2003 Ford E550

2003 FORD SUPER DUTY F350 6.0 LITER DIESEL: THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO PULL MY 5TH WHEEL WITH THIS TRUCK, IT WOULD BUCK FURIOUSLY AND I COULD ONLY STOP THE BUCKING BY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR OF IMMEDIATELY LET UP OFF THE PEDAL. DURING THIS TRIP WITH THE 5HT WHEEL IN TOW, AT 815 MILES THE ENGINE QUIT AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE TIMES. I WAS CLIMBING A 5% GRADE AND TRAVELING IN THE TRUCK SLOW LANE ON INTERSTATE 68. I MANAGED TO GET THE RIG TO THE SHOULDER BUT STILL IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT TOOK 3 HOURS TO GET THE RIG MOVED TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL MODULE (FICM)HAD FAILED. FORD HAS DESIGNED THIS FICM NO LESS THAN 4 TIMES. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I HAD A FUEL INJECTOR MISFIRING SINCE DAY ONE OF THIS TRUCK BEING IN SERVICE. THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 5 DAYS WHILE REPAIRS WERE MADE. A MONTH LATER ON AUGUST 8, 2003 AT 2568 MILES I LOST A FUEL INJECTOR OR TWO AND BROKE A ROCKER ARM WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 74. THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR ANOTHER 10 DAYS WHILE THE ENGINE WAS PULLED OUT AND 27 PARTS REPLACED. WITH THE ADDITION OF ONE BUSINESS DAY FOR A FACTORY RECALL BRINGS THE TOTAL BUSINESS DAYS OUT OF SERVICE TO 14 DAYS. THE SAD PART IS THAT I TRADED A 2002 F350 WITH MORE PROBLEMS THAN I CARE TO TALKE ABOUT IN THE HOPES THAT I COULD MAKE MY LIFE A LITTLE EASIER WITH THIS 2003 F350. BIG MISTAKE!*AK

FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS WITH FORD 6.0 POWER STROKE DIESEL ENGINE, DEFECTIVE INJECTORS INSTALLED ON EARLY PRODUCTION MODELS PRIOR TO 05/03, INJECTORS LEAK, BREAK, BAD O-RINGS. FORD PULLED FROM INVENTORY, BUT BUILT HUNDREDS, OR THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES WITH THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. MINE BROKE AT 2500 MILES, LEAKED OVER 7 QUARTS DIESEL FUEL INTO OIL, SEIZED TURBO CHARGER, VEHICLE LOST POWER IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. FORD ONLY REPLACED ONE INJECTOR, THE REMAINING INJECTORS ARE OF THE SAME DESIGN, AND WILL ULTIMATELY FAIL, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE AWAY FROM HOME. I PURCHASED TRUCK, 2003 F-250 FOR CROSS COUNTRY TRIPS. THIS IS A MASSIVE COVER-UP BY FORD, THE FORD TECHNICIANS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL CUSTOMERS. THERE ARE NEW INJECTORS IN FORD INVENTORY, BUT THEY WON'T REPLACE UNTIL IT BREAKS,OR ENGINE SEIZES, OR YOUR WARRANTY EXPIRES AND YOU ARE STUCK WITH A $3,000 REPAIR BILL OR MORE. PLEASE HELP. I HAVE RESEARCHED INTERNET. WWW.FLATRATETECH.COM IS FORD TECHNICIAN WEBSITE, THEY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT FORD WON'T HELP. THANK YOU. *JB

VIN NUMBER [XXX] THIS IS AN 03 FORD F350 4X4 CREWCAB , AUTOMATIC WITH THE 6.0 POWER STROKE DIESEL. IN JUNE OR THERE ABOUTS THIS VEHICLE RECEIVED THE RECALL WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ICP AND FLASHED THE COMPUTER. THE TRUCK NOW EXHIBITS EXTREMELY LOW POWER BELOW 1800 RPM MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THERE IS APPROXIMATELY A 4 TO 5 SECOND DELAY FROM STEPPING ON THE GAS TO WHERE THERE IS ADEQUATE POWER TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES TO THE SITUATION. WHEN TO POWER DOES COME ON IT IS SUDDENLY AND CAN CAUSE THE TIRES TO LOSE TRACTION. PRIOR TO THE RE-FLASH THE TRUCK WAS FINE WITH A SMOOTH POWER INCREASE FORM THE POINT OF STEPPING ON THE GAS. I WAS TOLD FORD DETUNED THESE TRUCKS WITH THE RE-FLASH( WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE REDUCTION IN POWER). I FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND IS ESPECIALLY EXAGGERATED WHEN TOWING A TRAILER WHICH IS WHAT I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FOR. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIME AND THE DEALER CANT HELP AS FORD WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO PUT THE OLD PROGRAM BACK IT.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SINCE MAY 2ND, 2003 HAVE HAD FARM TRUCK, F550 6.0 LITER DIESEL 4X4 CAB & CHASSIS, INTO DEALER SIX (6) TIMES FOR A PROBLEM WITH 6.0 LITER DIESEL MOTOR, HAVE ASKED TWICE TO FIX LEAKING TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE AND HAVE COMPLAINED ONCE ABOUT SEVERE FRONT END SHAKE (TO WHICH NO RESPONCE WAS MADE AND AFTER DISCOVERING FORD HAD INSTALLED DRIVE POSITION ONLY TIRES ON FRONT AXLE, REPLACEMENT WAS MADE WITH PROPER STEERING TIRES). TRUCK USED FOR LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORTATION OF HAY, STRAW, CATTLE AND MACHINERY. ENGINE SINCE HAVING 2,000 MILES HAS ROUGH IDLE, EXCESSIVE SMOKING, ENGINE MISS (SKIP) UNDER LOAD OR IDLING, POOR FUEL ECONOMY. ON AUGUST 1ST, 2003 THE ENGINE LOST POWER, A SHORT WHILE LATER STALLED, WHILE UNDER LOAD AND ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE. THIS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF BRAKING CAPACITY ON THE PULLING UNIT, WITH A HEAVIER LOAD OR ON A GRADE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS. ABLE TO GET ON SHOULDER, TRUCK RE-STARTED PROCEEDED WITH CAUTION TO NEXT RAMP ENGINE STALLED AGAIN COMING DOWN RAMP SAME BRAKING PROBLEM. THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT A NUMBER OF FUEL INJECTORS FAILED DUMPING FUEL INTO CRANK CASE, 11 EXTRA QUARTS, METAL SHAVINGS IN PAN AND DESTROYING THE TURBO. (DROP DOWN MENU FOR VEHICLE INFORMATION ONLY SHOWS OPTION OF E550 THIS IS A F550.)*AK

WAS TAKING VEHICLE IN FOR A FUEL SMELL THAT WAS INTERMITENT ON 7-30-03 TO RICART FORD WHEN I THREW IN THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT AND LOST HTE CLUTCH IT WENT TO THE FLOOR SO I PROCEED TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE AND THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED THE SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER SHIP WAS 1/2 MILE AWAY AND IN SIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND CALLED 911 THEN THE DEALER.*AK