2000 FORD F-150 Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, IT ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE REMAINS OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS TOO EXTENT TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT; NHTSA RECALL # 05V388000 CONCERNING THE CRUISE CONTROL.

A VEHICLE FIRE OCCURRED ON A 2000 FORD F150 AT THE HOME OF THE OWNER ON MARCH 8, 2006. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE TRUCK WHILE IT WAS PARKED UNDER THE CARPORT, WITH THE ENGINE OFF, AND THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN PARKED APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 HOURS WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. WHEN THE FIRE WAS DETECTED, FLAMES HAD ALMOST REACHED THE CEILING OF THE CARPORT. THE OWNER WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE TRUCK INTO THE STREET, WHERE IT CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE TRUCK WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. ON MARCH 20, 2006, AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE INVESTIGATOR DOCUMENTED HIS INVESTIGATION WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY (FMC) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH SPONTANEOUS FIRES ERUPTING IN THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH, BUT THE OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A RECALL. THE OWNER HAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED INFORMATION AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO THE FMC SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH RECALL CUSTOMER INFORMATION TEAM, FMC CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND THE LOCAL FMC DEALERSHIP. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ERUPTED INTO FLAMES ON THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERHOOD AREA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE. AFTERWARDS, THE REPRESENTATIVE SUGGESTED THAT DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE, IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE FIRE WAS CRUISE CONTROL RELATED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA RECALL # 05V388000 CONCERNING THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT NO RECALL NOTIFICATION WAS RECEIVED BY THE CONTACT.

SHORTLY AFTER MY RECALL THE SWITCH SHORTED OUT, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO VELDE FORD IN VERO BEACH FLORIDA, THEY CLAIM THEY REPLACED THE PARTS REQUIRED FOR THE RECALL AND MY CRUISE CONTROL STILL WASN'T BACK TO BEING OPERATIONAL (WHICH IT WAS PRIOR TO THE FIRE) AND CHARGED ME 246.78 PLUS TAX TO DO THE REPAIR. THEY CLAIM IT WAS UNRELATED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE STARTED BOUNCING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WERE IT WAS REPAIRED BY A FAMILY MEMBER. THE INNER TIE ROD WAS REPLACED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. ALSO, WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE INNER TIE ROD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

"FRONT ENGINE COVER GASKET FAILED IN LINE WITH RECALL 99B29. FORD DOES NOT INCLUDE MY TRUCK, BUILT 05/99 IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 99B29 INDICATING THE ORIGINAL RECALL HAS BEEN INADEQUATE." *JB

I BOUGHT A 2000 FORD F-150 WITH THE 4.2L V6 ENGINE AND I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF A DEFECT THAT FORD IS AWARE OF I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF OTHER 4.2L V6 OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT I HAVE ASKED FORD FOR HELP IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. I WAS GIVEN EXCUSES AND TOLD TO GO AWAY AND BUY A NEW ENGINE. I TRIED TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO FORD BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION WITH NO PAPERWORK FILLED OUT. I AM VERY UPSET WITH THE WAY A LOYAL CUSTOMER OF FORD IS BEING TREATED. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO. THERE IS A DEFECTIVE SEAL OR GASKET THAT LEAKS ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSES PISTONS TO BREAK ROD TO BE PUSHED OUT OF THE ENGINE AND SEVERAL OTHER INTERIOR ENGINE PARTS TO BREAK. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE EVEN THOUGH IT IS A DEFECT ON THEIR BEHALF NOT THE BUYER. FORD DOES NOT TELL NEW CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND CONTINUE TO SELL THE VEHICLES KNOWING THAT THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE. ALL I WOULD LIKE IS FOR FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ENGINE AND REPLACE IT WITH A DIFFERENT ENGINE OR MAKE SURE THAT THE NEW ENGINE WILL NOT CAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD, REPAIR WAS VERY COSTLY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I ALSO HAVE HAD 3 COIL PACKS GO BAD ON THIS VEHICLE. *JB

WELL I GOT SUCKERED OCT 4 2003 INTO A 2000 F-150 W/52,000 MILES . MY LOVELY TRUCK WAS DOING GREAT UNTIL SEPT 2004 AND THEN MY TRANNY WENT OUT. JUST BLEW OUT. WELL $1400 DOLLARS AND A LOT OF (I MEAN A LOT) OF MONEY AND TIME LATER (NOV 2004) I GOT IT FIXED (HAPPY TIMES RIGHT?). DAD, ME SOME BUDDIES PUT THE TRANNY IN. SO I AM DOING GREAT AND THEN I STARTED TO SMELL ANTI FREEZE AND WELL SOME TIME LATER IN AUG 2005 IT STARTED A STEEM SHOP OUT THE EXHAUST. WATER, ANTI FREEZE AND OIL THAT IS WHAT IS WAS. LOOKED LIKE HEAD GASKET OR HEAD MIGHT BE CRAKED SO GOT NEW GASKET SET AND GOT HEADS TESTED AND RESHAPED AND NEW HEAD BOLTS.($400 LATER) WELL I FINALY GOT TO GETTING IT BACK TOGETHER AND IT IS STILL SMOKING (TODAY IN DEC 2005). SO SOMETHING BAD IS WRONG MAYBE BLOCK IS CRAKED. I DONT KNOW BUT I AM VERY MAD I OWE $12,000 ON IT.

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD. THIS TRUCK HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED. REPAIR ESTIMATES ARE IN EXCESS OF $3,000.00. THIS HAPPENED IN A WELL TRAVELED AREA AND IT WAS ME AND NOT MY WIFE AND KIDS STRANDED. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS FLAW IN THE HEAD DESIGN THAT FORD HAS SINCE RECTIFIED. IT IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT A $30,000 TRUCK THAT IS WELL MAINTAINED SHOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF FAILURE 18,000 MILES OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY. *NM