NHTSA complaint: 2005 FORD E-350 — POWER TRAIN
I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE HAVING A SUDDEN MISS FROM THE ENGINE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. SATURDAY THE SPARKPLUGS AND ONE COIL PACK WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NEXT DRIVEN ON SUNDAY EVENING WHERE APPROX. 1/2 MILE FROM THE HOME THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES. INSTRUMENTS LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING BUT DROPPED TO THE OFF POSITION. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SMELLED ELECTRICAL FUMES, NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY WITH A PAIR OF CHANNELOCKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME AND I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. I FOUND THAT THE PCM/ECM HAD BEEN RENDERED PERMANENTLY NONFUNCTIONAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE WIRING HAD A 1.5" BY 2" & 3/4" DEEP BURNT/MELTED AREA ON A ROUGHLY 2" ROUND HARNESS. I FURTHER FOUND THAT THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS FROM THE PCM/ECM IN THE FACTORY INSTALLED POSITION HAD BEEN RUBBING FOR SOME TIME ON AN EXHAUST COMPONENT WRAPPED WITH FIBERGLASS. THE PLASTIC WRAPPING AND METAL WRAPPING WAS OBVIOUSLY BREACHED AND EXPOSED THE WIRING TO BE GROUNDED TO THE EXHAUST COMPONENT AND ALSO WAS THE FIBERGLASS ON THE EXHAUST COMPONENT HAD WORN OFF EXPOSING BARE HEATED METAL. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT HELPED TO MELT INTO THE WIRING AND NO FUSES WERE BLOWN. THE PROTECTION HAD BEEN INADEQUATE TO PROVIDE A SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE IS A 5.4L GASOLINE WHICH THE SEALED FUEL SOURCE IS APPROX. 1 FT. AWAY. I THINK ANY OF THE E-SERIES VANS THAT YEAR NEED TO BE INSPECTED BECAUSE OF STALLING AND FIRE ISSUES. I AM
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation