2003 FORD F-150 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT OBSERVED A DEFECT WITH THE TIRE SOCKET WRENCH. THE WRENCH WAS EQUIPPED WITHIN THE VEHICLE TO ASSIST WITH TIRE REPAIRS; HOWEVER, IT WAS TOO SMALL TO LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS THAT SECURED THE SPARE TIRE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE LEVEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000. UPDATED 04/24/09.*JB

SIMILAR TO OTHER COMPLAINT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY 4 WHEEL DRIVE WAS NOT ENGAGING WHEN I TURN IT ON USING THE SWITCH ON THE DASH. MY INDEPENDENT EXCELLENT MECHANIC (I WOULD NEVER USE THE FORD DEALER HERE) FOUND THAT A WIRE ON THE TRANSMISSION CASE HAD BEEN SIMPLY DISCONNECTED. HE RECONNECTED IT - NO CHARGE. WORKS FINE. P.S. I TEST THE OPERATION EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW TO MAKE SURE IT IS WORKING JUST IN CASE I NEED IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WORKED SPORADICALLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE VACUUM SWITCH, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE VACUUM DIAPHRAGM MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SHIFTING FORK CONTROL. AFTER THE REPAIR, THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 3/11/09 *CN UPDATED 03/13/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE DASHBOARD CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT HEARD A SIZZLING NOISE EVERY TIME THE INDICATOR WAS USED. SHE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH A CUP OF TEA AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 58,000.

WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOWSTORM THE SHIFTING FORK ON THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL BROKE DISENGAGING THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL. I HAVE FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW AND THAT FORD HAS REDESIGNED THIS SHIFTING FORK. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN NEXT TO ME WHEN THE FORK BROKE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY 2003 FORD F-150 WITH 5.4 TRITON ENGINE SPIT OUT THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THE SAME PLUG. FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS REFUSED TO EVEN DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH ME, SAYING THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH ITS PRODUCT! *TR

MY 2003 FORD F150 TRUCK HAS A RECURRING PROBLEM IN THAT IT CONTINUOUSLY BLOWS A CERTAIN 5 AMP FUSE. I WAS TOLD BY A TECHNICIAN AT THE FORD AUTHORIZED SERVICE WHERE I HAVE MY SERVICE WORK DONE THAT HE HAS SEEN ABOUT 10 OF THESE CASES. THE PROBLEM IS A COWL LEAK THAT ALLOWS WATER ON AN ELECTRONIC MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE DASH. THE FUSE WILL BLOW PREDICTABLY 2 TO 3 DAYS AFTER A RAIN OR WASH. THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES ARE: 1. THE BLOWN FUSE DISABLES THE FEATURE THAT AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON THE HEADLIGHTS & TAILLIGHTS THEREBY BECOMING AN ACCIDENT RISK PARTICULARLY WHEN THE DRIVER HAS BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF THE LIGHTS; 2. THE BLOWN FUSE DISABLES THE FEATURE THAT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS ALL OF THE VEHICLES DOORS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE THEREBY EXPOSING THE OCCUPANTS TO CARJACKING AND OTHER PERSONAL DANGERS; 3. THE BLOWN FUSE DISABLES THE PUSHBUTTON CONTROL FOR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE WHICH COULD POSE A HAZARD IN SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS OR DRIVING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. BASED ON THESE INDISPUTABLE SAFETY HAZARDS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES SUBJECT TO THIS CONDITION AND REPAIR/REPLACE AS NECESSARY TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF THESE HAZARDS. *TR

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE - FAILURE OF ELECTRONIC HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WHILE BRAKING A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65-70 MPH WHEN A CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD STARTED TO PULL ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ONLY ABOUT 200 FEET AWAY FROM THE CAR SO I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES - IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO STOP PULLING OUT SO I LET GO OF THE BRAKES FOR A SECOND BUT THEN THE OTHER DRIVE DID PULL RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND THE CAR BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. ONLY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS A COLLISION AVOIDED. THE LIGHT NEVER TURNED OFF, AND THE BRAKES BEHAVE ERRATICALLY. A FRIEND IS A MECHANIC WHO USED A SNAP-ON SOLUS DIAGNOSTIC TOOL WHICH SHOWS THE ABS DHCU SEES THE CAR MOVING AT 3-4 MPH WHILE PARKED, THE SYSTEM OFF, BUT WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR IT APPLIES THE ABS SYSTEM WHILE SLOWING BELOW ABOUT 5MPH UNDER NORMAL DRIVING (LIKE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT) INCREASING THE STOPPING DISTANCE CONSIDERABLY. THE MODULE DOES NOT RESPOND TO RESET ATTEMPTS, AND REPAIR IS BY REPLACEMENT ONLY. THE CAR IS A SPECIAL PRODUCTION FORD F150 LIGHTNING, WITH A DHCU SPECIFIC TO THE LIGHTNING EDITION. REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE IS ABOUT $700 PLUS LABOR. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 16,000 MILES ON IT, ABOUT 15,500 WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. *TR

I BOUGHT A USED 2003 FORD F150 IN AUGUST 2007. WITHIN THE FIRST 2 MONTHS THE GEM MODULE WAS REPLACED AS THERE EXISTS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE SEATING OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE SEAL. AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON A RAINY DAY, THE BLOWER FAN IS GOING, THE WINDOWS ARE GOING UP AND DOWN, AND THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE ALL FREAKING OUT. AS I PULL OVER AND REMOVE MY KEY FROM THE TRUCK, THE PROBLEM DOES NOT STOP. AND NOW THE TRUCK WON'T RESTART. AGAIN, THE GEM MODULE. WHICH FORD WILL NOT REPLACE ALONG WITH THE LEAKY WINDSHIELD SEAL. BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THERE EXISTS NO PROBLEM OF THE BEHALF OF THE MANUFACTURER. SEE: HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/FORD-F-150/TAA9DVMDG7RO706EI#LASTPOST. I AM AFRAID THAT EVEN IF I WERE TO PAY TO HAVE THE GEM MODULE REPLACED (AGAIN) AND THE WINDSHIELD RESEALED (AGAIN) THAT I WILL BE DRIVING ALL OF MY CHILDREN DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRUCK JUST DECIDES TO ELECTRONICALLY FAIL IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAUSES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. PERHAPS THIS DESIGN FLAW SHOULD BE AN ISSUE FOR IMMEDIATE RECALL. *TR

IN APRIL 2008 THE BATTERY WAS DEAD ON THE TRUCK. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND TRUCK STILL WOULD NOT START. AFTER WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK STARTED IT WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT REMAINED FOR 2-3 WEEKS. SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE CLUSTER ($700.00) WAS BAD AND REPLACED IT. (WE HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD BY OTHER MECHANICS, IF THE CLUSTER WAS BAD WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO START THE TRUCK, SO WHY WAS IT REPLACED.) THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT BACK HOME AND THE NEXT TIME IT RAINED THE BATTERY WAS AGAIN DEAD. AGAIN TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THIS TIME THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS LEAKING AROUND THE WINDOW GASKET ($100) AND REPLACED THIS. 2 MONTHS LATER ANOTHER RAIN AND AGAIN A DEAD VEHICLE. TRUCK WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT REMAINED ANOTHER 2 WEEKS. AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS AND COMPLAINTS IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND NEEDED TO CALL THE MAIN TECHNICIANS. WE STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND KEEP IT IN THE GARAGE. TRUCK CAN'T BE DRIVEN IF THERE IS ANY HINT OF RAIN BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO END UP STRANDED. WE LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY AND THIS IS THE SECOND TRUCK, SAME MODEL AND YEAR, THAT WE KNOW OF IN OUR AREA THAT IS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS SOME ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN THESE VEHICLES AS IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LIMITED TO A FEW. THIS TRUCK ONLY HAS 37, 000 MILES ON IT AND IS A COMPLETE WASTE TO HAVE UNLESS WE LIVED IN THE DESERT. I THINK ALL FORD OWNERS NEED TO BAN TOGETHER AND SUE FORD FOR AGGRAVATION AND NON FUNCTIONAL VEHICLES. NEVER AGAIN WILL I WASTE MY TIME BUYING A FORD VEHICLE. *TR