1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

COMPLAINT: FORD MOTOR COMPANY, POOR DESIGN OF LOWER INTAKE PLENUM/MANIFOLD GASKET IN THE ESSEX 4.2L V-6. 1: EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE ORIGINALLY THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF IMPENDING FAILURE. THE INDICATIONS OF FAILURE ARE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT WITH NO VISIBLE EXTERNAL LEAK, AND COOLANT IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. 2: FAILURE AND IT'S CONSEQUENCES THIS DEFECT ALLOWS COOLANT LEAKAGE INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, CAUSING A HYDRAULIC LOCKING CONDITION WHICH WILL BREAK/BEND ONE OR MORE CONNECTING RODS. THIS RENDERS THE ENGINE UNUSABLE, AND IT MUST BE PULLED, REPAIRED IF POSSIBLE (SOME ARE NOT), AND RE-INSTALLED. 3: FAILURE CORRECTION. IN MOST CASES THE ENGINE CAN BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING A CONNECTING ROD, PISTON, AND CRANKSHAFT, AND ALL THE OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS LEVEL OF DISASSEMBLY. IN SOME CASES THE CONNECTING ROD WILL BREAK AND DAMAGE THE BLOCK BEYOND REPAIR. THIS HAPPENED IN MY CASE. THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS OVER $2000, NOT TO MENTION THE LABOR INVOLVED IN IT'S REPLACEMENT. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE OF THIS DESIGN FLAW, AND HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING IT. HOWEVER, TO THIS DAY THEY WILL STILL NOT OFFER ANY AID, IN ANY FORM, FOR DAMAGES INCURRED DUE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW. *NM

THIS WEEK THE ENGINE IN MY 1997 F-150 BLEW. THE PLUGS WERE WET. COOLANT LEAKED. I WENT ON THE INTERNET TO SEE ABOUT PURCHASING AN ENGINE AND I FOUND A WEBSITE CALLED FIGHT BACK WITH DAVID HORIWITZ. THERE ARE 27 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS THAT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS MINE. HTTP:WWW.FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/SHOWTHREAD.PHPT=224 YOU NEED TO SEE FOR YOURSELF. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. *JB

MY TRUCK FORD F150 1997 WAS PARKED ON FRONT DRIVEWAY AND GET ON FIRE BY ITSELF. ENGINE WAS COLD AND TRUCK WAS IDLE FOR MORE THAN 4 HOURS. DAMAGE WAS TOTAL. FIRE MARSHAL WAS AT THE SCENE AND GET TO THE CONCLUSION THAT FIRE WAS CAUSED BY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. *NM

TL* - WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE STARTED WOBBLING. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS CLEAR AND SUNNY. THE TIRE DISENGAGED, AND THE CONTACT CAME TO A STOP. THE TIRE WAS NEW, AND ONLY BEEN DRIVEN 15 MILES. THE TIRE ALWAYS TEARS BETWEEN THE BEAD AND SIDEWALL. *AK UPDATED 04/05/07

LOW ON COOLANT- OIL PRESSURE STARTED TO DROP, COOLANT IN OIL. AFTER READING CONSIDERABLY ABOUT THIS ON INTERNET FOUND OUT ABOUT TSP #99B29 AND THE RESULTING ONP DO NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS EVER FIXED I AM SECOND OWNER AND THE ONP EXPIRED IN 2001. FORD SHOULD HAVE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM LEAKING GASKET. MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITES REGARDING THIS. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND CANNOT AFFORD A $4000 MOTOR BECAUSE FORD DID NOT GET IT RIGHT AND WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE FORD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ERRORS. *NM

I OWN A 1997 FORD F150 4.2L. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN LOSING COOLANT FOR A WHILE! I HAVE REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, REPLACED HOSES, REPLACED THERMOSTATS,ETC. MY TRUCK IS NOW HAVING A TICKING SOUND WHEN I START IT IN COLD WEATHER. I HAVE COME TO FIND THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD PREVIOUSLY ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS TRUCKS ENGINE FOR A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL!!! I WAS INFORMED OF OTHER RECALLS LIKE LUG NUT FAILURE, CRUISE CONTROL CABLES,ETC, BUT NEVER ABOUT THE MOST EXPENSIVE, MOST VITAL PART OF THE TRUCK THE ENGINE. THE INFORMATION OF THE RECALL WAS DISCOVER AS I WAS ON THE WEB TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW TO FIX THE KNOCKING SOUND. THE WEB SITE HAD OVER 350 MESSAGES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM!!! PLEASE HELP!! *JB

MY 1997 FORD F-150 4.2 L 6 CYLINDER MYSTERIOUSLY THROUGH A ROD AT 80K MILES RESULTING IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM PLAGUING MANY FORD CUSTOMERS, YET FORD HAS PROVIDED NO RELIEF. AN EXPENSIVE $4000 REPAIR! *JB

COOLANT RUNNING LOW,STARTED MY TRUCK AND IT STARTED KNOCKING VERY LOUD,AND THE ENGINE LOCKED UP ALMOST INSTANTLY,HAD TO HAVE ENGINE REBUILT AND NOW IT IS KNOCKING AGAIN. *NM

ON OCCASION, TRUCK WOULD HESITATE, TAKING A BIT OF TLC ON THE GAS PEDAL TO CLEAR IT UP. ONE OCCASION, IN TRAFFIC, ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A NEAR MISS, I ACCELERATED THROUGH THIS. WHITE SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT THE TAIL PIPE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE. LIMPED HOME. ENGINE HYDRO-LOCKED. DIAGNOSIS = REPLACE HEAD GASKETS ($2,100) IN THIS SAME 'WEAK' 4.2 V-6 OR REPLACE MOTOR ($2,500) WITH NEWER 4.2 V-6. REPLACEMENT WILL BE DONE TOMORROW. FORD FAULTY ENGINE / GASKETS - NOT MY FAULT. MY PROBLEM THOUGH. *JB

MY 1997 FORD F150, 4.2L V6, HAS BEEN LOSING COOLANT SINCE ABOUT 2004. MY SON HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STARTING THE VEHICLE ONE AFTERNOON. FINALLY I GOT IT STARTED AND DROVE 5 MILES HOME. THE NEXT AFTERNOON THE CAR STARTED QUICKLY BUT IMMEDIATELY STARTED BANGING AWAY. MY MECHANIC SAYS THE ENGINE IS DEAD - BAD ROD. NOW I FIND OUT FROM THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE BUT FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. TRADE IN VALUE ON THE CAR IS ZERO BECAUSE ALL THE 2ND TIER DEALERS KNOW ABOUT THE ENGINE PROBLEM. I'M OUT THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE (SEEMS ONLY FAIR AFTER MY 96 WINDSTAR NEEDS NEW HEAD GASKETS BECAUSE THEY WEAR OUT AT 30K MILES) APPARENTLY IF YOU KNOW A FORD MECHANIC, HE WILL TELL YOU THE MOTOR HAS BEEN BAD SINCE THE DAY IT WAS FIRST MANUFACTURED. THIS MOTOR SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AND HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE FAULTY GASKET LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE MOTOR IT WOULDN'T HAVE. FROM READING WEB SITES I HAVE FOUND THAT FORD ISSUED A RECALL ON THE GASKET AND THEN PULLED IT. I NEVER RECEIVED A BULLETIN ON THE FAULTY GASKET. DON'T EXPECT TO OWN ANOTHER FORD, BUT SOME FINANCIAL HELP WOULD SURE SOOTHE MY FRUSTRATION IF SOMEONE WANTS THE PARTS TO USE TO ACQUIRE COMPENSATION FROM FORD I CAN KEEP THE DEAD ENGINE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. *JB