34 of the
1,154 complaints filed about the Ford Econoline
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
34
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
(2017 THOR VEGAS) NO ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED...YET. WHEN WE TOOK DELIVERY ON 06-22-2017, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER DID NOT WIPE THE DRIVER'S ENTIRE FIELD OF VISION, A SAFETY ISSUE IN A DOWNPOUR. REPAIR WAS ATTEMPTED BY DEALER LEAVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE PARKED 1/3 OF THE WAY UP THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VIEW AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WIPER PARKED OFF THE GLASS (SEE THE ATTACHED PHOTO). THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO THOR AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, AS OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ARE ON FILE. *DT CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED.*JB *DT *TR *DT CONSUMER STATED AFTER INSTALLING THE 28" BLADE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WIPER, THE BLADES ARE PARKED IN THE CORRECT POSITION, BUT THEY ARE STILL COLLIDING ON EVERY OTHER SWIPE. THEY DO NOT COLLIDE IF YOU TEST THEM FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT IN RAIN STORM AFTER RUNNING FOR MORE THAT 5 TO 10 MINUTES THEY START TO COLLIDE. AS I HAVE STATED BEFORE, THE WIPER DRIVE ROD IS JUST SLOPPY. I HAVE NOW GONE TO MY LAST OPTION THAT I MENTIONED BELOW, WHICH IS TO INSTALL A 28" BLADE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE ALSO. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TEST THIS MODIFICATION IN THE RAIN YET. SHORT TERM TEST IS GOOD, BUT THEY NEED TO RUN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO KNOW FOR SURE. THERE ARE THREE IMAGES ATTACHED.
NHTSA complaint #11139071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BELIEVE INEFFECTIVE REPAIRS ARE BEING DONE AND ONLY THE SYMPTOMS ARE BEING TREATED. I HAVE TWO FAILED OIL PUMPS, THREE FAILED WATER PUMPS, A FAILED ALTERNATOR...AND THREE ATTEMPTS TO FIX VARIOUS OIL LEAKS....ALL WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. THE EXHAUST BOLTS THAT WERE PUT ON IN MAY, 2003 WEREN'T EVEN ON IN AUGUST, A COVER THAT GOES UNDER THE RADIATOR FLEW OFF ON THE HIGHWAY...I AM NOW WONDERING WHAT ELSE...IN ADDITION...THERE NEEDS TO BE A CAUSE TO THE CONSTANTLY FAILING WATER PUMPS. THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AC, ETC. FAILURES ARE MINOR IN COMPARISON.
NHTSA complaint #10071142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE FOLLOWING : TIRES (DIRECTIONAL/4 WAY), COURTESY LIGHTS, CRUISE CONTROL, STEERING (NOISE), BRAKES/REAR ANTI-LOCK, SEAT BELTS, SEATS (LOOSE), GAS LEAK, REAR DOOR(S) LEAK/DRIVER SIDE DOOR HINGE, DASH CRACKED, LOOSE RUNNING BOARD, FRONT FENDER (PASSENGER SIDE), ARM ON DRIVER SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN, WIPERS, AND THE IGNITION KEY IS STICKING IN THE START POSITION. (TIRES-COPPER DISCOVER) SCC
NHTSA complaint #10003818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT ENGINE TIMING COVER IS LEAKING COOLANT. HEATER WAS NOT WORKING, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO ENGINE, AND SLOWLY DAMAGING ENGINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE NOW NEEDS A NEW ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #8004956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
COMPANY OWNS 23 VANS. 14 OF THEM ARE FORD ECONOLINES. ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DEFROSTER WHICH COSTS ABOUR $600.00 TO FIX. ALSO, THE REAR HUBCAPS ON THIS VAN KEEPS FALLING OFF BECAUSE THE CLIPS TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE ARE PLASTIC.
NHTSA complaint #9001942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE BRAKES FAILED PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT WERE TOLD BY DEALER THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WAS COMMON FOR ABS BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO FLOOR WHEN SITTING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT HOWEVER THEY DID PLAY WITH PEDAL UNTIL IT CAME UP SEVERAL TRIPS TO DEALER NEVER RESOLVED PROBLEM YET WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER AND COMPLAINED ABOUT BRAKES , TRANSMISSION,STEERING,OUTSIDE RIGHT MIRROR AND SEAT BELT IN MID RIGHT SEAT DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH ANYTHING BUT MIRROR WHICH THEY REPLACED HOWEVER TWO HOURS LATER ANOTHER DEALER SAID SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD ORDER ONE A SECOND DEALER SHORTLY THEREAFTER REPLACED LOOSE LINKAGE IN STEERING, AND REBUILT TRANSMISSION WHICH HAD BURNT OVERDRIVE AND DEFECTIVE PARTS IN LOWER RANGE STILL NO-ONE COULD FIND BRAKE PRBLEM UNTIL CRASH WHEN DEPUTY SHERIFF TESTED BRAKE PEDAL 8 TIMES PUTTING PEDAL TO FLOOR FORD MOTOR CO SAYS THE DEPUTY WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO PERFORM SUCH A TEST AND WILL NOT ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THERE IS AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THAT IS INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE APPARENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABS AS THE MECHANICS STATED THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN WITH THE COMPLAINT
NHTSA complaint #735792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BY SETTING THE MIRROR IN A LOWER POSITION DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE A VEHICLE COMING UP ON THE SIDE OF HIM. WHILE BY SETTING THE MIRROR IN A UPPER POSITION, DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE VEHICLE PARALLEL/ BESIDE HIS VEHICLE. BOTH INCIDENTS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #858456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINDSHIELD CRACKS CAUSED BY ROAD STRESS/VIBRATION. CRACK STARTS FROM ABOUT THE BASE OF ONE WIPER ARM, GOES UP MEANDERING THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE WINDSHIELD, AND THEN WILL FINALLY DROP BACK DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE VICINITY OF THE OTHER WIPER ARM. THIS CRACK DID NOT ORIGINATE FROM A FOREIGN MATERIAL SUCH AS A THROWN ROCK. RUNNING DEFROSTER PROPAGATES THE CRACK. I HAVE SEEN THIS TYPE OF CRACK (WIPER ARM TO WIPER ARM) IN NUMEROUS OTHER FORD VANS (REGULAR, CUTAWAY, AND CLASS C MOTORHOME). THIS TYPE OF CRACK SEEMS TO APPEAR TOO OFTEN AND THEREBY APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY SOME SORT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #713291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS VAN WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEMON IF ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITHIN TWO YEARS. FIRST THE DOOR LOCK FELL OUT, THEN THE REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF, THEN THE WRONG FUSE SIZE HAD BEEN INSTALLED AND THE THE CAR COULD NOT STARTED AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FAILED. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. AFTER THAT ALL THE BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACES THE FOLLOWING YEAR. AFTER THAT THE BRAKES FAILED DUE TO TOO LIGHT A DUTY BRAKE BEING INSTALLED ON A CONVERSION VAN. IN 1998 THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO OUT, IT HAS NOT COMPLETELY GONE OUT YET. IT SHUDDERS ON LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCELERATION. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS PROBABLY THE THRUST CONVERTER. IN JUNE 1999 THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY BECAUSE OF CORROSION. THE CAR PUMP WENT OUT ON A TWO LANE 6% GRADE GOING DOWN HILL CAUSING THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES TO PRACTICALLY FAIL DO TO NO POWER. THE COURTESY LIGHTS HAVE NOW FAILED AND WE ARE UNABLE TO TURN ANY OF THEM ON. WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO THE SHORT. WE WANT FORD TO OFFER TO PAY FOR FIXING THESE ITEMS. THERE ARE MANY SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING ALL OF THESE THINGS.
NHTSA complaint #713211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PLASTIC "THUMB TACKS" ON DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT THAT HOLD THE SEAT CONTROL BUTTONS BROKE OFF. DEALER SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TAKE MY VAN OUT TO THE CONVERSION COM. TO GET IT FIXED. WANTED ME TO DRIVE IT 55 MILES AWAY MYSELF AND GET IT FIXED. THIS WAS ALREADY BROKEN WHEN I BOUGHT THE VAN FROM THE DEALER. ALTHOUGH I FOUND THAT MY KIDS LIKED TO USE IT AS A STEP-LADDER TO GET INTO DRIVER SEAT. THEY WOULD MOVE THE SEAT AROUND TO EASILY WITH THE SEAT BUTTONS STICKING OUT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. I FOUND THIS DANGEROUS. (THIS WAS BEFORE IT BROKE OFF.) I HAVEN'T FIXED THIS MYSELF, I FOUND IT HARD TO SWALLOW THAT THE DEALER COULDN'T GET IT FIXED. THE RADIO/CD PLAYER HOOKED UP IN THE BACK CANNOT BE LISTENED TO BY MORE THEN ONE PERSON DUE TO SURGES FROM THE HEADPHONES PLUGGED INTO THEIR OWN STATIONS. THE DEALER SAID I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THAT TO THE CONVER. COM. TOO, TO GET FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #711861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.