Anyone have (or heard of) an incorrectly small radiator in an Expedition, or is this strictly an F-150 problem? Please post here and/or email me details at jwright@law.harvard.edu, all information will be used only in connection with legal action.

-- Jim

 

Dave XP, I saw your post in the primary Wrong Radiators thread, please email me ASAP - I need to verify that your Expedition has the wrong radiator as soon as possible.

-- Jim

 

Jim,

What's the deal here? Are you trying to HELP everyone here by finding THE CORRECT SOLUTION to the problem, or are you just seeking some sort of legal action??? It seems to me that you're trying to pursue this as a class action suit (i.e. 1999 Cobra fiasco) when there may be a solution from Dearborn on its way - just look at the number of fixed radiators that have been showing up lately.

 

Some do some don't. My parts guy called Ford and they told him it is the correct rad for my truck. The rep then refused to authorize replacement.???? As far as "on its way" Not only did the rep fail to call me, but the complaint I placed with Fords 1-800 number went unanswered. Nobody said we are working on it, they said NO. I'm with Jim, any Expedition owners out there with the wrong rad?

------------------
2001 Lariat Screw. Gen.3,
5.4, 4x4, All white w/ gray interior. 4r70w tranny, no problems yet,
wrong radiator, 3.55 gears

 

Whitengray,

Please note that there are MANY different departments WITHIN Ford Motor Company. When your dealer stated he called "Ford", I wouldn't take that as calling a completely reliable source. He could have contacted the hotline, district rep, or a field service engineer - none of which has the latest, up-to-date information. Ford is a HUGE company, and finding just the right person to determine that this WAS, in fact, a misbuild takes a bit of time. (A company like Ford with 250,000 employees is NOT a good example of being "nimble." GM is even worse.) Unfortunately, the dealers do not have the connections to speak with the engineers directly, which IS THE PROBLEM here. We need to know WHAT BELONGS in the trucks from the person who signed off on the cooling system.

I've been through a situation like this before - my F-150 is a replacement for a 1999 Cobra that Ford corporate bought back from me in early 2000. Nothing has happened with the lawsuit that is still pending on the Cobras, nor do I believe that anything major will result from it. These type of petty LAWSUITS do nothing more than put money in the pockets of the attorneys and put a stop to determining the root cause of the problem.

For your information, I too called my dealer early last week, but I haven't heard anything from them since. So, I contacted the 1-800-392-FORD number and reported the problem. I never expected anything from them - they're just receptionists with access to a database.

My advice is to be patient. Trust me - there IS a solution. It just needs to come from DEARBORN first (not the field service engineers)! There are NUMEROUS engineers at Ford that monitor this board (and the others - i.e. Corral, BON, etc.) If there is a problem, it gets heard.

------------------
VENOM 99

• Y2K F-150 SuperCab XLT 4x4
• 5.4L, 4R70W, 3.55LS ORP, Trailer Tow
• Extang BlackMax tonneau
• BedRug
• Alpine CDM-7857 CD/Receiver
• Cobra 18 WX ST Weatherband CB Radio
• envious of those with the chrome steel 5-spoke factory wheels

 

Many people who have asked have been denied radiators by their dealers. Your solution to them is what exactly - just pray that someone changes their mind? My own dealer has been jerking me around for over a month now. On top of this, hundreds of thousands of other owners would never know about this problem if noone forces Ford to do something about it. Do you think they should be denied what they paid for because they don't read this board?

Either way, you've posted your opinion on me, what I'm doing, and lawyers before, and I'm not going to debate this with you - if you have the wrong radiator, and don't believe in making Ford do the morally right and legal thing, don't take a new one when it is offered to you. For my part, I feel very good about forcing Ford to do the right thing here, and that is exactly what I am doing.

-- Jim

 

Ford has also pulled some nonsense on the Super Duty trucks as well. This affected a portion of the SD line with V-10 and PSD engines. Some of them, my V-10 4x4 included, DID NOT have the transmission cooler in the radiator, just an external air to air cooler. The truck was supposed to have both coolers as standard equipment. Some people have had problems with getting the trans. cooler in the radiator, which requires a new radiator and lines. Some of the dealers want to see an overheated transmission, ie. fried transmission, before they will do any repair.
The best part is, I ordered HD towing and snowplow prep packages to be able to USE the truck. My dealer did the "upgrade" without any problems. Others haven't been as lucky. The point is, you guys aren't alone with this radiator shortchange by Ford.



[This message has been edited by WWBF150 (edited 04-05-2001).]

 

Jim,
When I measured the thickness I used a stick without peeling back the shroud. I got about 1" when I expected 2". After hearing other Expys had the 1.42" I did a better measurement and got about the 1.4". Sorry but I made an incorrect statement. At least I got what should be good enough to tow.

------------------
'01 EB Expy 4x4, 5.4L, 3.55LS w/tow pkg, 4 Wheel Air Suspension, Moonroof

 

Thanks Dave, I needed to confirm that this was strictly an F-150 problem. Interesting that you have the 1.42" though. The sourcebook for the Expedition lists the 1.02" for standard cooling and the 2.2" for Super Cooling, but here they might make a plausible argument for spec change since you still got a much bigger one than the standard unit.

-- Jim