2005 Ford E-450

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD E-450 VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE COOLANT HOSE WAS FRACTURED AT THE CONNECTION TO THE ENGINE AND CYLINDER HEADS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT REPLACE THE HOSE DUE TO THE PART BEING ON BACK ORDER. THE MECHANIC HAD TO WELD THE HOSE TO STOP THE LEAK BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT PRODUCED THE PART IN OVER A YEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD E-450. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SUGGESTED A SWAY BAR BE INSTALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT WILLING TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

I HAVE A 2005 JAYCO 30FT. MOTORHOME WITH A 2005 FORD E-450 CHASSIS AND THE 6.8L V-10 ENGINE. I AM ON A TRIP FROM GEORGIA TO VERMONT WITH THIS UNIT AND AM TOWING A 2008 SATURN VUE. ON TUESDAY JUNE 21, WHILE TRAVELING AT APROX. 60MPH ON I-85N IN S. CAROLINA, I HAD A COMPLETE AND UNEXPECTED ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC CONDITION. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION, AND SHUT THE IGNITION OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. IT STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY AND I CONTINUED DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 5 HOURS. ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 22 WHILE DRIVING ON I-81N IN VIRGINIA THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED, AND ONCE AGAIN I WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND RESTART. AS BEFORE, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FOR ANOTHER 5-6 HOURS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. UPON ARRIVAL AT MY SCHEDULED STOPOVER CAMPGROUND, AND FULLY AWARE AS TO HOW POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THIS CONDITION COULD BE, I STOPPED MY TRIP AND CONTACTED 'FORD MOTORHOME CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER' ON THEIR TOLL FREE LINE AND DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THEIR SERVICE PERSONNEL. THEY REFERRED ME TO A DEALERSHIP WHICH IS ABOUT 50 MILES FROM HERE, BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT THE UNIT UNTIL POSSIBLY NEXT MONDAY, JUNE 27. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WILL BRING THE UNIT TO THEM ON MONDAY. OF COURSE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS SITUATION IS TRYING TO STOP A HEAVY VEHICLE WITH THE ADDED PUSH OF THE TOWED VEHICLE, THE DIFFICULTY IN TRYING TO STEER INTO A SAFE AREA, AND THE FEAR OF THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME NOT STOPPING IN TIME IN ORDER TO PREVENT A REAR END COLLISION. *TR

THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO THE CORRECT GEAR, AS INDICATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN USING THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT ON THE COLUMN, AND PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO "DRIVE", THE VEHICLE GOES INTO REVERSE. WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS MOVED TO "REVERSE", IT DOES NOT ENGAGE AND STAYS IN NEUTRAL. SOMETIMES, THE VEHICLE WILL HOVER IN NEUTRAL THEN SUDDENLY ENGAGE INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT. THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT TO FORD'S ATTENTION BY US IN 2007 (11000 MILES) AND 2009 (23000 MILES), AND THE FORD DEALERS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE LINKAGES. THEY STATED THAT THEY ADJUSTED THE INDICATOR SWITCH, BUT THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM HAS NOW RETURNED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN MANEUVERING IN PARKING LOTS OR OTHER AREAS THAT REQUIRE A CHANGE OF DIRECTION. OUR FORD ENGINE IS INSIDE A CLASS C MOTORHOME, SO WE DON'T HAVE MANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR MOVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT DOES NOT GO INTO THE CORRECT GEAR. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE CAR WILL SWITCH GEARS WHILE IN MOTION, CAUSING US TO LOSE CONTROL. *TR

2005 FORD CUTAWAY E450. INSURANCE COMPANY SENT CORRESPONDENCE ON BEHALF OF CONSUMER RELATED TO A FIRE AND TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUNNING LIGHTS AND THE CARGO LIGHTS WERE COMING ON AND GOING OFF FOR NO REASON. HE STATED AT TIMES, THERE WAS AN ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DAY OF THE FIRE, THE CONSUMER HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AND HAD BEEN SITTING FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS WHEN THE HORN STARTED BLOWING. THE CONSUMER THEN REALIZED THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. ACCORDING TO THE INVESTIGATION REPORT, THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE DASH AREA OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT WAS ALSO THE OPINION OF THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR, THAT ELECTRICALLY GENERATED HEAT FROM A MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE RULED OUT. *JB

I HAVE A 2005 FORD E450 CUTAWAY 6.0L DIESEL ENGINE AND IT WILL SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS CONDITION WAS DIAGNOSE BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AS A PROBLEM W/ FICM & PCM COMPUTERS BOTH WHERE REPLACED BY US. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND AFTER LONG HOURS OF RESEARCH FOUND RECALL CAMPAIGN (05V270000) CALL FORD AND THEY INFORMED ME THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS FAILURE OCCURS APROX. 15 MIN AFTER DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND WERE CLOSE TO HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES THAT CAN CAUSE MAJOR INJURIES TO THE PUBLIC AND OUR EMPLOYEES. *TR

REAR TIRE INFLATION LABEL INDICATES IMPROPER PSI FOR GVWR FOR REAR AXLE. LABEL INDICATES 60 PSI. I BELIEVE CORRECT INFLATION ON RECALL 05V-272 IS 80 PSI. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL ACCORDING TO FOUR WINDS INTERNATIONAL AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY. VEHICLE IS A FOUR WINDS SIESTA MOTORHOME TAO015656, VIN BASED ON A FORD E-450 SUPER DUTY CHASSIS. *TR

SPRING TOWER CRACKING ON E350 AND E450 FORD CUT AWAY SCHOOL BUSES NOTICED CRACKING DURING REGULAR MAINT. I CONTACTED LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD NOT HERD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WE ARE NOW HAVING REPAIRS MADE AT A LOCAL SHOP, WELDING AND REINFORCED, COST $600.00 PER UNIT. PLEASE REFER TO TSB 05-22-16 I RECEIVED THIS TSB ON 4-19-2008 FROM LOCAL CHP. *TR