1998 FORD F-150 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE STRAPS THAT SECURE THE FUEL TANK HAD FRACTURED, AND THEN FELL ONTO THE PAVEMENT. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS THOUGH AN OBJECT WAS BEING PULLED ON THE GROUND. THE DRIVER SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAPS. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AND THE FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE CONTACT HAS CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000. UPDATED 10/21/09. *LJ THE TANK SUPPORT STRAP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 10/21/09

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY WHEN I WAS CUTOFF BY ANOTHER CAR ENTERING FROM AN ON RAMP. I HIT THE BRAKES AND SKIDDED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 SECONDS. MY MASTERCRAFT COURSER A/T2 235/75/16 LOST LARGE CHUNKS OF RUBBER FROM THE TREAD. I PURCHASED THESE NEW IN FALL OF 2008. I BELIEVE A SKID FOR ANY LONGER PERIOD OF TIME MAY HAVE RESULTED IN TIRE DEFLATION OR UNRAVELING OF THE TIRE AT 70MPH. DUE TO THE DAMAGE OF MY TIRE I COULD NOT CATCH THE VEHICLE TO REPORT IT TO THE POLICE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A 7 YEAR OLD CHILD ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT STARTING THE ENGINE. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED ONTO THE ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CHILD SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES TO THE ANKLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 111,403.

TODAY WAS AND AVERAGE DAY. I MADE MY WAY ONTO THE HIGHWAY AS I'VE DONE ENDLESS TIMES, SMOOTH SAILING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR SO NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND UPON MY TRAVELS ON THE HIGHWAY. IN LESS THAN 4 SECOND I WAS SHOCKED AS MY VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS FLOATING ODDLY AND SHIFTING TO THE NEXT LANE IN THE REAR END THEN PROCEEDED TO THROW AN ENTIRE SECTION OF MY RIGHT REAR TIRE OUT OF NOWHERE. IT IS A MASTERCRAFT (AKA) COOPER TIRE KNOWN AS THE CT-C, WHICH IS A VERY HEARTY AND (SO I THOUGHT) WELL-MADE ITEM. I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ROUGHLY 15MINUTES OR SO THEN THIS HAPPENED AT A SPEED OF 65MPH AND I WAS LUCKY TO NOT LOSE TOTAL CONTROL ENTIRELY AND CRASH. I DID MY BEST TO HOLD CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND BRING IT TO A SAFE STOP OF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY JUST WHERE AND EXIT WAS. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION IT SEEMS TO ME THE WAY THE TIRE CONVENIENTLY SEPARATED ITSELF, WITH THE SIDEWALLS STILL ON THE WHEEL OF THE TRUCK AND THE ENTIRE TREAD, BANDS AND BELTS ALL CAME OF AND ROCKETED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT DONE BY ROAD DEBRIS. I SAW THIS IN THE QUICK GLIMPSE OF IT LEAVING MY TRUCK, WHICH I CAUGHT IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. I'M REALLY SHAKEN UP ABOUT THIS AND VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT MY OWN WELL BEING AND THAT OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND THOSE WHO RIDE WITH ME. WHAT SHOULD I DO? THIS DOES NOT SEEM LIKE ROAD DAMAGE TO ME, IF I HAD HIT SOMETHING (WHICH UPON SCOURING THE ROAD SURFACE NOTHING WAS FOUND), IT WOULD SEEM THAT MY FRONT TIRE WOULD HAVE HIT SOMETHING 1ST. MY WISH IS TO HAVE ALL 4 TIRES REPLACED (A DIFFERENT BRAND) AT THE COST OF THE MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBLE. MOST IMPORTANTLY I DO NOT WANT ANYONE ELSE TO BE POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF THIS FAILURE, AS I GOT VERY LUCKY! I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANOTHER SERIES OF FIRESTONE DEATHS WITH COOPER TIRES. I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS AND HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO TAKEN TO SHOW THE DAMAGES. SO FAR I HAVE A SPARE TIRE FOR NOW BEING USED BUT I ALSO RETURNED TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE, WHICH THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILED TIRE. *TR

1. PURCHASED AND INSTALLED A REPLACEMENT FRONT LEFT BRAKE ROTOR INCLUDING WHEEL STUDS FOR A 1998 FORD F-150 2 WH DRIVE TRUCK V6. PURCHASED FROM ADVANCED AUTO PARTS, PART NAME WEAREVER BRAKE ROTORYH145240, 41801 00563 6. INCLUDED STUDS ON ROTOR ARE IDENTIFIED ON HEAD W726, THEY ARE 12 MILLIMETER THREADS AND APPROXIMATELY 2.25" LONG. 2. FAILURE, WHILE INSTALLING WHEEL TWO STUDS SNAPPED AND BROKE IN TWO AT JUST 60 FOOT POUNDS TORQUE. NUTS WERE TIGHTENED WITH A TORQUE WHENCH IN PROPER SEQUENCE. OBSERVED BOTH STUDS BROKE AT APPROXIMATELY 1.1" FROM TOP OF HEAD OF STUD AND THERE APPEARS TO BE A CAVITY (VOID) OF ABOUT 75% OF THE STEEL FROM THE CENTER OUT WITH ONLY THE RIM (NEAR THREADS) WITH SOLID METAL. 3. REMOVED AND REPLACED BROKEN STUDS WITH THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT STUDS FROM THE OLD ROTOR. THE DEFECTIVE STUDS ARE SECURED AND AVAILABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXCESSIVELY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS IF METAL WAS DRAGGING ACROSS THE ROAD. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED. THE DRIVER OBSERVED THAT THE FUEL TANK BRACKETS AND FUEL TANK WERE DETACHED; HOWEVER, THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TEMPORARILY REPAIRED. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT PERFORMED A PERMANENT REPAIR ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEFECTIVE PARTS FROM THE VEHICLE ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 132,000. UPDATED 071009.*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE HEARD TWO LOUD BANGS 5 MINUTES APART AS IF SOMETHING HAD FALLING OFF THE BED OF THE TRUCK. THEN HE HEARD A DRAGGING NOISE OUTSIDE THE TRUCK. UPDATED 07/10/09.*JB

OVERHEAD INTERIOR LIGHTS WONT SHUT OFF AND ALSO BACK BED LIGHT, HAVE TO SLAM DOOR SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE LIGHT WILL GO OUT. *TR

BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, DROVE TRUCK IN TOWN AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, THEN WOULD NOT TURN OVER NEXT DAY, RADIATOR COOLANT IN CYLINDERS, NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, ENGINE OIL OK, COOLANT LEVEL OK. TRUCK WAS RUNNING FINE THEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLEND DOOR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SWINGS VERTICALLY, WHICH PREVENTS HEAT AND/OR AIR TO CIRCULATE PROPERLY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WOULD COST $700 TO REPLACE THE COMPONENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 05/13/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER, HEATER AND DEFROSTER WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. UPDATED 05/13/09.*JB