1999 FORD F-150 Complaints

MY 1998 FORD F-150 XLT TRUCK WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 12 HRS. WHEN A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEAR THE MASTERCYLINDER. THE FIRE DEPT. WAS NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY AND ON SITE WITHIN 10 MINUTES. THE TRUCK IS TOTALLED BY FIRE. I HAVE JUST PAID IT OFF 2 MONTHS AGO, AND WAS PLANNING TO KEEP IT FOR AT LEAST 8 MORE YEARS. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY HOMNE FROM THE FIRE, AND THE INSIDE OF MY HOME IS STILL GETTING DAMAGED BY PLASTIC SOOTY MESS. I DROVE MY TRUCK FROM LOUISIANA TO WEST VIRGINIA THE PRIOR WEEK. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP, THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED AND QUIT WORKING. I PLANNED ON TAKING IT TO FORD FOR REPAIR AFTER THE HOLIDAY. THE TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE ON 4TH OF JULY NIGHT BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO REPAIR. I HEARD OF THE FORD RECALL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION / FIRE AFTER THE FIRE. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS WITH MY VIN #. THEY ARE SAYING THAT MY NUMBER WAS NOT IN THE RECALL, THEREFORE I DID NOT GET A NOTICE FOR RECALL. I THINK MY VIN # BATCH SHOULD BE RECALLED. IF I WOULD HAVE PARKED IT IN A GARAGE, MY HOME AND FAMILY COULD HAVE SUFFERED INJURY / DEATH DUE TO THIS HAPPENING AT 1:00 AM, EVERYONE SLEEPING. I AM TRYING TO GET FORD TO OWN UP TO RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE GOOD THEIR PRODUCT. ANY HELP OR LAWYER WORKING ON CASE WOULD BE HELPFUL TO PURSUE THIS.

DT: FORD F150 1999. BEFORE THE FIRE, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FUSES STARTING ON 6/9/05. THERE WAS NO TURN SIGNAL. THE TURN SIGNALS RETURNED AFTER REPLACING THE FUSE/BRAKE LIGHTS, HAZARDS, OWNER THOUGHT IT WAS FUSE #23 OR 20. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE OCCURRED IN THE WIRES GOING INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER UNDER HOOD. THERE WAS A SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD THE SAME DAY OF FIRE AT ABOUT 12:30 AND THEN FIRE HAPPENED AT 6 PM. WHEN OUTSIDE OWNER SMELLED A STRONG ODOR LIKE SMOKE. THEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. THE OWNER OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WERE FLAMES ABOUT 6 INCHES HIGH COMING OUT. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY HOSE AND THEN OWNER TRIED TO START VEHICLE. STARTED IT AND DIDN'T SMOKE, BUT THERE WAS A BLOWN FUSE THAT GOVERNED THE HAZARD LIGHTS, ETC. OWNER BELIEVED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED NOR POLICE. THERE WERE NO PICTURES WERE TAKEN. VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE LOCAL MECHANIC. ALSO, OWNER HAS CONTACTED LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE OWNER WILL ATTEMPT TODAY TO CONTACT FORD. VEHICLE IS NOT A TOTAL LOSS, ONLY SOME OF THE WIRES WERE BURNT AND SOME MELTED IN CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. OWNER IS AWARE THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION. *AK *SC *JB

1999 FORD F-150 SUPERCAB WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES ROUND TRIP FROM AND TO HOUSE LOCATED IN RURAL AREA OF OHIO COUNTY, KENTUCKY AND THEN PARKED IN CARPORT ATTACHED TO HOUSE. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER THE TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES. THE TRUCK AND THE HOUSE WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

PASSENGER POWER DOOR LOCK FAILED, NECESSITATING PASSENGE TO ROLL DOWN CAR WIDOW TO USE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO GET OUT. DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK SOON FAILED IN EXACT SAME MANNER.

I AM SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE THOUSANDS OF POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING THE '99 FORD F-150 THAT BLOWS A SPARK PLUG BECAUSE OF TOO FEW THREADS ON THE ENGINE IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. AS A VICTIM OF THIS FAILURE, THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR IT. THE COST FOR REPAIR IS ALMOST $3000 AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL NOT RECUR. SEEMS THAT FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE ENGINES AS IT CAN LEAD TO FIRE (AS STRAIGHT GAS GOES INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT) AND THE SPARK PLUG COULD SPARK AS IT BLOWS IGNITING FUMES OR FUEL. I WILL NEVER FEEL FULLY SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AGAIN AND AM QUITE DISAPPOINTED THAT FORD IS GETTING AWAY WITH SUCH A FAULTY DESIGN! PLEASE HELP ALL FORD F-150 OWNERS THAT WILL FALL VICTIM TO THIS COSTLY REPAIR AND DANGEROUS SITUATION.

DT: CONTACT STATES THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE DOOR CANNOT BE UNLOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED IN THE REMOTE CONTROL. CONTACT CAN UNLOCK THE DOOR WITH THE ACTUAL KEY. ALSO, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE TURNED ON THE RADIO WILL GO OFF. THERE IS AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE WITH A SERVICE DEALER FOR MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2005.*AK

DT: PROBLEM OCCURRED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO INITIALLY. WATER GOES FROM WINDSHIELD TO GEM MODULE WHEN IT RAINS. THIS CAUSES WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO ONLY GO AT A CERTAIN SPEED UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED OR PUT IN NEUTRAL. RADIO ALSO DIES WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM OCCURS AND OWNER BELIEVES ALL THIS IS CAUSED BY THE GEM MODULE GETTING WET. THE GEM MODULE WAS REPLACED ONE TIME BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. WHEN IT RAINS A CRACKLING SOUND LIKE BACON IS HEARD AND A BURNING SMELL IS NOTICED. THIS WAS REPORTED TO FORD AND THEY REPORTED NO KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM AND SHOWED NO INTEREST. *JB

PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I HAD NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING OR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 9, 2005 AS I WAS BRAKING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK SEEMED TO SKID. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ABS SYSTEM SINCE THE ROAD WAS WET. THERE WAS A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT RUNNING INTO ANY OTHER VEHICLE. BECAUSE I DID NOT REALIZE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AT THAT TIME I CONTINUED INTO THE PARKING LOT, AND MADE ANOTHER RIGHT TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE. AT THAT TIME THE TRUCK DID THE SAME THING; IT FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS SKIDDING. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER TIRES WERE POINTED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SO I KNEW THAT A TIE ROD HAD COME DETACHED. AFTER TOWING THE TRUCK HOME I INSPECTED IT, AND REALIZED THAT THE PASSENGER INNER TIE ROD HAD SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT. INSPECTION OF THE JOINT REVEALED THAT BOTH PIECES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RUSTED. I HAVE REPLACED THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ON BOTH SIDES AS A PRECAUTION, SINCE I DID NOT KNOW IF THE OTHERS WOULD DO THE SAME THING.

I HAVE A 1999 F-150 FORD PICK-UP TRUCK 4-2L V-6, I WAS HAVING A LOW COOLEANT PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO MCDONOUGH RADIATOR SHOP, THEY REPLACED WATER PUMP AND GASKET. IT WAS STILL LOOSING COOLEANT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASK IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD NO THERE WAS NOT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME RADIATOR SHOP AFTER A CLOSER INSPECTION THEY REMOVED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FOUND WATER IN THE BACK TWO CYLINDERS.THEY REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS, I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP I HAD NOT DROVE MORE THAN 3 MILES BEFORE IT STARTED TO MAKE A KNOCKING NOISE. I CALLED THE REPAIR SHOP AND TOOK IT BACK IMMEADIATELY, NOW THEY TELL ME THAT I HAVE 2 BENT PUSH RODS. THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO REPLACE THEM TODAY. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM, AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND A WEB SITE THAT HAS AN LONG LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. WHEN I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER "NO SERVICE" I WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THAT PROBLEM AND THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME IN ANY WAY BECAUSE OF THE WARRENTY HAD EXPIRED. ACCORDING TO JASPER ENGINE REBUILDERS THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM A POORLY DESIGNED GASKET FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM, GOT THIS INFORMATION FROM ONE OF THEIR TECH BULLITENS.

EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRRORS ON MY 1999 F-150 LARIAT PURCHASED NEW HAVE EFFECTIVELY COMPLETELY DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT THEY ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL. IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT BASED ON MY AND THE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS.