1999 FORD F-150 Complaints

SPARK PLUG BLEW OFF WHEN I TURNED MY TRUCK ON. FORD RECOMMENDS NEW ENGINE BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT HAPPENS OFTEN. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. TRUCK NEEDS REPAIR. *JB

WATER ENTERING THROUGH COWLING (THE SLOTTED METAL PIECE BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE WIND SCREEN) LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND ONTO THE IGNITION COMPONENTS CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT OF THESE PARTS. THESE PARTS ARE THE FUSE BOX(CJB), GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE(GEM) POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX(PDB) AND OTHER ELECTROIC PARTS AND WIRE CONNECTORS. THE PARTS THET DO NOT FAIL WILL CORRODE AND CAUSE INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, AC/HEATER FAN AND TURN SIGNALS WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITHOUT KEY IN THE IGNITION. DOME LIGHT AND WIND SCREEN WIPERS WILL START AND STOP WITHOUT BEING PHYSICALLY TURNED ON. THE ENGINE WILL NOT START OR IT CAN STOP WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE REPAIR IS ALL AFFECTED PARTS MUST BE CLEARED OF CORRISION OR REPLACED AT CONSUMER COST AND THE LEAK MUST BE FOUND AND SEALED. FORD HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN #16928 DATED 6/27/03 ON THIS COVERING F-150'S FROM 1997 TO 2003. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR THIS. *NM

WE BOUGHT A USED F-150 AND HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND IT HAD NO PROBLEMS FOR A YEAR. AFTER A HEAVY RAIN, THE ALARM WENT OFF AND ON, LIGHTS FLASHED, DOOR CHIME WENT OFF WHEN THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION, ETC. HAYWARD FORD IN CA LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND SINCE OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY "JUST RAN OUT," THEY WANTED TO CHARGE US $150 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I SAID FORGET THAT AND TOOK IT TO A REPUTABLE AUTO ELECTRICAL PLACE. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND TOLD US THAT IT WAS INDEED A LEAKY WINDSHIELD CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THEY EVEN GAVE US THE PAPER THAT FORD PUTS OUT TELLING MECHANICS WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF THE LEAKY WINDSHIELD (BASICALLY TO SEAL THE WINDSHIELD WITH BUTYL SEALANT). I CALLED FORD BACK AND THEY SUDDENLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM, BUT SAID THAT ISN'T A RECALL PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT MAKES/MODELS OF FORDS HAVING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET AND IF THE GEM WAS HARMED, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED TOO (AT A TUNE OF $1600). I CALLED FORD DIRECTLY AND AFTER GETTING THE RUN AROUND, A SUPERVISOR FINALLY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY ARE WILLING OR WILL DO TO HELP US OUT. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS A PROBLEM, BUT THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD TO COMPLAIN (YET) AND THERE ISN'T A RECALL (YET). SO, THEY AREN'T WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. I AM SO MAD I CAN'T SEE STRAIGHT. I HAVE WRITTEN A COMPLAINT LETTER. MY TRUCK IS JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY (TARPED UP TO PREVENT RAIN FROM GETTING ON THE GEM) WITH THE BATTERY PULLED (OTHERWISE IT GETS DRAINED). SO, WE EITHER PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED OR CONTINUE TO WATCH THE TRUCK ROT IN THE DRIVEWAY. I'M SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING A CLASS ACTION SUIT. ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS PROBLEM? *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V388000 THE REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE TIE ROD ENDS BEING DEFECTIVE. HE WAS TOLD THE TIE RODS ENDS WERE CORRODED AND WORN OUT. *AK

I HAVE HAD DIFFERENT TWO SPARK PLUGS BLOW OUT OF THE HEAD AT DIFFERENT TIMES. A HELI COIL WAS USED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *NM

I RECEIVED A LETTER TO DISCONNECT MY CRUISE CONTROL ON MY 1999 FORD F-150 IN SEPTEMBER, TO BE FIXED BY NOVEMBER. IT IS NOW DECEMBER AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL NOT BE UNTIL FEBUARY THAT THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE TO INSTALL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG TO REPAIR A PROBLEM THAT IS THE MANUFACTURES FAULT. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V388000 CONCERNING VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. HE SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V388000 CONCERNING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL. THE PARTS NEEDED FOR RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. HE SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005. THE TIRES HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR AT 20000 MILES. THE SEAT BELT ROLLER HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE AIR BAG CONTROL WAS REPLACED. BOTH DOORS HAD STRESS FRACTURES. THE REAR BRAKE LINES WERE NOT SECURED PROPERLY WHICH RESULTED IN WEAR . THE WHEEL HUBS CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR WAS DEFECTIVE. *NM

ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18,2005, WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THE ROANOKE, VA AREA, I DESCENDED DOWN A MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY. AS I NEARED THE BOTTOM OF THE STEEP INCLINE, I NOTICED A BACKUP OF TRAFFIC IN BOTH LANES. SLOWING UP AS I NEARED THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SLOWED ALMOST TO A STOP TO ALLOW TWO VEHICLES FROM THE LEFT LANE TO MERGE IN FRONT OF IT. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP UNEXPECTEDLY THEREBY ALERTING ME TO INSTANTLY STOP MY VEHICLE TO AVOID AN IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AS I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY (INSTANTLY), THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SLOW UP AND "SHUTTER" OR A "PULSATING" MOTION OF SLOWING DOWN. THE TRUCK CAME CLOSER TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT DID NOT STOP!!!! THIS SHUTTERING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS THE ABS SYSTEM BECOMING ACTIVATED. BECAUSE OF THIS ACTIVATION, MY VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP IN TIME AND THUS IMPACTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WITH MINOR DAMAGE. AFTER I EVENTUALLY STOPPED, I NOTICED I DID LEAVE SKID MARKS ON THE ASPHALT PAVEMENT. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND NO PRECIPITATION, PAVEMENT WAS DRY. I FEEL THAT UNDER NORMAL HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED IN TIME TO AVOID THIS MISHAP. I DID HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND DISTANCE TO STOP TO AVOID THE MISHAP. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS ABS SYSTEM HAS ENGAGED ITSELF PRIOR TO MY STOPPING DUE TO STOPPED VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE YET TO HAVE AN EVALUATION DONE ON THE TRUCK TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A DEFECT SINCE THE ABS SYSTEM, WITHOUT QUESTION, DOES ENGAGE AS IT SHOULD. MY CONCERN IS THAT ABS DOES NOT LOCK UP THE BRAKES AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO, HOWEVER, THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE FROM FULLY STOPPING WHEN NECESSARY. I DON'T THINK THIS WAS PART OF IT'S INTENDED DESIGN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DEATHS IN EITHER OF MY MISHAPS, HOWEVER, THESE WERE SLOW SPEEDS. *JB