Phone:

(800) 392-3673

Web:

Ford Customer Service

Mail:

Ford Customer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126

2000 Ford F-450 NHTSA Defect Investigations

• Defect Investigation #EA05005 - EA05-005 is closed with Ford¿S actions in recalls 05V-017, 05V-388, and 06V-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with Texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.Ford is also including the entire population of 1998 Explorers.Ford has informed ODI that testing to determine the cause of failures in the 1998 Explorers will continue after this investigation is closed.ODI believes that the vehicles exhibiting the factors causing scds failure described in this report correlate well with the observed failure rates on these vehicles by model and model year.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist in the non-recalled vehicles manufactured with scds that are not included in Ford¿S recalls.ODI will continue to monitor the non-recalled population for incidence of engine compartment fires.the Agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached closing report for details.
• Defect Investigation #RQ00010 - On May 11, 1998, Ford motor company filed a defect information report concerning parking brake failure on certain MY 1999 F-350 Super Duty vehicles built at the Kentucky truck plant from January 26, 1998 through April 24, 1998; recall 98V-101.the reduction in parking brake effectiveness may occur on some of these vehicles, and is caused by the rust preventative coating on the surface of the parking lining material which reduces the frictional characteristics at the lining and rotor interface.ODI has received two reports on MY 1999 F-350's and two reports on MY 2000 F-350's alleging the parking brake did not hold the vehicle stationary, including two crashes.on of the MY 1999 trucks was built after the recall scope and the other build date was unknown.there were no determinable causes for these parking brake failures.also, ODI has received one report on a MY 1999 F-450, and one report on a MY 1999 F-250, both Super Duty vehicles, alleging parking brake failure with no determinable causes.both of these vehicles were built within the recall build scope.all of the ODI reports concern vehicles built at the Kentucky assembly plant.ODI has one report alleging parking brake failure on MY 1997 F-350's and no reports on MY 1998 F-350's.
• Defect Investigation #EA02018 - This investigation was opened on certain Ford pickup trucks and vans to evaluate the effects of a valve stem ejection (with rapid air loss) and a slow leaking valve stem on vehicle handing.during the investigation, ODI evaluated over 1,100 complaints and warranty claims, conducted vehicle dynamic testing on a subject vehicle with the failure mode replicated, interviewed owners, and examined complaint vehicles in the field.the results of the test program indicates the effect of a valve stem ejection on these vehicles is easily controlled. Further, with a population of almost 900,000 vehicles, having two to four years of exposure, ODI is aware of only 3 minor crashes and is unaware of any injuries.the small number of crashes relative to the large population of vehicles is consistent with the testing which was performed. Therefore, this investigation is closed.see the attached report for full technical details.