2003 Ford F-350 Fuel System Problems

FUEL TANK DELAMINATION LEADING TO STALLING AND EVENTUAL REPLACEMENT OF THE TANK AT MY COST

VEHICLE STALLED AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE BEGAN EMERGING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE AND DIESEL FUEL HAD LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,057.

HAVE FICM FAILURE AND MULTIPLE FUEL INJECTORS FAIL, WHEN TOOK TO DIESEL SHOP WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS COMMON FAILURE AND THEY HAD AT LEAST 6 IN REPAIR SHOP WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I HAD SEVERAL BREAKDOWNS WITH MY TRUCK AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TWICE. THE FIRST PLACE IT WAS TOWED TO COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM THEN AFTER SEVERAL MORE INSTANCES I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY NEW THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THE FUEL TANK DELAMINATED AND I WAITED TWO MONTHS FOR ONE BECAUSE THEY WERE IN PRODUCTION AT A COST OF $2000.00 TO BE REPAIRED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS AND IT SHOULD BE WARRANTIED. *TR

ON THE FORD F350 7.3 DIESEL, THE CLAMP BENEATH THE TURBO HOLDING THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL FUEL LINE IN PLACE IS A POOR DESIGN. THE CLAMP APPEARS TO BE ALUMINUM WITH A RUBBER COATING. THE RUBBER COATING WEARS AWAY AND THE FUEL LINE PASSES METAL ON METAL THROUGH THE CLAMP CAUSING WEAR. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THE PINHOLE LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE CAUSED BY THE WEAR CREATED A MIST OF FUEL TO BE BLOWN ON THE HOT TURBO CAUSING A FLAMMABLE CLOUD OF DIESEL. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE VEHICLES IGNITION OFF AND STOOD BY WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN TO SOMEBODY AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE INJURED OR THE VEHICLES ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL CATCH FIRE. THE FUEL LINE NEEDS TO PASS THROUGH A CLAMP OF BETTER DESIGN. *TR

FAULTY FORD FUEL TANK. DIESEL TANKS ARE DELAMINATING, CAUSING FUEL LINE/FILTER TO CLOG AND VEHICLE NOT TO RUN PROPERLY. 6/16/10 REPLACED FUEL FILTER, RAN FOR ONE DAY. TOOK TRUCK TO HENRY CURTIS FORD ON 6/17/10, THEY TOLD US ABOUT DELAMINATION, NOT THEIR FAULT. CHARGED US $909.28 TO REMOVE TANK, CLEAN AND REPLACE MICRON FILTER. HCFORD SAYS THAT THE NEW GAS TANKS FROM FORD ARE ON BACK ORDER, NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL APPROX. SEPT 2010. ON 6/30/10 TRUCK RUNS IMPROPERLY AGAIN,FUEL FILTER CLOGGED DUE TO DELAMINATION, CHANGED FUEL FILTER. ON 7/1/10 TRUCK RUNS BAD AGAIN, LEAVE TRUCK AGAIN WITH HENRY CURTIS FORD WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 73812 AND A 1/4 TANK OF GAS. THEY CALLED AND SAID THE FUEL FILTER IS CLOGGED, THEY AGAIN WANT TO PULL THE TANK AND REPLACE THE MICRON FILTER AT A CHARGE OF $900 + ONLY ELEVEN DAYS AFTER THEY JUST DID IT. WE DECLINED, THEY CHARGED US $122.00 AND RETURNED OUR TRUCK WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 73896 AND AN EMPTY TANK OF GAS. WHEN QUESTIONED HCFORD ABOUT ODOMETER AND GAS THEY SAID THEY ONLY DROVE TRUCK 5 MILES. NO ACCOUNTABILITY. 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET REGARDING DELAMINATION OF FORD FUEL TANKS. PLEASE INITIATE A FORD FUEL TANK RECALL. *TR

THE FUEL SYSTEM OF MY 2003 FORD TRUCK CORRODED FROM THE INSIDE, CONTAMINATING THE FUEL WHICH RUINED THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTERS AND INJECTORS. EVERYTHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $3000. FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL ITSELF. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS THEY SELL TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEGIN CORRODING AGAIN WITHIN 3 MONTHS. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR WHEN PLASTIC FUEL TANKS ARE USED. *TR

7.3 LTR DIESEL ENGINE HAS A METAL FUEL LINE STRAPPED TO ENGINE BLOCK WITH METAL CLAMP. THE METAL CLAMP EVENTUALLY WEARS A HOLE IN THE METAL FUEL LINE AND THEN DIESEL FUEL IS SPRAYED ON TO BACK OF ENGINE, STARTER AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE METAL FUEL LINE AND CLAMP IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. I WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF RUBBER INSULATION AROUND THE FUEL LINE WHERE IT IS HELD BY THE METAL CLAMP. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE EVERY ONE F THESE 7.3 LTR ENGINES WILL SUFFER THIS WEAR THROUGH OF THE DIESEL FUEL LINE AND SPRAY FUEL DOWN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AND ALL OVER THE STARTER AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. IT IS A FIRE HAZARD IN EVERY VEHICLE USING THE 7.3 LTR ENGINE. WEB SITE FORUMS ARE FULL ON THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM OF WEAR THROUGH OF THE FUEL LINE BY THE METAL CLAMP HOLDING IT. *TR

STRONG DIESEL FUEL ODOR AT IDLE IN CAB WITH WINDOWS CLOSED. STRONG DIESEL ODOR AROUND FRONT OF TRUCK. NO VISIBLE LEAKS OR DAMP AREAS. FEAR FIRE HAZARD. *TR

2003 FORD 350 DIESEL, FUEL TANK HAS CONTAMINATION WHICH RUINED PUMP, ONLY 65,000 MILES, COST TO REPAIR $2000, FORD SAYS NOT THEIR PROBLEM, IT'S THE FUEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION; ALTHOUGH, THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. AN AUTHORIZED TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE INJECTION CONTROL PUMP (ICP); INJECTION PRESSURE REGULATOR (IPR) AND THE WIRING HARNESS WHICH WERE REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS 3,400. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH A FUEL INJECTOR FAILED LITTERING THE #3 CYLINDER WITH DEBRIS. A BLUE SMOKE CLOUD IMMEDIATELY BLANKETED THE HIGHWAY REDUCING VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SAFE LOCATION TO PULL OFF BEFORE THE ENGINE SEIZED. I TOWED THE TRUCK TO THE FORD DEALER FOR AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS. I WAS ADVISED THAT A FUEL INJECTOR HAD FAILED AND IT COULD BE REPAIRED FOR $750. I AUTHORIZED THE REPAIR AND RECEIVED A CALL THAT AFTERNOON THE TRUCK WAS DONE HOWEVER #3 CYLINDER COMPRESSION WAS HALF OF NORMAL. THEY RECOMMENDED A "SHORT BLOCK" WHICH COSTS $8,000 PLUS LABOR. I WAS ANGRY AND PAID THE BILL AND SOUGHT OUT A SECOND OPINION. I CHOSE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE AFTER SEEING THE DAMAGE AND ON THE ADVICE OF THE SECOND MECHANIC. I DID NOT WANT TO PUT THE OLD INJECTORS INTO A NEW MOTOR. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST INJECTOR TO FAIL ON THIS TRUCK, HOWEVER THE FIRST DID NOT CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE HEARD OTHER ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES. THIS WAS A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE WITH ALL THE WORK DONE AT FORD DEALERSHIPS AT THE RECOMMENDED INTERVALS. I HAD THE MECHANIC SAVE THE DAMAGED PISTON WHICH BEARS THE IMPRINT OF THE INJECTOR DEBRIS INCLUDING PARTIAL PART NUMBER. BEFORE TAKING THE TRUCK FROM THE DEALERSHIP I HAD THEM SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM FORD TOWARD THE REPAIR WHICH WAS DECLINED. I BELIEVE THIS PART FAILED PREMATURELY @ 120,000 MILES DUE TO A FLAW IN DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION. I HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF GREATER LONGEVITY FOR A HEAVILY BUILT DIESEL ENGINE FOR WHICH I PAID AN EXTRA $6000 OVER BASE PRICE. A FAILURE COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE THICK BLUE SMOKE OR THE INABILITY TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD UNDER ITS OWN POWER . *TR

TRUCK BEGAN STARTING A LITTLE HARD ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. AT ABOUT 60-70 MPH, TRUCK LOST POWER, ON HIGHWAY. VEHICLE BUCKED, AND CONTINUED TO COME TO A STOP. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. TURNED OFF VEHICLE, WOULD NOT RESTART. BROUGHT TO DEALER, FUEL INJECTORS WERE BAD. $700.00 BILL LATER, TRUCK LEAVES THE DEALER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW, AND THE TRUCK IS BEGINNING TO START HARD AGAIN WHEN COLD, WILL NOT RESTART WHEN HOT. *TR

I PURCHASED MY FORD F350 ON JANUARY 16, 2007 FROM JOHN BLEAKLY FORD, IN GEORGIA MY FUEL INJECTORS HAVE GONE BAD SINCE THEN. ON 7/22/07 MY TRUCK SUDDENLY LOST POWER IT WOULD TURN BUT WON'T REV AND AFTER A WHILE WILL NOT EVEN TURN. IT WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY INJECTORS. I HAVE A $27,000 TRUCK LOAN AND HAVE ONLY PAID 4 MONTHS ON THIS TRUCK. I AM A SOLE PROPRIETOR AND HAVE A FAMILY TO SUPPORT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THERE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THEIR FUEL INJECTORS IN THE 6.0 LITER ENGINE. AFTER MANY HOURS OF RESEARCH, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A FIRST MASSIVE RECALL IN APRIL, 2003 FOR 66,720 TRUCKS FORD SOLD WITH THE 6.0 LITER DIESEL ENGINE TO REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE SENSOR. IVE ALSO LEARNED THERE WERE NEARLY 500 BUYBACKS OF TRUCKS WITH ENGINES SO BADLY FLAWED THAT THEY COULDN'T BE FIXED. APPARENTLY, A BATCH OF FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS LEAKED SO MUCH DIESEL FUEL THAT FUEL FILLED THE CRANKCASE, CAUSING ENGINES TO SEIZE. THERE WERE ALSO GLITCHES WITH THE TURBOCHARGER AND ENGINE CONTROL SOFTWARE. MY RESEARCH HAS ALSO REVEALED THAT MANY DEALERSHIPS HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINES FOR CUSTOMERS AND THAT FORD HAS BOUGHT BACK TRUCKS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F350 SUPER DUTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SOMETHING FELL INTO THE FUEL TANK OR DELAMINATE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL, CLOGGED THE INJECTORS, AND CLOGGED THE FUEL FILTER. THE VEHICLE STALLED APPROXIMATELY 55-60 TIMES DUE TO THE DELAMINATION AND WAS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE LATEST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE FUEL LINE HAD TO BE DRAINED SO THAT SHE COULD DRIVE TO HER RESIDENCE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT BUCKED AND SPUTTERED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THE STEERING WAS INOPERABLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY CONTINUOUSLY ADVISED HER TO CHANGE THE FUEL FILTERS DUE TO POOR DIESEL FUEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS BAD FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000.

SLUGGISH, CHUGGING, STALLING OF VEHICLE. HAD INJECTOR CHANGED BY FORD. PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN ON 1/19/2007 THEY SAID LINING IN TANK WAS COMING APART IN THE FUEL TANK. FORD CHANGED 3 INJECTORS, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTERS AND FUEL TANK. IS HAS NOW HAPPENED AGAIN 11/7/2008 AND IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE HESITATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. AK

I PURCHASED MY FORD F350 IN JULY, 2003 FROM LEO KAYTES IN WARWICK, NEW YORK AND HAVE HAD 4 FUEL INJECTORS GO BAD SINCE THEN. I HAVE A $35,000 TRUCK LOAN AND HAVE ONLY PAID 10 MONTHS ON THIS TRUCK. I AM A SOLE PROPRIETOR AND HAVE A FAMILY TO SUPPORT. EACH TIME MY TRUCK GOES INTO THE DEALERSHIP, I LOSE ACCOUNTS AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ON 7/4/04 AND 7/7/04, A FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND THE GENERAL MANAGER AT LEO KAYTES FORD DEALER IN WARWICK, NY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FORD IS HAVING AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THEIR FUEL INJECTORS IN THE 6.0 LITER ENGINE. AFTER MANY HOURS OF RESEARCH, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A FIRST MASSIVE RECALL IN APRIL, 2003 FOR 66,720 TRUCKS FORD SOLD WITH THE 6.0 LITER DIESEL ENGINE TO REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE SENSOR. IVE ALSO LEARNED THERE WERE NEARLY 500 BUYBACKS OF TRUCKS WITH ENGINES SO BADLY FLAWED THAT THEY COULDNT BE FIXED. APPARENTLY, A BATCH OF FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS LEAKED SO MUCH DIESEL FUEL THAT FUEL FILLED THE CRANKCASE, CAUSING ENGINES TO SEIZE. THERE WERE ALSO GLITCHES WITH THE TURBOCHARGER AND ENGINE CONTROL SOFTWARE. LEO KAYTES REPRESENTATIVES HAVE STATED THAT THE BEST APPROACH IS TO REPLACE ALL THE FUEL INJECTORS BUT ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD MOTOR CORPORATION WILL NOT HONOR SAME UNDER THE WARRANTY. MY RESEARCH HAS ALSO REVEALED THAT MANY DEALERSHIPS HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINES FOR CUSTOMERS AND THAT FORD HAS BOUGHT BACK TRUCKS. MY CHIEF CONCERNS ARE WHO WILL BEAR THE FINANCIAL LIABILITY FOR FUTURE FAULTY INJECTORS ONCE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT MY ENGINE COULD CEASE IF CAREFUL AND COMPLETE REPAIRS TO THIS ENGINE HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AS OF THIS WRITING. TO DATE, THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO MAKE REPAIRS AS A BAND-AID FIX AND ARE NOT FINDING THE SOURCE OF WHAT IS CAUSING THESE INJECTORS TO GO BAD. AS A RESULT, I ANTICIPATE FUTURE FAILURES.*AK

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65-70 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND HAD THE PROBLEM RESOLVED BY REPLACING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SENSORS WERE DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE WAS BACK AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS BROKEN A TOTAL OF 5 DIFFERENT TIMES AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. *NM