2003 FORD F-150 Complaints

I SAW ON THE NEWS THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING RUSTED OUT FUEL TANK STRAPS ON THE FORD F 150 PICKUP TRUCK, MODEL YEARS 1997 - 2001. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE REAR STRAP FAILED ON MY 2003 F 150 LAST YEAR. I PAID TO HAVE THE STRAPS REPLACED. THE NEW STRAPS WERE FORD PARTS AND WERE STAINLESS STEEL, UNLIKE THE ORIGINALS. *TR

DRIVING ON I-95 IN FLORIDA, WHEN I EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK SWERVED SIDE TO SIDE ALMOST RESULTING IN A CRASH. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE TRUCK AND BRING IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I DISCOVERED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. IT WAS COOPER TIRE DISCOVERER H/T 265/70R17. SO FAR, COOPER TOOK MY INFORMATION AND IS GOING TO SEND PAPERWORK ON THE DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD CONTINUE TO ILLUMINATE EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE BEGAN TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK WITHIN THE DOOR PANELS AND WINDSHIELD. DUE TO THE LEAK, WATER WAS GETTING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE WIRING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 05/13/11 *BF

I BOUGHT A 2003 FORD F150 WITH A 4.6L TRITON V8 ENGINE , WHILE DRIVING IT STARTED MAKING A POPPING NOISE, LIKE A MINI BACKFIRE. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY FOUND THE COIL PACK ON THE #3 CYLINDER WAS MELTED. THEY REPLACED THE COIL PACK, AND WE DROVE DOWN THE ROAD TO TEST DRIVE THE TRUCK, WITHIN 2 MILES THE POPPING NOISE RETURNED, BUT EVEN LOUDER THIS TIME. WE GOT IT LIMPED BACK TO THE SHOP, AND HAD TO LET IT COOL DOWN OVERNIGHT, SO THE MECHANIC COULD INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. HE HAD A TIME GETTING THE MELTED "BRAND NEW" COIL PACK OUT OF THE SPARK PLUG RECESS IN THE ENGINE HEAD, AND AN EQUALLY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE SPARK PLUG ITSELF OUT OF THE HOLE. APPARENTLY THE PLUG HAD COME LOOSE IN THE SHORT THREADED ALUMINUM HEAD, THEN THE COIL PACK MELTED AROUND THE PLUG SEALING IT IN PLACE , AND THE ENGINE BURNT A HOLE THE SIZE OF A PENCIL RIGHT THROUGH THE ALUMINUM HEAD NEXT TO THE SPARK PLUG HOLE. THE COIL PACK WAS STILL PUTTING OUT SPARK, BUT NOT TO THE PLUG, AS THE BOOT THAT HELD IT ON THE PLUG WAS GONE, IT WAS JUST SPARKING AGAINST THE SIDES OF THE RECESS IN THE HEAD. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE EITHER CAUGHT FIRE OR BLOWN UP, I GUESS THAT IS LUCKY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT SO NICE FOR ME WITH THE REPAIRS STARTING AT $2600 TO REPLACE THE HEADS ON THE SAME ENGINE, OR PUT IN A USED ENGINE IF WE CAN FIND ONE FOR $3900, OR PUT IN A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE FOR $5200, THAT HAS SUPPOSEDLY HAS ADDRESSED THE ISSUE WITH THESE FORD ENGINES BLOWING OUT SPARK PLUGS. FORD SAYS THERE ISN'T AN ISSUE, BUT THEY'VE CREATED A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM THAT DOESN'T EXIST?? WHAT TO DO NOW WITH MY WORTHLESS PILE OF METAL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY , I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX? BUILT FORD TOUGH ?? AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, SIMPLY GOOGLE "FORD TRITON SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT" , AND YOU'LL FIND THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FOLKS LIKE ME DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE , AND FORD CONTINUES TO DENY IT'S A PROBLEM, WHY? *TR

ON MY 2003 FORD F-150 XLT REGULAR CAB, SHORT WIDE BED PICK-UP I NOTICED A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED FOR A SHORT PERIOD THEN WENT OFF AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES. SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD SHUT OFF THE ENGINE THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT AND NOT REAPPEAR AGAIN FOR A FEW DAYS TO WEEKS. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT STAYED ON. THIS TIME I ALSO NOTED THAT AFTER I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF I COULD STILL HEAR WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE SOUND OF SMALL ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND DETERMINED THE NOISE WAS ORIGINATING FROM THE ABS BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. I FELT THE MODULE AND IT WAS WARM. I PHONED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SOMETIMES IF THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED THE MODULE WILL RESET ITSELF. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY FOR A MOMENT THEN RECONNECTED IT AND THE ABS BRAKE MODULE LIGHT ON THE DASH WENT OFF SO I ASSUMED IT HAD RESET ITSELF AND WAS NOW OK. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK FOR APPROX 1 1/2 WEEKS WITH NO TROUBLE THEN SUDDENLY THE ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH AGAIN CAME ON. AS BEFORE WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE THE NOISE UNDER THE HOOD OF A SMALL ELECTRIC MOTOR RUNNING WAS AGAIN HEARD. THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH AND A HOT SMELL WAS NOTED ALSO. I VISITED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACED AT A PRICE OF SOMEWHERE AROUND $700.00 UP TO POSSIBLY $1200.00 SINCE WHEN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE GOES BAD THEN THE HYDRAULIC PORTION OF THIS SYSTEM IS LIKELY ALSO BAD. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 68500 MILES, LOOKS LIKE NEW, AND HAS BEEN TREATED EXTREMELY GENTLY SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 2003. *TR

THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN (> 75 MPH). CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON. THE BREAK WAS EFFECTIVE AT MITIGATING INCREASING SPEED UNTIL THE VEHICLE COULD BE STOPPED SAFELY ON THE SIDE OF HWY 85S. DISTANCE TRAVELED WITH UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES. PRIOR TO STOPPING AND TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, AN ATTEMPT TO PUT THE ENGINE IN NEUTRAL WHILE SPEEDING WAS FRUITLESS -- THE ENGINE RACED TO MAXIMUM RPM WHEN PUT IN NEUTRAL. FOR FEAR I WOULD BLOW THE ENGINE, I PUT THE TRANSMISSION BACK INTO "DRIVE" AND CONTINUED TAMPING ON MY BREAKS TO CONTROL MY SPEED. HEAVY BREAKING WAS UTILIZED ONCE I WAS IN SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE ENGINE MULTIPLE TIMES, EACH TIME WITH THE SAME RESULT - - THE ENGINE RED-LINED AT MAXIMUM RPMS. I CONTACTED AAA FOR ROADSIDE SERVICE. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A RALEIGH FORD DEALER. THE FORD DEALER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE RED-LINED AT MAXIMUM RPMS. THEY TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND INSPECTED THE ENGINE. THEY FOUND A PLASTIC COVER FOR THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY HAD COME LOOSE AND LODGED ITSELF IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PUT TENSION ON THE THROTTLE CABLE/LEVER. A SAFETY CLIP THAT HOLDS THE COVER IN PLACE WAS MISSING. THEY RE-SECURED THE COVER WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SAFETY CONNECTOR, AND THEN RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS NORMAL. THE FORD DEALER REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE ON A MUSTANG, BUT NOT OF F-150. THE FORD DEALER REPRESENTATIVE TRIED TO DOWN-PLAY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INCIDENT -- AS IF IT WAS "NO BIG DEAL". THEY DID NOT OPEN A SERVICE WORK ORDER TO DOCUMENT THE ISSUE OR REPAIR. THE TOLD ME THERE WAS "NO CHARGE" FOR THE SERVICE.

NOTHING CAUSED THIS FAILURE OTHER THAN FACTORY DEFECT. I PROBLEM I HAVE HAD IS THE SPARKPLUG BLOW OUT OF MY VEHICLES CYLINDERS IT HAS HAPPENED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. LEAVING ME STRANDED. ALSO ALL 3 TIMES I HAVE HAD TO BUY NEW SPARK COILS AND SPARK PLUGS, THIS LAST TIME IT RUINED THE TREADS IN THE BLOCK COSTING OVER $800 TO REPAIR. I DO HAVE THE OLD PARTS *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND EASILY TURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. ONCE THE VEHICLE BEGAN STEERING TOWARDS THE LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE FAILURE CEASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V349000 (STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN MY 2003 F 150 AND HEARD A KIND OF TAPPING NOISE AND STRONG VIBRATIONS COMING FROM ENGINE.. PULLED OVER AND HAD TRUCK TOWED TO MY HOUSE... AS A FRIEND OF MINE IS A MECHANIC HE CAME OVER AND HAD ME START THE TRUCK... AS I DID SO THE #3 SPARK PLUG SHOT OUT OF THE ENGINE AND BOUNCED OFF THE HOOD.... I STARTED TO RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF REPORTS ABOUT THE FORD F150'S DOING THIS EXACT SAME THING AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO COME FROM THE #3 PLUG... SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SPENT 100'S OF DOLLARS TO UPGRADE AT THE DEALERSHIPS... ONLY 3 THREAD ON MY HEAD AND ALL TRUCKS NOW HAVE 7 THREADS... WHY DID FORD CHANGE IT? MUST HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS LIL PROBLEM....*TR

LEFT DEALERSHIP AFTER LO-JACK INSTALLATION. ENTERED TRAFFIC LANE AND BEGAN LIGHTLY BRAKING FOR APPROACHING SIGNAL. I FELT TWO FORWARD SURGES AND THEN INCREASINGLY RAPID ACCELERATION. I CHECKED REAR VIEW MIRROR AND THEN PRESSED ON BRAKES WITH THE SOUND OF THE RACING TURBO CHARGED ENGINE FILLING THE CAB. I THEN MOVED THE GEAR OUT OF DRIVE AND IN MY HASTE SAW I HAD IT BETWEEN REVERSE AND PARK. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO NEUTRAL AND THEN THE SOUND SUBSIDED. THE ENTIRE ACCELERATION INCIDENT LASTED LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. THE TRUCK WAS IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP AND THEN REPORTED INCIDENT TO THE MANUFACTURER.