2008 FORD F-150 Complaints

VEHICLE IS A FORD F150 XLT 2008. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM JACK MADDEN FORD IN NORWOOD MASSACHUSETTS. VEHICLE PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY IN APRIL OF 2008. PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE IS WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE ACCELERATES AND I HAVE HAD TO RELEASE FOOT BRAKE AND REAPPLY. OR I HAVE HAD TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO STOP VEHICLE. ONE TIME I WENT THROUGH A STOP SIGN BECAUSE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LUNGED FORWARD. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER ABOUT 4 TO 5 TIMES AND THEY HAVE FOUND NOTHING. I HAVE CONTACTED THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE HERE IN MASSACHSUETTS AND SHE HAS CONTACTED THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE BUT FORD COULD NOT SPEAK TO HER WITHOUT A LETTER BEING SENT TO THEM. AT PRESENT WE ARE AT A STANDSTILL . PROBLEM OCCURS OCCASIONALLY AND HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 8 TO 10 TIMES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I AM TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY WIFE'S., NOT TO MENTION OTHER PEOPLE BEING INJURED EITHER WALKING IN A CROSSWALK OR IN ANOTHER VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR

2008 FORD F150 LARIAT TRUCK SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. DESPITE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS, THE TRUCK BURNED TO THE GROUND. THIS TRUCK WAS UNDER A YEAR OLD, AND HAD NEVER NEEDED REPAIRS OF ANY KIND. *TR

SMELLED ODOR OF GASOLINE WHILE DRIVING. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES AND WHEN EXITED VEHICLE, STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. WALKED TO REAR OF VEHICLE AND SAW A TRAIL OF GASOLINE SPLATTERS BEHIND 2008 FORD F150. LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW A POOL OF GASOLINE WITH GASOLINE DRIPPING FROM ALL AROUND FUEL TANK AND SURROUNDING AREA. IMMEDIATELY GOT ASSISTANCE AND DETERMINED THAT GASOLINE WAS COMING FROM AREA AT TOP OF FUEL TANK-AREA OF FUEL PUMP (BY TURNING KEY ON A 1-2 SECONDS WHILE ASSISTANT WATCHED UNDER PICKUP). WE REMOVED THE FUSE TO FUEL PUMP RELAY AND TOWED VEHICLE (100 FT) TO AREA WHERE WE COULD WASH GASOLINE OFF WITH WATER HOSE AND PUSHED VEHICLE INTO SHOP AND REMOVED PICKUP BED TO GET A VISUAL AT LEAK AREA. VENT HOSE TO FILLER CAP WAS BROKEN AT TOP OF TANK (THIS IS NOT A HOSE THAT NORMALLY HAS GASOLINE OR PRESSURE. REINSTALLED FUSE AND RAPIDLY TURNED KEY ON AND OFF WITH 2 PERSONS WATCHING. A HUGE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE WAS SPRAYED OUT WHEN THE PUMP WAS ENERGIZED. WHEN ASSISTANT TOUCHED THE HOSE AT SOURCE OF LEAKAGE TO PULL HOSE OFF, THE PLASTIC CONNECTION ON THE PUMP BROKE OFF (NO FORCE WAS APPLIED). CALLED FORD DEALER AND WERE INFORMED IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY--INFORMED THEM OF OBSERVATIONS AND ACTION WE TOOK. WHEN FORD GOT THE VEHICLE THEY BASICALLY SAID THIS WAS AN OWNER ABUSE AND WAS NOT A DEFECT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO ANY ROUGH TREATMENT. IF I HAD DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE ENOUGH TO GET EXHAUST HOT OR HAD ANY SOURCE OF IGNITION THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BASICALLY EXPLODED AND BURNED, IT PROBABLY LOST 5-6 GALLON OF GAS IN 3 MILES(5 MINUTES). THERE WAS A SPLIT IN PLASTIC CONNECTION THAT BROKE OFF AND APPEARANCE OF OTHER CRACKS IN AREA. IN MOST CASES THE FIRST EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM WOULD BE WHEN THE VEHICLE IGNITED. ENOUGH GASOLINE DRIPPED OFF TANK AREA ON ASPHALT TO MAR AREA. FORD DEALER HAS VEHICLE AND PARTS, INDICATED IT WOULD BE 4-10 DAYS TO GET REPLACEMENT PARTS. THIS HAS SERIOUS FIRE POTENTIAL AND I HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR BREAK EXCEPT DEFECTIVE. *TR

2008 BRAND NEW F150 TRUCK - 5,000 MILES AND THE STARTER WOULDN'T ENGAGE THE FLYWHEEL.. STARTER GEAR SHAFT SHEARED COMPLETELY THROUGH. THE MECHANICS AT VISTA FORD/WOODLAND HILLS WERE BAFFLED BY THIS. THE STARTER GEAR SHAFT SHEARED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT SEIZED SO THERE IS NO REASON FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AS THE MECHANICS CHECKED THE TEETH IN THE FLYWHEEL AND TURNED IT BY HAND THEY WERE ABLE TO INSPECT THE FLYWHEEL AND FOUND EVERY TOOTH TO BE PERFECTLY IN TACT AND THE TEETH ON THE STARTER GEAR ITSELF WERE ALSO PERFECTLY IN TACT. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE STARTING GEAR SHAFT BUT NOW I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY AND WHAT CAUSED IT? *TR

I DROVE MY NEW 2008 FORD F-150 (4177 MILES) TO MY SON'S HOUSE, WHEN I GOT INTO THE TRUCK TO LEAVE I STARTED THE ENGINE AND SUDDENLY REALIZED I HAD A RUNAWAY ENGINE, THE SEQUENCE IN WHICH IT HAPPENED: I SAT DOWN IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION THEN THE MOMENT THE ENGINE STARTED THE MOTOR RAN AWAY. LUCKILY I HAD KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND HAD THE PRESCIENCE OF MIND TO GO FROM REVERSE TO NEUTRAL AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THE RESTART WAS ABOUT THE SAME, THE NEXT START IT TURNED OVER OK. I THINK THIS MAY HAVE HAPPENED A FEW WEEKS AGO BUT BY THE TIME I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING NORMAL . NOT ONLY WAS IT EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING TO ME IT ALSO COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FATAL SITUATION. STATIONARY SKID MARKS WERE LEFT ON THE PAVEMENT FROM THE REAR TIRES. *TR

OWNER OF 2008 FORD F-150 EXPERIENCED SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 4800 MILES AND THEN REPEATED 3 TIMES IN ONE DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5700 MILES. IT HAPPENED TWICE WHILE IN DRIVE AND TWICE WHILE IN REVERSE. EVEN WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO FULL THROTTLE EACH TIME. WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, MY HUSBAND FORCED THE TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN PARK, AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE RETURNED TO A NORMAL RPM. HE TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN BACK ON. WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. OUR TRUCK WAS LEFT AT THE DEALER OVERNIGHT FOR A CHECK OVER. THE SERVICE AGENT STATED THAT THE COMPUTER DID NOT RECORD ANY ISSUES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OUR CONCERN. THE SERVICE AGENT STATED THAT THERE WAS "NOTHING" ON FORD'S SITE ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE F-150'S SUDDENLY ACCELERATING AND THEY COULD NOT FIX WHAT WASN'T "BROKEN." IF THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, NOTHING IS! ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY TRUCKS ARE USED FOR HAULING HEAVY LOADS. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF WHERE THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE LOCATED. AFTER THIS HAPPENS ONCE, YOU KNOW WHERE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS!!! IT IS OBVIOUS THAT FORD IS NOT GOING TO OWN UP TO THIS "CONCERN" UNTIL ENOUGH INJURIES OR DEATHS ARE REPORTED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT EXTENDED FURTHER THAN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HE BELIEVES THAT THIS COULD CAUSE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. WHILE BACKING UP IN A PARKING LOT AT 5 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND ALMOST CRASHED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THE COMPONENTS IN THE VEHICLE WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 10 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 7/23/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED OVER20 TIMES. UPDATED 07/30/09.*JB

I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY 2008 F-150 FORD SUPERCREW. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS SO MUCH TRAVEL THAT IT GOES PAST THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN A SUDDEN PANIC TYPE STOP. AS THE FOOT PRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN, THE FOOT AND PEDAL PASSES THE GAS PEDAL AND SOMETIMES, IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT POSITIONED PERFECTLY IT CAUSES THE GAS PEDAL TO BE PRESSED DOWN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THUS THE VEHICLE IS TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHILE THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO STOP IT. THIS CAUSES INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND WILL LEAD TO ACCIDENTS. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TWO ALREADY. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY BUT MY COMPLAINT APPARENTLY WASN'T WELL UNDERSTOOD. *TR

THIS FORD F 150 PICKUP TRUCK HAS THE WIDEST GAS (ACCELERATOR) PEDAL I HAVE EVER SEEN AND AS A RESULT, MY RIGHT FOOT CONTINUES TO PRESS DOWN ON IT EVEN AFTER I HAVE STARTED APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE SAME FOOT. I HAVE NEARLY COLLIDED WITH MY WORKING PARTNER AND A BOAT TRAILER THREE TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH AS WE WERE TRYING TO HOOK UP THE TRAILER TO THE TRUCK. AS I BACKED UP, AND MOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL OVER TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE RIGHT EDGE OF MY FOOT WAS STILL PRESSING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL WHILE THE LEFT PART OF MY FOOT WAS PRESSING DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. SO BOTH PEDALS WERE BEING PRESSED DOWN AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THE GAS PEDAL DOMINATED AND INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN, THE TRUCK ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. TO AVOID THIS SITUATION, I HAVE TO CONSCIOUSLY MOVE MY FOOT OVER ONTO THE MIDDLE OR LEFT SIDE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH IS SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO BEFORE WITH ANY VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN, AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 43 YEARS. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY FORD PICKUP TRUCKS, F-150, F-250, AND F-350, AND THE OLD F-100 AS WELL, PLUS DODGE AND CHEVROLET AND NISSAN AND TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCKS, FULL SIZE AND MID-SIZE AND MINI PICKUPS. I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND MY CO-WORKER HAS NOT EITHER. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS SITUATION ONLY OCCURS WHEN BACKING UP TO HITCH UP A BOAT TRAILER, NOT WHEN COMING TO A NORMAL TRAFFIC STOP, SO THE DIFFERENCE LIES IN THE FACT THAT MY FOOT IS MOVING FASTER FROM GAS PEDAL TO BRAKE PEDAL WHEN BACKING UP TO HOOK UP A TRAILER, THAN IT IS WHEN MAKING A NORMAL STOP IN TRAFFIC. BUT I HAVE BACKED UP MANY OTHER PICKUP TRUCKS IN THE PAST TO HOOK UP BOAT TRAILERS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. WE MEASURED THE FORD F-150'S GAS PEDAL WIDTH AND COMPARED IT WITH OTHER PICKUP GAS PEDAL WIDTHS AND THE FORD'S WAS WIDER THAN THE OTHERS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE DRIVESHAFT AND UNIVERSAL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND FOUR NEW TIRES WERE MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR NINE WEEKS, BUT THE FAILURES PERSIST. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,500.