHT SIDE LEAVING ONLY THE SIDEWALLS, SECOND INCIDENT HAD PARTIAL SEPARATION OF TREAD.(FIRESTONE TIRES LT225/75R16 DOT#8X1L 1X1 4700 DH5515X D08R, THE SECOND TIRE WAS A DOT 8X1L 1X1 4700 DH515X D16R) *JG

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BLOW OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE AND LEFT SIDE DUAL TIRES, BOTH ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. FIRST INCIDENT THE ENTIRE FACE CAME OFF THE RIGHT SIDE LEAVING ONLY THE SIDEWALLS, SECOND INCIDENT HAD PARTIAL SEPARATION OF TREAD.(FIRESTONE TIRES LT225/75R16 DOT#8X1L 1X1 4700 DH5515X D08R, THE SECOND TIRE WAS A DOT 8X1L 1X1 4700 DH515X D16R) *JG

BODY DESIGN IS TOO LARGE FOR E450 VAN CUTAWAY, BRAKES CAN NOT HANDLE WEIGHT. STOPPING DISTANCE IS IMPAIRED. VEHICLE IS UNSTABLE IN TURNS AND CRASHS. BRAKES LAST 20,000 MILES TO 30,000 MILES, TIRES THE SAME.

BODY DESIGN IS TOO LARGE FOR E450 VAN CUTAWAY, BRAKES CAN NOT HANDLE WEIGHT. STOPPING DISTANCE IS IMPAIRED. VEHICLE IS UNSTABLE IN TURNS AND CRASHS. BRAKES LAST 20,000 MILES TO 30,000 MILES, TIRES THE SAME.

BODY DESIGN IS TOO LARGE FOR E450 VAN CUTAWAY, BRAKES CAN NOT HANDLE WEIGHT. STOPPING DISTANCE IS IMPAIRED. VEHICLE IS UNSTABLE IN TURNS AND CRASHS. BRAKES LAST 20,000 MILES TO 30,000 MILES, TIRES THE SAME.

BODY DESIGN IS TOO LARGE FOR E450 VAN CUTAWAY, BRAKES CAN NOT HANDLE WEIGHT. STOPPING DISTANCE IS IMPAIRED. VEHICLE IS UNSTABLE IN TURNS AND CRASHS. BRAKES LAST 20,000 MILES TO 30,000 MILES, TIRES THE SAME.

DURING T WO TRIPS ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS WE ENCOUNTERED WINDS FROM 10 TO 30 MPH. ON THESE OCCASIONS I FOUND IT NECESSARY TO SLOW DOWN TO 40 TO 50 MPH SPEED IN ORDER TO CONTROL MOTOR HOME. I HAD TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED AT 45 TO 90 DEGREES TO KEEP THE UNIT GOING STRAIGHT. ADDITIONALLY EACH TIME A 18 WHEEL TRUCK PASSED I HAD TO HOLD THE WHEEL TIGHTLY, AS THE UNIT WAS PUSHED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SWAYED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FILLED WITH 55 GALLONS (330 LBS) THE STEERING CHANGES COMPLETELY. THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK FEELS LIGHT. THE TRUCK WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. SOME ONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED WHEN THEY OVER STEER ATTEMPTING TO KEEP THE UNIT GOING STRAIGHT EVEN IN MILD WINDS. WARRANTY STATEMENT BY WINNEBAGO: ITEMS NOT SUBJECT TO WARRANTY COVERAGE: CHASSIS. THESE ITEMS ARE COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS INDIVIDUAL WARRANTY. WARRANTY STATEMENT BY FORD: WARRANTY IS VOID IF: ALTERING OR MODIFYING THE VEHICLE-INCLUDING THE BODY CHASSIS