Complaint 757086

Complaint Summary

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

Owner Narrative

I HAVE A 2000 FORD E350 THAT STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND EVENTUALLY LOST POWER ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT WAS NEEDED I DID'NT KNOW WHAT HAPPENING TO THE VEHICLE IT JUST STARTED SPUTTERING AND SPEWING THICK SMOKE OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. I LIMPED THE VAN TO THE DEALETSHIP AND AFTER ALL DIAGNOSIS AND REPLACEMENT OF CERTAIN FUEL PARTS WAS SAID AND DONE IT WAS A CLOGGED FUEL SENDING UNIT DUE TO A RUSTY FUEL TANK CAUSED BY DELAMINATION OF THE LINING INSIDE THE TANK. THESE PARTICALS OF DELAMINATION AND THE RUST OF THE EXPOSED METAL OF THE TANK CAUSED THE SENDING UNIT TO BE CLOGGED TO THE POINT OF REPLACEMENT, THE SENDING UNIT ALONE WAS OVER $600.00 OF THE $1600.00 BILL, IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE PROBLEM OF THE CLOGGED FUEL SENDING UNIT WILL HAPPENING AGAIN IN ABOUT A YEAR DUE TO THE TANK FAILING. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH LOSING POWER AGAIN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD ON A MAJOR FREEWAY AND SPEWING THE BIG CLOUD SMOKE OUT THE TAIL PIPE WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN AND POSSIBLY BLINDING THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE TANKS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC NOW TO AVOID/FIX THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE WITH FORD MOTOR CORP., THEY STATED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANY AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER THIS UNVOIDABLE PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS VEHICLE, IT IS A SERVICE VEHICLE FOR MY COMPANY AND WHEN IT IS DOWN I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY. I DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PERFORM THE PREVENITIVE MAINTENANCE, THERE IS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID THIS SAFETY ISSUE, FORD KNOWS THE PROBLEM/SAFETY ISSUE IS THERE AND DID NOT WANT TO HELP OUT AT ALL. AFTER ALL THE RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE SINCE PAYING THE BILL AT THE DEALERSHIP I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR WHAT OTHERS ARE GOING THROUGH AND THE ROUTES THEY ARE TAKING TO TRY TO GET THE PROBLEM RESOLVED, THIS WHY I HAVE WRIITEN YOU THIS LETTER. *TR

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.