1998 FORD F-150 Complaints

1) STARTER WENT OUT, TRUCK WAS SURGING WHILE DRIVING, GASOLINE WAS RUNNING OUT OF TAILPIPE. 2) WIRING HARNESS WAS RUBBING THE AC DRYER WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL INJECTORS TO STAY OPEN, WHICH FILLED THE CYLINDERS UP WITH GAS AND LOCKED THE MOTOR UP, BENDING THE RODS. 3) MOTOR AND STARTER WERE REPLACED BY SMITH FORD IN CONWAY, ARKANSAS. THIS COST US $5,500.00. ORIGINALLY, TRUCK WAS SENT IN FOR STARTER REPLACEMENT ONLY. THE NEXT DAY THE MOTOR WENT OUT. *NM

98 FORD F-150 WITH 4.2L WITH COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE. THIS IS HAPPENING TO ALMOST ALL OF THESE ENGINES AND FORD IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WAS SHAKING. WHEN THE DRIVER STOPPED. THE LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS SNAPPED OFF THE WHEEL. THE SPEED WAS 35 MPH. THE TIRE WAS READY TO FALL OFF. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE TRUCK. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CALLED, AND A COMPLAINT FILED WITH THE COMPANY. THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO BE REPAIRED. THE TRUCK IS A 1998 FORD F150 TRUCK.*AK

DT: CALLER SAID THAT ON JULY 11, 2005 AFTER 8 HOURS OF SITTING STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE TRUCK. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE AND ANOTHER CAR. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE FIRE DEPTARTMENT. *AK *JB

BRAKE WERE NOT RIGHT SPONGY. WEARING OUT BAKE PAD'S NOTHING HAPPENED YET BUT NOT WORKING RIGHT AS OF NOW. I REPLACED CALIPER AND PAD'S. AND BRAKES ARE STILL DRAGGING. *NM

FORD DEALERSHIPS IN RALEIGH NC AREA ARE REFUSING TO REPAIR 1998 F150 UNDER SPEED CONTROL RECALL. *NM

ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, I NOTICED MY TEMP GAUGE IN THE RED AND MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AT ZERO. THE "CHECK OIL" LIGHT WAS LIT AS WELL. THE TRUCK AT THE TIME WAS RUNNING FINE, NO NOISES FROM THE ENGINE AND NO SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE NEAREST SHOP WHICH HAPPENS TO BE A FORD DEALER; DIABLO FORD IN PITTSBURGH, CA. ON 09/12/05, THE FIRST DAY THE SERVICE DEPT WAS ABLE TO GET TO IT, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER TELLING ME THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE PULLED AND DISASSEMBLED TO CHECK ENGINE BEARINGS, CONNECTING RODS, VALVES AND PISTONS TO SEE IF THERE IS MORE DAMAGE THAN JUST BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. SO FAR THE QUOTE WITH INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS NOT DAMAGED IS $3200. THAT QUOTE COULD RISE VERY EASILY IF INTERNAL DAMAGE IS FOUND. SINCE THIS HAPPENED, I WAS ON THE FIGHTBACK.COM WEBSITE AND HAVE FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH 1997 TO 1999 F150 FORD TRUCKS WITH 4.2 LITER ENGINES. APPARENTLY, FORD HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD GASKETS IN MID 1999, DUE TO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOR THESE PARTICULAR ENGINES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE SHELLING OUT $3000+ TO REPAIR THEIR TRUCKS. IN SOME CASES, ENTIRE ENGINES WERE REPLACED FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD RECALL AND COVER THE COSTS ON THE ENGINES. IF I'M NOT MISTAKING, THE 3.8 LITER V6 SHARES THE SAME BLOCK AND HEADS AS THE 4.2. THE 3.8 IS FOUND IN A LOT OF FORD WINDSTARS AND TAURUS'. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING FAULTY ENGINES. *NM

DT: 1998 FORD F150. COOLANT IN THE OIL, AND SERIOUS ENGINE NOISE. THE ARE WHITE VAPORS FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION YET. UNABLE TO DRIVE AUTOMOBILE.*AK

TURN SIGNAL WORKED AS EXPECTED WHEN VEHICLE WAS NEW,THEN SOON THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL BECAME SPORADIC AS TO WHEN IT WOULD WORK. LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG THAT THEY COULD DISCOVER. HOWEVER,NOW THE RIGHT SIGNAL DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. I DON'T MEAN THE BULB-- I MEAN THE SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN. LEFT WORKS FINE;RIGHT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO LET OTHER DRIVERS KNOW WHERE I'M GOING,COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *NM

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE AND WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER UNTIL THE STORM PASSED. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND HE REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED TWICE TO DATE. *JB