2003 FORD F-350 SD Fuel System, Diesel Problems

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

Mileage: 89,083

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

Mileage: 150,000

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

Mileage: 73,530

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

Mileage: 82,217

WE WERE USING OUR FORD F350 DIESEL (6.0 MOTOR) WITH 63,000. WE WERE GOING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE PULLING A LOADED 5 HORSE TRAILER WHEN THE TRUCK WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, 15 SECONDS LATER ENGINE CUT OFF. WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE AND HAD NO POWER TO STEER OFF THE ROAD AND COULD NOT COME TO A FAST STOP BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE OF HORSE TRAILER. WE HAD TO COAST APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AND PULL OFF ON THE LEFT SIDE BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS TOO HEAVY AND GOING TO FAST TO LET US OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE. TRUCK WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD TO BE TOWED OFF THE INTERSTATE AND HOME. TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE ENGINE LOCKED UP AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $7500 TO $10000. I CHECKED ON WARRANTY AND BECAUSE IT IS A 2003 IT IS EXPIRED. CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALLS. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT WERE IS NOT SOME TYPE OF DEFECT IN THE ENGINE. *TR

Mileage: 63,000

2003 FORD F350 HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL INJECTORS, TRANSMISSION AND AN OIL LEAK. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WHITE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE TAILPIPE. HE ALSO NOTICED A DELAY OF ENGAGEMENT FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND THE FUEL GAUGE WAS STUCK. THE NUMBER 8 INJECTOR HAD FAILED, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED A NEW PART AND THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDED A NEW SENSOR. IN THE FALL OF 2008, THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ICP SENSOR (INJECTOR CONTROL PRESSURE) WAS THE PROBLEM. IN MARCH 2009, WHILE TOWING A TRACTOR, THE TRUCK LOST POWER AND AGAIN IT EMITTED SMOKE AND THERE WAS A HARSH JERK. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN. THE NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 3 INJECTOR HAD FAILED AND THERE WAS A NEW OIL LEAK. *JB

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

Mileage: 125,000

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.

Mileage: 14,000

I SMELLED HINT OF RAW FUEL WHEN THE ENGINE WAS WARM FOR 1-2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM. 3-4 WEEKS PRIOR TO PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST FOR 1-2 MINUTES. THIS SMOKE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ROUGH IDLING THAT WHEN AWAY COMPLETELY UNTIL THE NEXT COLD START UP. THE PRECIPITATING EVENT FOR PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION WAS RAW FUEL SPRAYING ONTO THE TRAILER THAT WAS BEING PULLED. INSPECTION REVEALED RAW FUEL POOLED ON THE HORIZONTAL ENGINE SURFACES AND RAW FUEL IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. THIS WAS VERIFIED BY MANUFACTURER'S DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND FOUND TO BE A LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR CUP. IT WILL REQUIRE CHANGING ALL THE FUEL INJECTOR CUPS. THE DEALER SERVICE AGENT REPORTED THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN SEVERAL TIMES IN THESE PARTICULAR MODELS. IT IS USUALLY A WARRANTY ITEM. THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET AS THIS VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED BY TIME LIMIT BUT NOT MILEAGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS DENIED ANY OBLIGATION TO HELP RESTORE THE VEHICLE TO SAFE OPERATION GIVEN THAT IT SEEMS TO RUN UNIMPAIRED FROM A PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT. *TR

Mileage: 95,300

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

Mileage: 65,000

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

Mileage: 33,650

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

Mileage: 120,000

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

Mileage: 40,000

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

Mileage: 128,069

TOOK TRUCK IN TO GET COMPUTER UPDATES (132000 MI). DEALER DISCOVERED 12 QUARTS OF FUEL IN CRANKCASE. HAD TO GET INJECTOR SEALS REPLACED ($1200). I KNOW OF AT LEAST 4 OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IN AUGUST 2004 HAD TO HAVE FRONT END REBUILT EVEN THOUGH I HAD DONE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ($450)VEHICLE LOST POWER (12/20/04)(182000 MI). STOPPED TO CHECK FOR PROBLEM. ENGINE RESTARTED. I SHUT IT OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START. HAD TOWED TO DEALER. THEY HAD 20 DIFFERENT CODES COME UP ON COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC. AS OF 12/28/04 IT STILL WILL NOT START AND DEALER STILL HAS NO IDEA WHY. MOST RECENT ESTIMATE FOR THIS REPAIR AT LEAST $1200 AN HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK SINCE BREAKDOWN. *JB

Mileage: 182,000

2003 FORD F350 SUPERDUTY 6.0 POWERSTROKE. I PURCHASED IT NEW ON NOVEMBER 28, 2003. TWELVE HOURS AND 68 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY YET TO FIX PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE ANOTHER NEW TRUCK. THE DEALER WILL NOT GIVE ME ONE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE RUN-A-ROUND THE DEALER IS GIVING ME. THEY DON'T CARE THAT THE TRUCK WAS JUST PURCHASED. THEY ARE TAKING THERE SWEET TIME OF FIXING THE TRUCK. THERE WERE ALSO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE INJECTORS, PCM, AND TCM. WITH ALL THESE FACTORS AND BEING 12 HOURS OLD AND ONLY 68 MILES, YOU WOULD THINK OUT OF COURTESY FORD OR THE DEALER WOULD GIVE ME A IDENTICAL NEW TRUCK. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING IT TOOK THE WHOLE ENJOYMENT OF OWNING A NEW TRUCK. *LA

Mileage: 112