1997 Ford Motor Home

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL. HE IS DISSATISFIED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. FORD STATED THAT THE PARTS WOULD BE READY IN DECEMBER OF 2007, BUT THE CONTACT HAS YET TO RECEIVE ANYTHING. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,561.

ON MAY 5TH AT A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE THE MECHANIC NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT (APX. 2 TEASPOON) OF ANTIFREEZE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OIL PAN. PREVIOUS TO THIS THE OIL HAD BEEN CHECKED & THE LEVEL & COLOR WAS NORMAL. ANTIFREEZE LEVEL WAS NORMAL. DRIVEN 1 MILE HOME TO BE CHECKED OUT COMPLETELY NEXT DAY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ENGINE WAS NORMAL & OK. 2.MAY 6, 2004: STARTED ENGINE - TERRIBLE CLUNKING & KNOCKING NOISE. WHITE SMOKING OUT OF TAIL PIPE. DETERMINED BY FORD MECHANIC: ROD WAS BENT & THE CYLINDER SCORED. THE HEAD WAS EXAMINED: HEAD GASKET & INTAKE GASKET NORMAL. NO CRACKS IN HEAD - IT WAS SENT OUT FOR INSPECTION; NO VISUAL OR NON-VISUAL CRACKS IN THE HEAD. MECHANICAL REASON COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. 3B. WE HAD TO HAVE A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE PUT IN. WE WERE UNABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE. *NM

TRAVELING 55MPH WHEN FRONT END BEGAN TO BOUNCE & SHAKE. PULLED OVER & CHECKED. NOTICED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD A WIDE TREAD SEPARATION IN TIRE. IT WAS NOT FLAT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE RETAILER & HAD ALL SIX TIRES CHANGED ON THE MOTORHOME. DO NOT HAVE THE TIRES. FIRESTONE, STEEL TEX, RADIAL LT22575R16 WITH 35,000 MILES ON A 1997 FORD CHASSIS.*AK

THE ENTIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE (LOOKED LIKE A RETREAD). IT WAS AN INSIDE TIRE ON A DUAL WHEEL CAMPER. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A 1/2 MILE WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. WHEN WE STOPPED WE LOOKED BACK AND SAW THE TREAD FROM THE TIRE IN THE ROAD. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RETRIEVE THE TIRE TREAD AS WE WERE BOTH IN OUR LATE 60'S AT THE TIME. WE HAD TO WAIT SEVERAL HOURS BESIDE THE ROAD ON A HIGHWAY UNTIL HELP ARRIVED. THE ORIGINAL TIRE DEALER THAT REPLACED THE TIRE 31W TRUCK TIRE CENTER REFUSED TO GIVE US ANY COMPENSATION FOR THE TIRE BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE THE TIRE TREAD ON SEPT 7TH. HOWEVER, TIRE DISTRIBUTIONS SYSTEMS INCORPORATED, 1201 DEMONBREUN, NASHVILLE, TN TOOK THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE TIRE WHEN WE WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE LACK OF ADJUSTMENT BY THE OTHER DEALER. THEY DID REPLACE A TIRE ONLY BECAUSE WE BOTH TWO MORE NEW TIRE FROM THEM AND WE PAID THEM FOR ONE. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 TIRES IN TOTAL FOR THE ONE BAD TIRE TO GET ANY ADJUSTMENT. THE ADJUSTMENT CLAIM NUMBER WAS 7753110 FROM TDS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED TO DRIVE OUR CAMPER ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE RECENT RECALLS. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED.( DOT NUMBER: VDIL1XA416 TIRE SIZE: 75R16M-S )

TREAD CAME OFF TIRE, TORE OUT LP GAS LINE TO REFRIGERATOR. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A FIRE OR WORSE. WE WERE LEAVING NEW BERN, NC AT THE TIME; WE RETURNED TO NEW BERN TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND HAD THE TIRE REPLACED. WE WERE TOLD THAT FIRESTONE WOULD MAKE NO ADJUSTMENT FOR THE TIRE. OUR MOTORHOME IS IN STORAGE ABOUT 25 MILES AWAY, THEREFORE, AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT HAVE THE COMPLETE TIRE INFORMATION, HOWEVER THE TREAD CAME OFF JUST AS WE HAVE TODAY SEEN PICTURES ON TV OF TIRES FROM ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE TIRES. WE FELT COMPELED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO YOU AT THIS TIME AND WILL FOLLOW UP WITH COMPLETE INFORMATION WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO RETREIVE THE INFORMATION FROM THE RV. WE WILL CONTACT SHASTA AND REPORT THIS TO THEM ALSO. WE ARE NOW CONCERNED THAT THE REPLACEMENT TIRE AND THE REMAINING 5 PLUS SPARE ARE A HAZARD TO US AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. WE FEEL IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE ALL TIRES ON THE MOTORHOME NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )