1998 FORD F-150 Complaints

1998 FORD F-150 4.2L V-6 125,000 MILES . NO KNOWN EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. IMMEDIATE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE , BROKEN CONNECTING ROD, DUE TO HYDRAULIC LOCK, WHERE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TECHNICAL BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED WHICH INDICATED THAT AN IMPROPER GASKET WAS USED TO SEAL THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FROM COOLANT WHICH ALLOWED THE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, CAUSING THIS FAILURE . ONE KNOWN IS AERA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND ISSUED BY JASPER ENGINES. *AK ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS REQUIRED. ENGINE WAS REPLACED

I STEPPED INTO MY VEHICLE TO GO TO WORK, AND THE TORSION BAR BROKE. SNAPPED INTO TWO PIECES. WAS THANKFUL I WAS NOT DRIVING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND THE MECHANICS, THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE, AND THAT A PIECE OF 1" ROUND STEEL SHOULD NOT JUST SNAP. *AK

I BOUGHT USED VEHICLE FROM THE BO'S AUTORAMA ON 6/2004 AND USED IT ONCE OR TWICE IN THE FIRST YEAR. I STARTED TO USE IT REGULARLY IN APRIL 2005. FIRST I HAD TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS/WIRES BECAUSE OF WATER GETTING INTO THEM, AND CAUSING A MISS IN THE ENGINE ON 4/2005. THEN I HAD THEM SEALED ON 9/2005, THEN, REPLACED ON 12/2005 , AND THE PROBLEM TO THIS DAY, HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED, BUT I SPENT OVER $900 TRYING. THE TRANSMISSION AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES ON 5/2005, 6/2005, AND 7/2005. THE MUFFLER WAS REPLACED IN 8/2005, THE BATTERY DIED IN 10/2005, THE FRONT BRAKES WENT OUT IN 11/2005. SO LESS THAN 14,000 MILES FROM PURCHASE I HAD SPENT OVER $5OOO IN REPAIRS, AND STILL COULD NOT DRIVE IT. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO BO'S BEUCKMAN FORD AND WILL NEVER DEAL WITH THEM AGAIN. THEY OVER CHARGED ME FOR LOUSY WORK. ALSO, FORD WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE FIRST FAULTY REAR DIFFERENTIAL BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE FORD INSTALL IT. WHY WOULD I? THEY COULD NOT FIX THE ENGINE MISS AFTER 2 TRIES, AND CHARGED ME BOTH TIMES, AND IT TOOK THEM 3 TIMES TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS RECALL 98V09500/NSA#111PAW FOR THE LUGS:NUTS. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BOLTS HOLDING THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD RUSTED, CAUSING THE MANIFOLD TO SEPARATE FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 115,000.*AK UPDATE 04/30/07*TR

UPON STARTING VEHICLE ON MY DRIVEWAY A LOUD BANG AND SUBSEQUENT KNOCKING SOUND EMITTED FROM ENGINE. HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT ENGINE FOUND WATER IN INTAKE CHAMBER AND BROKEN ROD AND PISTON. MECHANIC ADVISES AN ENGINE REBUILD WILL BE REQUIRED AND IS FAMILIAR WITH A HYDRO LOCK PROBLEM WITH THE 4.2 L FORD V6 ENGINES. *JB

MY 1998 FORD F150 AS SOON AS IT GOT TO 100,000 MILES THE OIL PUMP GOES OUT AND IT STARTS TO LOOSE COOLANT BUT NOT LEAKING IT ANY WHERE. AS I HAVE FOUND OUT THESE ENGINES BETWEEN 80,000 AND 100,000 DO THIS. MANY FORUMS READ THE SAME PROBLEM FOR EVERY 4.2L DOES THIS. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD DO A RECALL ON THESE ENGINES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT TO DO. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT WAS THE PASSENGER IN A 1998 FORD F150 KING CAB THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION,THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE. THE OWNER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SIX PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE CONTACT HAS A POLICE REPORT. *AK

PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE (68,000 MILES) ON 1998 FORD F150 WITH 4.2L ENGINE. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT FAILURE WAS DUE TO OIL LEAKING INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH RESULTED IN BENT ROD. THROUGH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 1998-1999 BUT DID NOT NOTIFY CUSTOMERS. NOW THEY WANT $4000-5000 FOR NEW ENGINE. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 1998 FOR F-150 ENGINE SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN THE MORNING OF 02/09/07 HE HAD NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. AFTER A DAY OF DRIVING HE TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULDN'T START. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO WESTERLY TIRE, AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 76000.*AK