Powerstroke 7.3 diesel. The camshaft positioning sensor (cps) failure is a serious problem that Ford will have to deal with. I have had three instances of the unit failing on me since this first one on Dec 13th, 2007. In the first case, I was taking my son to school. The van was sputtering the whole way and I eventually had to have it towed to a repair shop after a complete engine failure. Ford had just issued the recall on Dec 6th, 2007, and they honored the repair. The second cps incident happened on Feb 23rd, 2010. The vehicle would not start; I had it towed to a repair shop after getting a parking ticket. I cannot find proof that Ford honored the repair. The 3rd cps incident happened on Sunday Feb 27th, 2011, one year after the 2nd incident. I was in flagstaff, AZ during a snowstorm, and the vehicle was failing on me on route 66. It stalled twice on the main highway as the snowplows whipped around me. I got back to where I was staying, and waited until Monday morning when I had it towed to a repair shop and had the cps unit replaced. This engine is unsafe and unreliable. The cps unit can fail at anytime, anywhere, and maybe at any speed, though my issues were at low speed or at startup. Ford will not honor this latest incident because they say after my first replacement in Dec 2007 that my "case was closed in 2007".

- Long Beach, CA, USA

E-350 with 68,000 miles #1 sparkplug blowout from cylinder head March 2002 same motor with 183,000 #7 sparkplug blowout from cylinder head same motor with 288,849 #3 sparkplug blowout from cylinder head.

- Aberdeen, SD, USA

Original owner of 1998 Ford E350 extended-length XLT. At the time of the incident, the car had about 98,000 miles. I was at a stop light, the light turned green and I proceeded through the intersection. I couldn't have been doing more than 15 mph. I heard a loud bang and then the van started to make a loud noise. I put the van in neutral and coasted through the intersection. I had the van towed to butterfield Ford. They told me that the spark plug had blown out of the cylinder, plug coil broke in half, cracked the head. Ford would repair the van but would not offer me a warranty for the work done. So, I had the van towed to a local mechanic who repaired the van (refurbished engine) for $4,500 and they gave me a 100,000 mile warranty on the engine.

- Mesquite, NV, USA

1998 Ford XLT E350 spark plugs blew out on engine. Upon starting the car it made a horrible rocket. It blew the spark plug out of the hood. Consumer sent a few internet articles concerning this problem. Ford engine-spark plug defect.

- Los Osos, CA, USA