2003 Ford E-450

I have issues with brakes calipers that pistons are made of Phenolic material, replaced calipers multiple times and will fail in as little as one trip and when using RV in hot weather or too much braking like in the city even if is cold the brakes are constantly locking up to the point where the wheels won't turn, and burn I have to pull over when this happens and wait and hour or two while the brakes are smoking on the side of the road and my wife with a fire extinguisher afraid that the RV was going to burn then I reach inside with a tool to break them loose. I do not have more options for the repair as the calipers pistons are the problem every time and it became very dangerous to drive around anymore, I don't often complain of things but this is a safety issue that affected many of this vehicle owners with this type of caliper pistons. At this time the brakes are not the problem is the calipers pistons that fail no matter how old they are, as they heat up they warp or deform causing them to stick inside the hub of the caliper, I need assistance to correct this issue since ford has not provided a fix for that, I did not want to reach this point of filling a complain because is not me but if they made a bad part for the vehicle it need to be updated. I will buy the parts if there is a replacement available that wont stick inside calipers when is hot. Please note that the brakes calipers have been replace all of them then failed the same way within the first or second drive if driving down hills or traffic areas, is been confirmed that the issue is unrelated to other brake components. Thank you for your assistance.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E-450. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A KIDDIE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V782000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 1-855-262-3540 APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO, BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE RECALL REMEDY COMPLETED. THE CONTACT FELT THAT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME HAD PASSED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE SERIAL NUMBER AND PURCHASE DATE WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I REPORTED A COMPLAINT ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO AND HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING AND THIS IS A FOLLOW UP. THE COMPLAINT NUMBER IS 10992187. WOULD SOME ONE PLEASE GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON YOUR PROCEDURE AND WHEN I CAN EXPECT TO HEAR FROM YOU. MY NAME IS [XXX] . I LEAVE SATURDAY JUNE 10TH AND WILL BE GONE FOR A WEEK OUT OF COUNTRY. HE WILL RETURN ON JULY 10. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E-450. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND MERGE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE SPINDLE HAD MELTED AND THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED, FLAMES WERE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE SPINDLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED ALONG WITH THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY, TIRE AND BRAKES. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

VELVAC FOLDABLE RV MIRROR FELL COMPLETELY OFF OF ITS MOUNTING. THIS FAILURE OCCURED ON BOTH SIDES OFF THE RV AT NEARLY THE SAME TIME. FORTUNATELY THE RV WAS PARKED AT THE TIME AND NOT ON THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN A RETAINING RING GROOVE WITH THE RETAINING RING CUTTING THROUGH THE GROOVE ON THE MIRROR SPINDLE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS A 2003 LAZY DAZE RV. I DO HAVE SOME OF THE PARTS, BUT THE SPINDLE WAS REPAIRED SO I CAN USE THE RV. *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E450. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT NUMEROUS ISSUES WHEN DRIVING SUCH AS RUNNING ROUGH, STALLING, HESITATION, FAILURE TO RESTART AND FAILURE TO INITIALLY START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE HE WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL TANK WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E450. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 45 MPH USING THE CRUISE CONTROL IN RAINY WEATHER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE ROAD AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, THE PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE RETARDER WAS INOPERABLE. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. INITIALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS BUT DID SO WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE HE EXPERIENCED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED NOR HAD THE MANUFACTURER BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 238,000.

FOLLOW THIS LINK: HTTP://STEVEWIENCEK.SMUGMUG.COM/PHOTOGRAPHY/FORD-FUEL-TANK/10976330_WP42T#774715040_3CEQC FOR A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT I AND OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS FUEL TANK. IT IS UNSAFE, DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. 1) LOSS OF POWER 2) OCCURRED EVERY 100 MILES OR LESS 3) COST WAS OVER $5000 TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FUEL LINES AND FUEL INJECTORS. *TR