It's starting to get bad.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: None of your business
It's starting to get bad.
Ok we're right at 40K on our early 08 F450 ambulance and although I still love the truck, it's not holding up well and Ford is not doing a very good job fixing it.
First it was the radiator problem and it was gone for about 2-3 weeks. Then the engine failed around 34-36K and it was gone for about 2.5-3 months. When it came back it had a clunk whenever the road got uneven. Ford sent it back that way even though it was painfully obvious. Then our city garage found it was a sheared off AC hose. Back to Ford for 3 weeks. The day after it goes back in service it says something like pull over when safe and shut off engine. So it's back to Ford for god knows how long.
I thought these problems would be over once we were out of the 6.0s. But here I am day after day in the 01. It's a great truck too, but it's worn out, loud and rides like crap.
Just giving you all a little update and venting a little. What's even better is we're selling the 01 as part of our normal replacement schedule. Even though it's worn out, at least it runs. I wish they'd sell one of our 04s instead.
Mike
First it was the radiator problem and it was gone for about 2-3 weeks. Then the engine failed around 34-36K and it was gone for about 2.5-3 months. When it came back it had a clunk whenever the road got uneven. Ford sent it back that way even though it was painfully obvious. Then our city garage found it was a sheared off AC hose. Back to Ford for 3 weeks. The day after it goes back in service it says something like pull over when safe and shut off engine. So it's back to Ford for god knows how long.
I thought these problems would be over once we were out of the 6.0s. But here I am day after day in the 01. It's a great truck too, but it's worn out, loud and rides like crap.
Just giving you all a little update and venting a little. What's even better is we're selling the 01 as part of our normal replacement schedule. Even though it's worn out, at least it runs. I wish they'd sell one of our 04s instead.
Mike
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From: None of your business
I got this second hand from the crew that's on after me. They said it was something like pull over when safe and shutdown. They're not the most mechanicly inclined folks, but I'd take what they say as how it was.
I think were we take it is the closest dealer that hasn't pissed us off that works on ambulances. We actually have a Ford dealer in district that some time ago pissed off the city and we take nothing to them. Not sure why but based on my experience with them and the cruise control recall, I don't doubt them. Very rude and pushy.
In any case, it's out of service again. I'll keep everyone posted. We'll see what Ford screws up when they fix this. Seems like every time they "fix" something, something else gets broken.
Mike
I think were we take it is the closest dealer that hasn't pissed us off that works on ambulances. We actually have a Ford dealer in district that some time ago pissed off the city and we take nothing to them. Not sure why but based on my experience with them and the cruise control recall, I don't doubt them. Very rude and pushy.
In any case, it's out of service again. I'll keep everyone posted. We'll see what Ford screws up when they fix this. Seems like every time they "fix" something, something else gets broken.
Mike
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Milwaukie, Oregon
the 6.4L is still a international engine. ford got on them real hard about the problems with the 6.0L and it didnt really pay off. all international engines have some problems. but the 7.3L. let me rephrase that, the 7.3L has the least amount of serious problems.
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Sounds like the dealer is contributing to your problems. The radiator failed (blame Ford). 2-3 weeks to replace a radiator (blame dealer). Blown engine (most likely blame Ford, dont know details why it blew). 3 months to replace engine (blame dealer). Return vehicle with a clunk (blame dealer). Sheared A/C hose (blame dealer). Now the most recent problem is hard to say but my guess is blame dealer.
Ive been there. Had a HG issue (blame Ford) but then the block heater was pinched between frame and body and started a fire. Then I lost 5 injectors because the tech refused to replace the O-rings and gaskets, then a loose CAC tube, valve cover leak, injector harness, etc, etc, etc (blame dealer for all of those).
I think its a shortage of good techs and a shortage of good dealers willing to train good techs.
Ive been there. Had a HG issue (blame Ford) but then the block heater was pinched between frame and body and started a fire. Then I lost 5 injectors because the tech refused to replace the O-rings and gaskets, then a loose CAC tube, valve cover leak, injector harness, etc, etc, etc (blame dealer for all of those).
I think its a shortage of good techs and a shortage of good dealers willing to train good techs.
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From: MACON, GA
The OP is about a F-450 as an ambulance. I have a brother in a nursing home in W PA and the nursing home uses an ambulance service with diesels. This trip I will follow up and get make and model. The problem is the diesel engines. When you take a patient in a horizontal or vertical position with a bad exhaust, or diesel fumes, you are torturing a human being. I am going to look into this further. Comes a time when an ambulance service has a responsiblilty to either buy new equipment, change to gas or do something where a confined ill person does not have to barf every time he rides in an ambulance.
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From: None of your business
We didn't have any problems with exhaust in the box, but we did have exhaust in the cab of one of the 04s a while back. Luckily, the last breakdown wasn't much of anything (don't know specificly) as it was back in service quickly. But it's still a major PITA to switch all the equipment into the reserve squad. The engine blow up did leave us stranded with a fairly serious patient on board that had to get transported by another squad.
As far as dealer vs Ford, they are one in the same to me. The dealers represent Ford and Ford should police them more carefully. Often times the only contact one has with Ford is through the dealer.
In any case, our next squad is a GM 4500 with the Duramax. We'll see how it goes as it should be here soon.
Mike
As far as dealer vs Ford, they are one in the same to me. The dealers represent Ford and Ford should police them more carefully. Often times the only contact one has with Ford is through the dealer.
In any case, our next squad is a GM 4500 with the Duramax. We'll see how it goes as it should be here soon.
Mike
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From: None of your business
It's going back to Ford again! Something is leaking from the AC or so they tell us. Some sort of lubricant. They tell us not to use the air, but if I'm not mistaken the AC compressor is on with the heat to dry the air.
Also since it came back from its last hicup we have now been smelling exhaust in the cab during regen.
Let's see what they brake this time!
Also since it came back from its last hicup we have now been smelling exhaust in the cab during regen.
Let's see what they brake this time!
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WOW, sounds like you guys really need a different dealer. I know you view Ford and the dealer as one unit but trust me when I say that couldnt be further from the truth. Ford offers the training and certification courses but its up to the dealer to hire good people and actually send them to the training. If this dealer cant provide any better service than that they dont deserve to be in business. Yes the dealer is a representative of Ford but they are privately owned and operated. They are required to uphold certain standards in order to keep their franchise rights but if Ford doesnt know whats going on they cant change it. Its not like Ford is monitoring every repair from every dealership. I would call Ford direct because this really seems like a bad case of unqualified techs working on your truck/ambulance.
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Go to this site this guy seems to know about the powerstroke engine. POWERSTROKEHELP.COM - The Information Source for Ford Power Stroke Diesel Owners
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From: Florida
Absolutely agree with CAPRANG regarding dealers. It's almost the same as chain restaurants. There are some that just plain suck and although they still sell the same stuff they do it differently under different management.
