If you own a 6.0L Power Stroke engine, you've probably heard some people are griping about high-warranty repair rates. Diesel Power talked to Nick Twork of Ford Motor Company Technology & Powertrain Public Affairs about what exactly is going on and the plan of action. Here's the scoop:
"We have identified unacceptably high-warranty repair rates [with] 6.0L diesel engine-equipped '04 model-year F-Super Duty trucks (F-250/-350/-450/-550), Excursion sport utility vehicles, and E-Series vans (E-350/-450). In the interest of customer satisfaction, Ford is voluntarily conducting a customer service program and safety recall to provide customers engine performance improvements.
"We have continued our focus on improving customer satisfaction with intense efforts to enhance the 6.0L diesel engine performance through various engineering changes to address performance issues. A number of these vehicles may exhibit reduced engine performance, such as rough idle, reduced power, and possibly stalling. Starting in early July, we will begin notifying owners of certain '04 model-year vehicles to have repairs conducted to address wire harness issues.
"The safety recall involves approximately 180,104 (U.S.) '04 F-Series (250/350/450/550) trucks and Excursion sport utility vehicles built from September 29, 2003, through May 31, 2004, as well as E-Series vans (E-350/-450) built from December 9, 2003, through May 28, 2004. Also, approximately 72,798 (U.S.) of the F-Series truck and Excursions built from December 15, 2003, through March 31, 2004, are also a part of a customer satisfaction program to address reduced engine performance.
"We have dedicated significant resources to identify ways to improve the performance of the 6.0L diesel engine. Ford is conducting field service action programs to share these improvements with our customers, and we will continue to implement fixes as appropriate. Ford's existing five-year/100,000-mile warranty on the 6.0L diesel engine will allow dealers to repair the vehicles affected under warranty at no charge to the customer."
If you have any questions about this, you can call Ford's customer service hotline at (800) 392-3673.
"If you really want to listen to Willie Nelson, go buy one of his records and play it in a hybrid."-Daniel Becker, global warming "expert" for the Sierra Club, referring to Willie Nelson's BioWillie, his own blend of biodiesel, to the New York Times.
Willie created it as a pro-farmer/anti-Iraq war statement. Mr. Nelson, we guess no good deed goes unpunished with the Sierra Club.