2003 Ford E-450: complaints, problems and recalls

I HAVE A JAYCO MOTORHOME ON A FORD E450 CHASSIS, ORIGINAL. TIRES MICHELIN 225/75 WITH LOAD FACTOR E. MAX LOAD OF THE TIRES IS 9880LBS, MY ACTUAL REAR AXLE WEIGHT 9270 (STATIC AND MOTORHOME EMPTY WITH NO WATER, FUEL TANK 1/3 FULL) ACCORDING TO MICHELIN THAT IS ASKING FOR TIRE FAILURE ( HAD 2 ALREADY) BECAUSE THE DYNAMIC LOADS (GOING DOWN THE STREET, BUMPS - UPHILL - DOWNHILL- SIDELOADS) WILL BE OVER THE TIRE LIMIT. THAT'S THE REASON THE LAW REQUIRES PASS, CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS TO HAVE A 16% RESERVE CAPACITY; MINE IS DOWN TO ABOUT 2%. WITH FULL …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041695 at NHTSA ↗

DT: CONSUMER OWNED A C CLASS MOTOR HOME 30 FEET LONG, E450 FORD V10 2003, MAKE OF MOTOR WAS FOREST RIVER SUN SEEKER. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED WITH EXTREME HEAT BUILD UP IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT NEXT TO THE DOG HOUSE, AND ALSO IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT. THE HEAT FROM THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT WAS COMING THROUGH THE FIRE WALL WHICH SEEMED TO BE WELL INSULATED. HOWEVER, THE HEAT WAS STILL COMING THROUGH , AND CAUSING GREAT DISCOMFORT TO OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD BEEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 HOURS IN OCTOBER OF 2004, WHEN HE…

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129718 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR OF HIS MICHELIN LT 225 75R/16 TIRES HAD LARGE CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALLS. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CRACKS WERE DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 41,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10192040 at NHTSA ↗

FORD E-450 SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH REPLACEMENT. FORD IS OUT OF PARTS AND WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR ACCORDING TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT LOCAL DEALER. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10203249 at NHTSA ↗

FORD SAFETY RECALL 05S28 - I WENT TO DEALER AND THEY DEACTIVATED CRUISE CONTROL BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS TO REPAIR - TOLD THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE NOV - CALLED TODAY TOLD NATIONAL BACKORDER MOST LIKELY NOT TILL MARCH 08 - WHY THE LONG DELAY? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 34,784 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207920 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E450. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL. SHE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FORD INFORMED HER TO PULL OUT THE FUSE SINCE SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET TO THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE SWITCH COULD BE DEACTIVATED. A MECHANIC STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT SHE NOT PULL THE FUSE OUT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD STILL CATCH FIRE. IN DECEMBER OF 2007, FORD ST…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10213387 at NHTSA ↗

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (05S28) ON SEPT. 2007 ON THE CRUISE CONTROL ON OUR 2003 FORD MOTOR HOME. AS OF APRIL 2, 2008 THE DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PART TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY WILL BE GETTING THE PARTS. I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS A REASONABLE RESPONSE TIME. THIS IS THE SECOND RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE MOTOR HOME TO THEM TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL AND REALLY NEED TO HAVE THIS FIXED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10223111 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E-450 DIESEL BOX. WHEN DRIVING UPHILL THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND THEN STALL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, BUT THE FAILURE RESURFACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED DE-LAMINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AWAITING REPAIRS . THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 43,400.

Owner-reported narrative. 43,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293071 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-09-13 (September 13, 2004)

ON CERTAIN VANS, A DIODE IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) MODULE MAY EXPERIENCE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Consequence: THE ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY CAUSE AN ABS MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD ILLUMINATE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT, OR THE MODULE MAY OVERHEAT RESULTING IN A BURNING ODOR, SMOKE, AND/OR FIRE. THIS CONDITION MAY OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN OR UNATTENDED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW FUSE IN THE ABS CIRCUIT AND INSTALL A HEAT SHIELD OVER THE ABS MODULE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. ALSO FORD IS EXTENDING THE LIMITED WARRANTY (FOR A ONE TIME REPLACEMENT) OF THE ABS MODULE FOR A TOTAL OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES FROM THE WARRANTY START DATE, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. IF YOUR VEHICLE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 150,000 MILES, THIS COVERAGE WILL LAST UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2005.

Reported: 2004-09-13 (September 13, 2004)

ON CERTAIN VANS, THE AIR FILTER ELEMENT MATERIAL PROCESS RESULTED IN AN AIR FILTER PAPER ELEMENT THAT CAN SMOLDER OR BURN. THIS CHANGE IN FILTER PAPER COMPOSITION COMBINED WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM, MAY ALLOW HOT CARBON PARTICLES TO CONTACT THE AIR FILTER ELEMENT DURING CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT CREATE HOT PARTICLES.

Consequence: THESE HOT PARTICLES MAY IGNITE THE AIR FILTER ELEMENT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM DAMAGE OR UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE AIR FILTER ELEMENT. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 27, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. ALSO FORD IS EXTENDING THE LIMITED WARRANTY (FOR A ONE TIME REPLACEMENT) OF THE ABS MODULE FOR A TOTAL OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES FROM THE WARRANTY START DATE, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. IF YOUR VEHICLE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 150,000 MILES, THIS COVERAGE WILL LAST UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2005.

Reported: 2007-08-03 (August 3, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.

Reported: 2009-10-13 (October 13, 2009)

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 INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.

Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.