2001 FORD F-650 Recalls, Complaints & Safety

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

CERTAIN MEDIUM DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AIR BRAKES THAT INCLUDE THE OPTIONAL TRAILER PACKAGE FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE AIR BRAKE LINES CONNECTED TO THE TRACTOR PROTECTION VALVE ARE MISROUTED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE AIR LINES CONNECTED TO THE TRACTOR PROTECTION VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 31, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-248-0186.

546 vehicles affected

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. A SWITCH LOCATED IN THE PLASTIC COVER OF THE WIPER MOTOR GEAR CASE COULD MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION, LOSS OF WIPER PARK FUNCTION, COMPLETE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION, OR IGNITION OF THE PLASTIC COVER MATERIAL. SWITCH MALFUNCTION IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE INTERMITTENT SETTING OF THE WIPERS IS BEING USED, OR WHEN SNOW OR ICE OBSTRUCTS THE BLADES FROM RETURNING TO THE "PARKED" POSITION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT AT THE FOLLOWING ASSEMBLY PLANTS: ATLANTA PLANT FROM 2/11/00 THROUGH 7/31/00; CHICAGO PLANT FROM 2/14/00 THROUGH 8/4/00; KANSAS CITY PLANT FROM 2/26/00 TO 9/4/00; KENTUCKY TRUCK PLANT FROM 2/18/00 TO 8/31/00; MICHIGAN TRUCK PLANT FROM 2/23/00 THROUGH 8/3/00; NORFOLK PLANT FROM 2/21/00 THROUGH 7/27/00; WAYNE STAMPING AND ASSEMBLY PLANT FROM 2/25/00 THROUGH 8/15/00; AND WIXOM PLANT FROM 2/15/00 THROUGH 8/8/00.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE ON THE WIPER MOTOR. MOTORS BUILT WITH THE SUSPECT TIME FRAME WILL HAVE THE WIPER MOTOR GEAR CASE COVER REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 20, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

1,083,000 vehicles affected

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS BUILT WITH BENDIX AIR ABS WITH AN EC-17 1030R ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU), THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSED BY 1) CHAFED ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRES ON ROTATING PARTS OR 2) A DAMAGED COMPONENT AT THE WHEEL END THAT GENERATES A CERTAIN TYPE OF ERRATIC SENSOR SIGNAL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 20, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

6,700 vehicles affected

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-650. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, EXHAUST FUMES EMITTED INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 246,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F650. WHILE DECELERATING AT 5 MPH, THE BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR INSIDE DISC ROTORS SHOWED SIGNS OF METAL AGAINST METAL WEAR. HE STATED THAT THE INBOARD DISK PAD HAD ALMOST WORN COMPLETELY THROUGH THE DISK ROTOR. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PISTON SEALS TO FAIL AND RELEASE ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,700 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,650.

WHILE DRIVING IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEARS. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

SINCE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE CONSUMER REPLACED THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER SEVEN TIMES. FRONT AXLE WAS REPLACED ONCE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE GEARS WERE NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. DEALER REPLACED THE OLD TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE. *AK

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF OUR 2001 FORD F650, WE HAVE HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE THE OBVIOUS RESULT OF A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NOT ONLY HAS THIS PROBLEM COST US MONEY, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS A SAFETY RISK THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED. THE CLUTCH ITSELF WILL FAIL ON THE TRUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE EXACT PROBLEM LIES IN THE CLUTCH CYLINDER, WHICH, WE HAVE REPLACED AN AMAZING FIVE TIMES. AFTER TALKING WITH DEALERS OF THIS TRUCK AND RESEARCHING OTHERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK FOR COMMERCIAL USE, WE HAVE FOUND THAT THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. NOT ONLY HAVE WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK, BUT THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM IS HAPPENING WITH ANOTHER 2001 F650 THAT WE PURCHASED AT THE SAME TIME. DUE TO THESE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH, WE WERE FORCED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. NOT ONLY WAS THIS COSTLY, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO PREVENT US FROM CONTINUING TO REPLACE OUR CLUTCH CYLINDER AND EVENTUALLY REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION ONCE AGAIN. WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILS ON THE HIGHWAY, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSTATE TO STEER THE TRUCK OFF THE ROAD. WE ARE CONSTANTLY DELIVERING TO BUSY METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND WE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK WITH THE IDEA THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY SAFE. HOWEVER, THE CLUTCH CONTINUES TO FAIL, AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS, TOO, ARE DEFECTIVE. *JB

TRUCK UNSAFE TO OPPERATE BECAUSE OF STALLING AND TRUCK WILL RUN AWAY DOWN HILL AND WILL PULL VEHICLE WHEN AT IDLE SETTING STILL.*AK

HYDRAULIC CYLINDER CLUTCH PEDAL MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER HAS REPLACED CYLINDER THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT RETURN, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER HAD FAILED.*JB

CLUTCH HYD. SYSTEM FAILS WITH NO WARNING .CLUTCH WILL NOT DISENGAGE. *AK