2003 FORD F-150 Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENTIRE FRONT WINDSHIELD GLASS SLIPPED OUT OF PLACE WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. ALTHOUGH THE WINDSHIELD GLASS BECAME DISLODGED FROM THE MOLDING, THE GLASS DID NOT CRACK OR BREAK. THE GLASS RESTED BETWEEN THE HOOD SLIT AND THE GLASS MOLDING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTACTED A GLASS COMPANY IN REFERENCE TO THE ISSUE. THE GLASS COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REINSTALLED THE WINDSHIELD GLASS WITH NEW GLUE AROUND THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING. UPDATED 3/17/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON DRY FREEWAY ROADS, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN IT WAS PRESSED. THE ENGINE REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE ROSE, BUT THE VEHICLE SPEED DID NOT GO BEYOND 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER FIVE TIMES, EACH TIME WITH A DIFFERENT PART BEING REPLACED TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS NOT MANAGED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE FIRST TIME HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT ROTORS CHANGED DUE TO AN ACCUMULATION OF RUST. THE SECOND TIME HAD TO THE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED ON THE REAR BECAUSE OF RUST. THIS LAST TIME THE DEALERSHIP URGED THE CONTACT HE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS CHANGED DUE TO RUST ON THE ROTORS. *AK

AMERISTAR TIRES!! ARE THEY GOOD TIRES? MY OPINION IS NO, NO, NO! I HAVE 16,000 MILES OF GRANNY-LIKE DRIVING ON MY 2003 FORD F-150, WITH THE ORIGINAL AMERISTAR TIRES PROVIDED STOCK ON MY TRUCK. WE DON'T GET THAT MUCH RAIN IN CALIFORNIA BUT EVERY TIME IT DOES RAIN I NOTICE THAT I HAVE TO DRIVE EVEN MORE CAUTIOUSLY THAN I EVER HAVE. I SLIDE ALL OVER THE PLACE EVEN WHEN THE TIRES WERE BRAND NEW. WELL TODAY I MERGED ONTO THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WAS PASSING ME IN THERE LITTLE TINY CARS AT 75 MPH. I HIT A PUDDLE AND THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE. I SLID ACROSS 4 LANES AND SMASHED INTO THE CENTER DIVIDE. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CAR MANUFACTURERS AND JUST ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE CUTTING CORNERS TO SAVE A BUCK AND RISKING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, MINE WAS IN THE CAR, AND CONSUMERS. I HAVE ALREADY READ THAT AMERISTAR TIRES ARE FALLING APART ANYWAY AND FORD SHOULD RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND REPLACE THOSE GARBAGE TIRES WITH SOMETHING BETTER. NOW, AFTER I HAVE JUST ABOUT KILLED MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION. PLEASE HELP!!! I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE DONE TO MY TRUCK AND MY HIGHER INSURANCE RATES BECAUSE OF A CHEAP PRODUCT. "AW HE'S PROBABLY A BAD DRIVER." YOU SAY, WELL I HAVE DRIVEN THOUSANDS OF MILES IN TRUCKS IN RAINY, SNOWY WEATHER AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH HYDROPLANING. GET RID OF YOUR AMERISTAR TIRES RIGHT AWAY IF YOU LIVE IN RAINY AREAS. *JB

TRUCK WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT (NO PROBLEMS). NEXT MORNING, I STARTED THE TRUCK. IT SOUNDED LIKE A LAWNMOWER TRYING TO START WITH A LOUD "POPPING" NOISE. SMELT RAW GAS VAPORS COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. TOOK TO FORD TO FIX. THEY QUOTED ME $3200 REPAIR JOB BY REPLACING A CYLINDER HEAD. I REFUSED AND TOOK TO A (FARTHER AWAY) TRUSTWORTHY MECHANIC TO PUT A THREAD INSERT INTO SPARK PLUG HOLE AND USE A HELICOI FOR APPROX $400. FORD REFUSED TO DO THREAD INSERT REPAIR, AND WANTED TO SELL ME SAME PART THAT BROKE IN THE FIRST PLACE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WINDSHIELD LEAKED. AS A RESULT OF THE LEAK THE VEHICLE SUFFERED ELECTRICAL DAMAGE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WAS BEING REPAIRED ALONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. HE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FORD, AND THEY OFFERED NO FREE SOLUTION. *AK

2003 F-150 WITH 5.4L TRITON ENGINE. 54K MILES, EXPERIENCING RIGHT CYLINDER HEAD GASKET LEAK. FORD HAS TSB 02227 CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. TRUCK HAD 36K WARRANTY. THE COSTLY REPAIRS ARE NOT COVERED BY FORD. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT IN WHICH THE PARTS AND LABOR IS COVERED. I HAVE RESEARCHED WITH OTHER OWNERS ON THE INTERNET WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES. I ALSO BELIEVE THERE MAYBE A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE LEAKING OIL DRIPS ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. THANKS. *NM

2004 EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER WITH 45K MILES WINDSHIELD BUBBLED MAKING VIEWING DIFFICULT AND DRIVING DANGEROUS. THIS STARTED SMALL AND THEN WENT ON TO INVOLVE MOST OF THE WINDSHIELD IN LITTLE OVER A WEEK. DEALER REPLACED WINDSHIELD FOR $150.00. WINDSHIELD DEFINITELY DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS NEEDS REPORTING. *JB

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 50-55 MPH AND MY 4X WHEEL DRIVE KICKED ON WITHOUT ME ENGAGING IT, THEN BY ITSELF AGAIN IT TURNED OFF. THE NEXT NIGHT I WAS TURNING A CORNER AND IT DID IT AGAIN, IT WENT ON AND OFF BY ITSELF. MY BOYFRIEND DID NOT BELIEVE IT AND THEN AN HOUR LATER HE WAS DRIVING AND I DID IT AGAIN. I TOOK IT THE DEALER DAYS LATER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS . THEY SAID THEY TRIED TO PROVOKE IT BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT WHY AND HOW IT WAS HAPPENING. *JB

DT: ON 7-9-05 THE CONTACT'S SON WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY. HE WAS DRIVING A 2003 FORD F-150. HE HIT A GUARD RAIL AND WENT INTO A DITCH ABOUT 100 YARDS AND HIT AN OVERPASS SIGN POST MADE OF CEMENT. THE TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CORONER SAID THAT THE FIRE CAUSED THE DEATH OF THE CONTACT'S SON. SHE SAID THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A BROKEN BONE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WERE NOTIFIED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID NOT HAVE AN INVESTIGATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT REPORTED THAT SHE DID NOT KNOW IF HER SON HAD ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE TRUCK WAS TOTALED.*AK