2001 Ford F-650: complaints, problems and recalls

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 TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 136,888 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017039 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 8,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055428 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055650 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 51,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200687 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 246,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10700729 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 563606 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 752026 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 764578 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-09-21 (September 21, 2000)

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.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ABS ECU TO EXHAUST THE AIR AT THE AIR BRAKE MODULATORS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE WHEELS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.

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.

Reported: 2001-08-08 (August 8, 2001)

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.

Consequence: LOSS OF VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

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.

Reported: 2002-01-18 (January 18, 2002)

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.

Consequence: A LEAK IN THE PRIMARY AIR CIRCUIT OR SECONDARY AIR CIRCUIT COULD RESULT IN A REDUCTION OR LOSS OF THE TRAILER BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

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.