1996 FORD FORD TRUCK

CORROSION IN FORD LCF COMMERCIAL TRUCK FUEL TANKS, TRUCK RUNNING AT 5 MILES PER HOUR AND CONTINUOUS STALLING OF VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 151,000

RECEIVED A NOTICE, SEPTEMBER 2005, FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THAT A DEFECTIVE SWITCH IN THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM EXIST ON CERTAIN MODEL VEHICLES, INCLUDING MINE. THE SWITCH CAN CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING OR OFF. SWITCHES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER 2005. AS OF THIS DATE NO AVAILABLE SWITCHES AT ANY DEALER I'VE CALLED. THEY KEEP SAYING NEXT MONTH. CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. AND THEY ARE SAYING THE NEW SWITCHES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JUNE 2008. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

RECEIVED A NOTICE, SEPTEMBER 2005, FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THAT A DEFECTIVE SWITCH IN THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM EXIST ON CERTAIN MODEL VEHICLES, INCLUDING MINE. THE SWITCH CAN CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING OR OFF. SWITCHES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER 2005. AS OF THIS DATE NO AVAILABLE SWITCHES AT ANY DEALER I'VE CALLED. THEY KEEP SAYING NEXT MONTH. CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. AND THEY ARE SAYING THE NEW SWITCHES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JUNE 2008. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

TRUCK DAMANGE DUE TO TIRE BLOW-OUT

Mileage: 70

THE HEAD GASKET OF MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR VAN FAILED AT 79,900 MILES. THIS FAILURE IN 1995 FORD WINDSTAR VANS RESULTED IN A RECALL WHERE FORD MOTORS REPLACED THE ENGINES OF THOSE VEHICLES. I AM TOLD BY MY FORD PLATINUM MECHANIC THAT THE 1995 AND 1996 WINDSTAR ENGINES ARE THE SAME AND THAT THE GASKETS WERE SUPPLIED BY THE SAME SUPPLIER. MY VAN WAS MANUFACTURED IN OCTOBER, 1995. THIS FAILURE OCCURS IN OTHER FORD MOTORS 3.8 ENGINES, SPECIFICALLY THE CROWN VICTORIA, AND LINCOLN TOWNCAR. *AK

Mileage: 79,900

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO A SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL, CAUSING DRIVER TO PULL OVER, OFF THE ROAD.*AK

TRUCK WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 20,907 MILES. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 10,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN AT 21, 828 ABOUT 11,000 MILES LATER.

TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, DEALERS REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON RECALL(FIRESTONE FR 480 P235R75/15).*ET

TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, DEALERS REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON RECALL(FIRESTONE FR 480 P235R75/15).*ET

THIS IS THE LETTER I E-MAILED TO FIRESTONE_CONSUMERS_AFFAIRS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2000. I HAVE HAD THREE OF MY SIX FIRESTONE TIRES FAIL WITH TREAD SEPARATION. THESE TIRES ARE NOT LISTED ON THE RECALL LIST. I DRIVE A 1996 27' GULFSTREAM CONQUEST 102 MOTOR HOME. I AM A BACHELOR: CONSEQUENTLY, I TRAVEL ALONE AND CARRY A RELATIVELY SMALL LOAD. ALL THREE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON ASPHALT ROADS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 92 TO 95 DEGREES AND THE ROADS WERE SMOOTH, WITHOUT POTHOLES. MY INSTRUCTIONS ON THE DOORFRAME INDICATE MY REAR DUALS SHOULD BE INFLATED TO 80 PSI, THE FRONT TO 60 PSI. I PUT 80 PSI IN THE FRONT ALSO. THE FIRST FIRESTONE LT225/R75-16 M&S STEELTEX RADIAL R4S SEPARATED IN MOVILE, ALABAMA WITH ABOUT 8,000 MILES ON THE MOTOR HOME. THESE ARE ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES. I CAN'T FIND MY RECEIPT FOR THIS ONE AND THE ONLY INDICATION IS THAT I NOW HAVE A HERCULES TIRE WHERE I DID HAVE A FIRESTONE. THE SECOND FIRESTONE LT225/R75-16 M&S STEELTEX RADIAL R4S SEP

RIGHT REAR TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE DAMAGING RIGHT LOWER QUARTER PANEL AND TAIL PIPE. NLM (FIRESTONE 2857516)

DEVELOPED LEAKS IN GAS TANK UNDER FRONT RESTRAINING STRAP .WAS REPAIRED AND ANOTHER LEAK DEVELOPED UNDER FRONT STRAP IN SAME AREA.COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY HAZERDOUS SITUATION.SEEMS THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TANK,SIMILAR TO THE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR RECALL

WHEN DRIVNG THOUGH A PUDDLE @ SLOW SPEEDS, BATTERY LIGHT BLINKED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. BROUGHT CAR INTO SHOP, WAS TOLD LOOSE BATTERY CONNECTION. I READ ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

WHEN DRIVNG THOUGH A PUDDLE @ SLOW SPEEDS, BATTERY LIGHT BLINKED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. BROUGHT CAR INTO SHOP, WAS TOLD LOOSE BATTERY CONNECTION. I READ ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH E4 OD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHILE STILL UNDER ORIGINAL WARRENTEE I COMPLAINED OF JERKY AND ROUGH SHIFTING AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER, THAT THIS WAS NORMAL, TO PROTECT MYSELF AT 32,000 MILES I HAD THE TRANSISSIOM SERVICED AND CHECKED AGAIN FOR DEFECTS, AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS A-OKAY. THE ROUGH AND JERKY SHIFTING STILL OCCURRED. AT 67,000 MILES THE E4 OD TRANSMISSION FAILED. A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION AUTHORITY WAS CONTACTED, THE PROBLEM AND THIS IS KNOWN BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, IS THE TRANSMISSION IN THE E4 OD WHICH WAS STANDARD AT THE TIME FOR THIS MODEL, WAS NOT STURDY ENOUGH TO GET THE PREPORTED 100,000 MILES THAT THE DEALERS BRAG ABOUT. THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS TOO LIGHT WEIGHT FOR THE 7.3 LTR ENGINE AND WAS COMPLETELY DIS INTERGRATED, BY THE POWER OF THE ENGINE. THIS HAD BEEN ON GOING EVEN TO THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THIS E4 OD TRANSMISSION HAS HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS AND SEVICE BULLETINS SINCE I

THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH E4 OD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHILE STILL UNDER ORIGINAL WARRENTEE I COMPLAINED OF JERKY AND ROUGH SHIFTING AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER, THAT THIS WAS NORMAL, TO PROTECT MYSELF AT 32,000 MILES I HAD THE TRANSISSIOM SERVICED AND CHECKED AGAIN FOR DEFECTS, AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS A-OKAY. THE ROUGH AND JERKY SHIFTING STILL OCCURRED. AT 67,000 MILES THE E4 OD TRANSMISSION FAILED. A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION AUTHORITY WAS CONTACTED, THE PROBLEM AND THIS IS KNOWN BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, IS THE TRANSMISSION IN THE E4 OD WHICH WAS STANDARD AT THE TIME FOR THIS MODEL, WAS NOT STURDY ENOUGH TO GET THE PREPORTED 100,000 MILES THAT THE DEALERS BRAG ABOUT. THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS TOO LIGHT WEIGHT FOR THE 7.3 LTR ENGINE AND WAS COMPLETELY DIS INTERGRATED, BY THE POWER OF THE ENGINE. THIS HAD BEEN ON GOING EVEN TO THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THIS E4 OD TRANSMISSION HAS HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS AND SEVICE BULLETINS SINCE I

RIVETS AND BOLTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT IN THE CHASSIS, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP WELDED FRAME INSTEAD.

OIL PAN RUSTED OUT CAUSING LEAKAGE.

SHOULDER BELTS MOUNTED TO WALL, CAUSING BELTS TO CROSS OVER THE AISLE OF VAN, BLOCKING AISLE.

WHEN PULLING TRAILERS THE ABS, ON THESE VEHICLES, IS ACTIVE AND IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 40% MORE BRAKING ROOM TO STOP. THIS HAS BEEN OBSERVED ON THE FORD AND DODGE ONE TON PICK-UP TRUCKS.