1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

MY NON-COMMERCIAL TWO WHEEL DRIVE, 1997 F-150 WITH 59747 MILES WITH 4.2 V-6 ENGINE BLEW ITS 4R70W AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION . I WAS NOT ABLE TO GO FORWARD BUT COULD GO IN REVERSE. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF FAILURE AND THE TRANNY FILTER AND FLUID HAD BEEN SERVICED TWO TIMES. IT COST $ 2121.52 TO REBUILD THE TRANNY AT A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND DID NOT WANT TO DISCUSS ANYTHING WITH ME OR THE TRANNY SHOP TO FIND OUT MORE. ALSO THE TIMING CASE COVER GASKET,BRAKE CALIPERS AND SPEEDOMETER HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALSO. *JB

I JUST GOT MY 1997 FORD F150 XLT WITH THE 4.2L ENGINE BACK YESTERDAY, AFTER PAYING $1430 FOR ENGINE REPAIRS. THIS TRUCK ONLY HAS 47,700 MILES ON IT. I WENT OUT TO THE TRUCK ONE DAY AND TURNED THE KEY, AND - NOTHING. TURNS OUT TO BE HYDRO LOCK BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME. I FINALLY GOT IT STARTED, & GOT IT INTO THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIAN THOUGHT IT NEEDED TO BE TUNED UP, PLUS I WAS HAVING THE HEAT FADE AT STOPS SO HE FLUSHED & REFILLED THE COOLANT. I MENTIONED THAT I WAS HAVING TO TOP OFF THE COOLANT ABOUT ONCE A MONTH, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE COOLANT WAS GOING, AND IT WASN'T SHOWING UP IN THE OIL. I GOT IT BACK, AND IT WAS STILL RUNNING REALLY BAD, SO I DROPPED IT OFF AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER. THIS TIME HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE COIL PACK. THEY HAD IT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER DAY, REPLACED THE COIL PACK AND A SENSOR. I GO OUT TO THE LOT AND START IT, AND IT WAS STILL RUNNING REALLY BAD. SO, I GO BACK IN & GET THE TECHNICIAN, AND HE CAME OUT TO CHECK IT HIMSELF, AND HE WAS AMAZED AT HOW BAD IT WAS RUNNING. WE TOOK IT FOR A RIDE, AND IT SMOOTHED OUT A LITTLE, BUT IT WAS STILL NOT RIGHT. I TOLD HIM I WOULD LET HIM CONSULT HIS BOSS, AND CALL THEM BACK ON MONDAY. MONDAY COMES, AND I GO TO START IT TO GO TO WORK, AND - HYDRO LOCK AGAIN. SO, I TAKE MY WIFE'S CAR TO WORK, AND CALLED THEM FROM THERE, AND TOLD THEM WHAT IT WAS DOING. THEY WERE THERE WITHIN A HALF HOUR TO GET IT. THIS TIME I GET A CALL FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE PUT HIS BEST TECHNICIAN ON IT, AND WOULD CALL. WHEN HE CALLED, HE TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING, AND LETTING COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDERS. I SAID TO GO AHEAD & FIX IT. THEN THEY CALLED ME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THEY FOUND THAT THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED, AND LETTING COOLANT POUR INTO THE CYLINDERS. I ASKED ABOUT GETTING A USED INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND HE SAID THEY WOULD LOOK FOR ONE, AND THEY DID FIND ONE. PLUS, THEY PUT IN A NEW THERMOSTAT. *JB

1997 FORD F150 4.2 V6 OIL PRESSURE FALLS TO ZERO AFTER WARM UP... WITH WARNING. I WAS DECEPTIVELY SOLD THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT WARRANTEE JUST LAST MONTH. MY TRUCK HAS ONLY 66K MILES AND NOW I DISCOVER A BIG ONGOING PROBLEM... JUST BY PLACING THIS TOP LINE IN ANY SEACH ENGINE YOU'LL REACH... HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=224 THAT IS 400 HITS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH LEADS TO ENGINE FAILURE. EVEN IF ITS REPAIRED PRIOR TO FAILURE.

MY 1997 FORD F-150 HAS HAD 3 UNCOMMANDED THROTTLE SURGES THAT I COULD NOT STOP UNTIL I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I RODE THE BRAKES AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 55 MPH BUT IT WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL I TURNED THE IGNITION ON AND OFF 3 TIMES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT JUST FINE. THEY SEEM TO THINK I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL...THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON DURING ANY OF THESE EPISODES. THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ON THE INTER NET WHERE A POLICE CROWN VICTORIA DID THE SAME THING AND THE END RESULT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER 1997 FORD F-150 XLT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON COLD DAYS WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STAYED DOWN AND BECAME STUCK WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A STOP. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT THIS SPEED AND TRYING TO COME TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CONTINUED TO GO AT A HIGH SPEED. THERE WAS RECALL 96V251000 FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE VEHICLE ,AND SHE THOUGHT THAT SHE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS DUE TO THE FAULTY THROTTLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 11500.*AK UPDATED 04/05/07. *JB

1. FAILURE OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND DEALER WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, FAMILY FORD SALES INC., FLORENCE, AL TO NOTIFY CUSTOMER OF DEFECT WITH 1997 4.2 L V6 ENGINE AS PUBLISHED IN FORD SERVICE PROGRAM, NUMBER 99B29 WHICH COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE THROUGH ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET FAILING AND POLLUTING THE OIL WITH COOLANT, RESULTING IN DESTROYED ENGINE. FURTHER FAMILY FORD SALES INC. DIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE 11/20/02 AND REPAIRED IT FOR $432.08 COST TO OWNER. NO MENTION OF THE FORD NO-CHARGE SERVICE PROGRAM OR POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE WAS GIVEN AT THIS TIME. 2. FAILURE OF 1997 FORD F150 ENGINE WITH 87,522 MILES DUE TO A KNOWN FAILURE TO FORD MOTOR OF FAULTY GASKETS (LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD (FORD TSB 99-20-7) AND ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET FAILING AND POLLUTING THE OIL WITH COOLANT (FORD SERVICE PROGRAM, NUMBER 99B29) NEITHER OF WHICH WERE COMMUNICATED TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ACTION CAUSED $3,061.20 OF DAMAGE DUE TO REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE LONG BLOCK 1/26/2007 THE BABBITT WAS REMOVED FROM ENGINE BEARINGS, RESULTING IN LOW OIL PRESSURE AND ENGINE OIL LIGHT COMING ON WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED BY FAMILY FORD ON 1/5/2007 (COST $73.50). AGAIN FORD SERVICING DEALER/OEM SELLING DEALER DID NOT INFORM CUSTOMER OF ANY ISSUES WITH THIS ENGINE OR EARLIER NO-CHARGE SERVICE PROGRAM. FAILURE TO NOTIFY OR FRAUDULENT ACTIONS BY THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAVE COST ME OVER $3,500 AND THE LOST TIME ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAULTY PRODUCT. VEHICLE VIN IS [XXX]. DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE ALL CLAIMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SUBMITTAL. *NM UPDATED 07/11/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1997 FORD 150, 144,000 MILES. ENGINE KNOCKS AND IS LOOSING COOLANT. AFTER DOING RESEARCH JUST FOUND OUT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 4.2L V6 ENGINE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL FROM FORD STATING A PROBLEM WITH THE MANIFOLD GASKET. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *NM

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE 1997 FORD F-150 WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE ENGINE, ELECTRICAL WIRING, PIPING ,AND ANYTHING THAT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC MELTED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COULD PROVIDE PICTURES OF DAMAGED VEHICLE, AND A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT.*AK UPDATED 02/28/07. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 1997 FORD PICKUP F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 01/22/2007 HE WAS MAKING A TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND HE RAN OFF THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE OTHER TIMES WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PLATE IN THE COLUMN THAT IS LOOSE AND COULD PUSH UP AND DOWN AN INCH. THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR, AND HE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE LAST FAILURE. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07*JB

AT AROUND 5:45 PM EST 1/13/2007 MY HUSBAND WAS WORKING ON OUR COMPUTER WHILE MY SON AND I WATCHED A MOVIE. THE DOORBELL RANG AND I WENT OUTSIDE TO FIND MY HUSBAND'S 1997 FORD F150 WITH FLAMES SHOOTING HIGH OUT OF THE HOOD. I GRABBED MY SON AND CAME BACK INSIDE AND SCREAMED FOR MY HUSBAND. HE GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT IT WAS FAR TOO INVOLVED. A NEIGHBORHOOD KID HAD BEEN WALKING BY AND SAW THE FIRE AND RANG THE DOORBELL - HE WAITED WITH US DOWN THE STREET FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS. I CALLED 911 AND EVACUATED THE HOUSE AND RAN DOWN THE STREET. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN 5 MINUTES OR SO - WHILE WE WAITED THERE WERE SEVERAL MINOR EXPLOSIONS BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE IT GOT TO THE HOUSE (ONLY A FEW FEET FROM THE TRUCK) OR THE OTHER CAR PARKED RIGHT NEXT TO THE TRUCK IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED - THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD ARE GONE - THE INTERIOR IS BLACK AND DEVASTATED AND THE TIRES ARE MELTED - THE PAINT IS GONE - IT LOOKS NOTHING IT DID A FEW HOURS AGO. *JB