2003 FORD F-150 Complaints

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 FORD F 150, TRITON V8 FROM A LOCAL REPUTABLE DEALER. IT IS IN FOR REPAIRS DUE TO ENGINE CONCERNS. IN RESEARCHING THE TRITON V8 I FIND THAT I AM NOT ALONE AND THERE IS A CONCERN WITH BLOWING SPARK PLUGS OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD. I WANT TO DOCUMENT MY PROBLEM AT THIS POINT SO IF THE NEED TO LEGALLY SEEK REPAIRS I HAVE A PAPER TRAIL. AT THIS POINT I AM TOLD THAT THE REPAIR WILL BE $550.00, BUT IN READING OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS I SEE THAT MOST BEGAN THE SAME WAY. *TR

MY FORD F150 SUPER CREW HAS A RECURRING PROBLEM IN THAT IT CONTINUOUSLY BLOWS A CERTAIN 5 AMP FUSE. THIS FUSE DISABLES THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND THE OVERDRIVE SYSTEM. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE FUSE AND CHARGED ME $52.50. THEY DID NOT FIX ANYTHING. I FOUND AN IDENTICAL COMPLAINT ON YOUR WEBSITE FROM NOV 30, 2008.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150 4X4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE FWD ENGAGEMENT GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PLACE WHEN DRIVING IN ICY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ACTUATOR FOR THE GEAR SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000. UPDATED 02/09/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 05/06/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150 4WD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE OVER SNOW AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT THEN ENGAGED THE ACCELERATED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE BUT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,200.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND NOT IN USE. OWNER RETURNED HOME WHILE AWAY WITH HIS SON TO FIND THAT VEHICLE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE EXTENT OF FIRE WAS THE FRONT ENGINE AREA. VEHICLE WAS USED NIGHT BEFORE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT.

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. I HEARD A POP. THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS SPARK PLUG SHOT OUT OF THE ENGINE. IT COMPLETELY RIPPED THE THREADS OUT WITH IT. UPON DOING RESEARCH ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ONCE THEIR FORD HITS 100,000 MILES. MY 2003 FORD F150 V8 4.6L HAS 103,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 F150 THAT HAS 135K MILES. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAVE HAD NO MAJOR ISSUES UNTIL TODAY. I AM IN THE NAVY AND WAS DRIVING INTO WORK FOR DUTY WHEN MY SPARK PLUG WAS EJECTED FROM MY ENGINE. THE EXPLOSION WAS SO GREAT THAT IT BROKE THE COIL PACK IN THREE PIECES AND WHEN I PULLED OVER IN INVESTIGATE THE NOISE I TURNED ON THE ENGINE WITH THE HOOD OPEN TO SEE THE SPARK COIL ACROSS THE PORT WHERE THE PLUG HAD BEEN AND IT WAS SPARKING (IT'S A WONDER THAT IT DIDN'T CATCH THE VAPORS ON FIRE FRON THE CYLINDER) THE PLUG ALSO SEVERED ONE OF THE VACCUUME HOSES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN TOWN AND THE MECHANINC TOLD ME THAT WAS NORMAL FOR TRUCKS OVER 100K MILES, AND THAT THEY WOULD 'START POPPING OUT LIKE POPCORN'. THIS SEEMS OUTRAGOUS! I TRIED TO FIX IT MYSELF BUT NOW AM HAVING TO CONCEDE TO LETTING FORD DO THE WORK SINCE THEY HAVE THE REPLACEMENT KIT ( "BECAUSE THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS" - THEIR OWN WORDS). THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE! PLEASE FORCE FORD TO DO A RECALL. *TR

2003 FORD F150 BURNS WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY - TOTAL LOSS - STARTS IN ENGINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150 PICKUP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOCATION OF THE SEAT BELT WAS POORLY DESIGNED AND WAS PLACED IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. HE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT CAUSING THE SEAT BELT HOLDING MECHANISM TO JAM IN HIS SIDE AND TIGHTEN AROUND HIS SHOULDERS AND LAP. THIS CAUSED INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT LEG, RIGHT HIP AND LOWER BACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE SORRY FOR HIS LOST AND HE SHOULD HAVE HIS LAWYER CONTACT THEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150 PICKUP. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO ASSIST AND ADVISED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PART OF THE UTILITY BUILDING, THE CARPORT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN, ALL OF ITS CONTENTS AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 88,000. UPDATED 11/15/10. *LJ UPDATED 11/19/10.*LJ UPDATED 11/26/10