2003 Ford F-350 SD: complaints, problems and recalls

FORD F350 CREW CAB WITH 6.0-LITER DIESEL ENGINE. THE TURBO RANDOMLY SHUTS DOWN AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE OVER 45 - 50 MPH. THE ONLY TEMPORARY FIX IS TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. MY SPOUSE WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED BY A HAY TRUCK WHILE TRYING TO GET ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE COMPUTER PROGRAM UPDATES - NONE OF WHICH HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM. FORD HAS NOW TOLD THE FLEET SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. FORD DOES NOT HAVE AN "UPDATE" TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010723 at NHTSA ↗

I HAD A BRAND NEW 6.0 POWERSTROKE SUPERCHARGER BLOW UP ON ME AND IT ONLY HAD 244 MILES ON IT. SO THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A NEW TRUCK. THEN THE NEW TRUCK HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT 8,000 MILES AND IT WAS THE SUPERCHARGER TO BUT IT ALSO BURNT AN INJECTOR OUT AND TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND FORD WAS NOT GOING TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT HAD AN AFTER MARKET PART ON IT, EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE FIRST TRUCK ,BUT FIRST TRUCK DID NOT HAVE THE AFTERMARKET PART ON IT . SO I SHOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR IT. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013704 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE LOST POWER (AND NEVER RETURNED) WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER 20 MILES OF DRIVING UNDER THE LOST POWER CONDITION. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE EGR VALVE. THIS HAPPENED AT ONLY 3500 MILES. I WISH FORD WOULD TEST THEIR VEHICLES INSTEAD OF HAVING THE CONSUMER TEST THEM FOR THEM ON THE HIGHWAYS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014310 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES INTERMITTENTLY LOOSE THE BRAKE. NO POWER STEERING. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016120 at NHTSA ↗

2003 FORD F-350 6.0 LITER ENGINE DIESEL RUNAWAY AFTER OWNING 13 DAYS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE AND AT DEALERS FOR OVER THREE WEEKS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016427 at NHTSA ↗

SHIFT ON THE FLY 4WD SYSTEM DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY ON THE TRUCK. WHEN SELECTING 4WD AND TRAVELING UNDER THE OWNERS MANUAL REQUIRED SPEED THE VEHICLE TAKES OVER 2.5 MILES TO ENGAGE OR NOT AT ALL. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES WITH NO PROBLEMS FOUND. I VIDEO TAPED THE INCIDENT AT THE END OF FEBRUARY AND NO I CANNOT GET THE DEALER TO CALL ME BACK AT ALL. IF THE SWITCH IS LEFT ON AND THE UNIT DOES NOT ENGAGE I AM AFRAID I WILL EXCEED THE MAX RECOMMENDED SPEED THEN THE UNIT WILL ATTEMPT ENGAGEMENT AND DAMAGE THE 4WD. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 5,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017122 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020294 at NHTSA ↗

STEERING BOX, OIL LEAK, BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAK. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 8 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023530 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-03-06 (March 6, 2007)

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

Consequence: OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE, BURN, OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS INTO THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. (NOTE: ALSO SEE RECALLS 05V017, 05V388, AND 06V286)

Reported: 2007-12-05 (December 5, 2007)

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE STALL, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SENSOR AND REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

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.

Reported: 2011-07-13 (July 13, 2011)

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RANGER TRUCKS BUILT FROM JANUARY 25, 2011, THROUGH APRIL 25, 2011 AT THE TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT, AND SERVICE PARTS DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERS FOR CERTAIN 2004 THROUGH 2011 MODEL YEAR RANGER TRUCKS, 2002 THROUGH 2005 MODEL YEAR EXCURSION VEHICLES, AND 2002 THROUGH 2007 MODEL YEAR F-250, F-350, F-450, AND F-550 TRUCKS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS SHIPPED WITH A SUBCOMPONENT (SLIDER) THAT MAY EXPERIENCE DEFORMATION. A MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WITH A DEFORMED SLIDER MAY MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL, TAIL LIGHTS, HAZARD WARNING SIGNAL FLASHERS AND/OR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO ACTIVATE.

Consequence: NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCHES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.