1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN OUT OF MY 1997 FORD F150 FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST FIX WAS USING A HELICOIL. SECOND FIX WILL HAVE TO BE THE SAME. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE WWW, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FIXED ONLY BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE CYLINDER HEAD ($3,000+) THIS IS POOR QUALITY MANUFACTURING AND CORPORATE AMERICA TURNING ITS BACK, ONCE AGAIN, ON THE CONSUMERS THAT KEEP THEM GOING. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE. HE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED HIM THAT ALL 1997 FORD F150 ENGINES HAD TO BE REPLACED. HE CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY TOLD HIM THERE WAS NO RECALL INVOLVING NOISE. THE MECHANIC STATED THE WATER PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE WHICH RESULTED IN WATER LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC PREDICTED THAT THE ENGINE MIGHT FUNCTION FOR THREE MORE MILES. *AK

1997 FORD F-150 TRUCK WAS PARKED NEXT TO MY HOME & HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN THIS DAY, AFTER RETURNING HOME AFTER BEING GONE FOR THE DAY I FOUND THAT MY TRUCK HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE! AFTER TALKING TO NEIGHBORS & GOT DETAILS THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT THE FIRE LOOKED AS IF IT HAD STARTED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE REAR OF MOTOR & THE DASH. AFTER LOOKING AT THE RECALL SITE FOR THIS YR. TRUCK I FOUND INFORMATION THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM & AS I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY LETTER FROM FORD ON THIS MATTER AS OF THIS DATE. *NM

WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT TO PARK FROM TO OTHER GEARS. I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A CAMPAIGN ALREADY FOR THIS ISSUE, 97V171000, BUT FORD DOES NOT HAVE MY TRUCK LISTED FOR THIS RECALL. IS THERE A FORD ISSUED RECALL # AND HOW CAN I GET MY TRUCK ADDED TO THIS RECALL SO IT CAN BE ADDRESSED. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, USED. *JB

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE MIDDLE LEAF SPRING BROKE IN THE REAR OF HER VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE, IT PUNCTURED A TIRE. THE TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE THE TRUCK WAS SITTING. THE LEAF SPRING WAS REPAIRED AT THIS TIME BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE SECOND TIME WAS THE RIGHT SIDE LEAF SPRING; WHILE DRIVING SHE HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND, STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE NOISE, AND NOTICED THE LEAF SPRING H BROKE. IT WAS REPAIRED BY CERTIFIED MECHANIC. CONTACTED FORD , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE LEAF SPRINGS, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO VIN. *AK

1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP WITH 4.2 LITER V6. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVE TO CONTINUALLY ADD COOLANT TO THE RADIATOR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I CAME ACROSS FORD ONP 99B29 WHICH STATES FORD WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET TO PREVENT SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. (HYDROLOCK LEADING TO BROKEN OR BENT CONNECTING RODS). I NEVER RECEIVED THIS NOTICE AS I UNDERSTAND IT WAS ONLY SENT TO CORPORATE CUSTOMERS. I NOW HAVE OILY RESIDUE THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COOLANT, HARD STARTING, ETC. ALL CONSISTENT WITH DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD/FRONT COVER GASKET LEADING TO INTERNAL ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE. THE FORD DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE HE SAID I HAD TO REPORT IT TO HIM PRIOR TO MARCH 31, 2001. I NOW HAVE 70,600 MILES ON THE TRUCK. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE I HAVE A CATOSTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE FROM A BROKEN ROD ON CYLINDER #1. *NM

THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT EVENT THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE IS THAT THE SPARK PLUGS ARE POPPING OUT OF THE HEADS. THIS HAPPENED ON A 1997 FORD F150 5.4 SUPERCAB PICKUP, IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO A FEW OTHER OF OUR PICKUPS AND TO A COUPLE OF OUR SERVICE VANS. WE HAD TO HAVE THE SPARK PLUG HOLES TAPPED AND RE-DRILLED AND INSTALL A NEW PLUG. IT IS QUITE AND EXPENSIVE PROCEDURE NOT ONLY FOR THE REPAIRS BUT THE DOWN TIME OF OUR VEHICLES. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING A LOT. COULD YOU PLEASE GET BACK TO ME IF YOU HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. OR LET ME KNOW IF I AM COMPLAINING TO THE WRONG PLACE. THANK YOU.*JB

DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 1997 FORD F150. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE THE PREVIOUS DAY APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS AND PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. YESTERDAY, AUGUST 16, 2005, AROUND 8:30 PM THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE . HE LOOKED OUTSIDE TO SEE THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE REPORTED. THE CONSUMER ASSUMED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. HE BELIEVED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BECAUSE HE DID NOT SMELL ANY TYPE OF GASOLINE ODOR. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE CONSUMER WAS GOING TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB

CONSUMER CONCERNED WITH VEHICLE RECALL OVER HEATING AND CATCHING ON FIRE. *TS CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE ON THE UNDERHOOD SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE CONSUMER HAS DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS A POROUS SWITCH ON THE MASTER CYLINDER THAT ALLOWS BRAKE FLUID TO GET INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE CONNECTOR THUS CREATING A RESISTANCE THAT WILL CAUSE THE CONNECTOR AND SWITCH TO OVERHEAT. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT 'S VEHICLE HAD A BRAKE LINE FAILURE ON THE REAR BRAKE LINE. THIS HAPPENED ON 10-04-05. HE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN HE HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY. HE REPORTED HAVING NO WARNING PRIOR TO THIS , SUCH AS A LIGHT COMING ON IN THE CAR. THE BRAKES WERE NOT MAKING ANY KIND OF NOISES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. HE PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD. HE SMELLED BRAKE FLUID, AND IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE STEEL BRAKE LINE THAT IS MOUNTED ON THE REAR AXLE HOUSING. THE BRAKE LINE SEEMED UNUSUALLY CORRODED. HE TAKES VERY GOOD CARE OF THE CAR AND THE CAR IS STORED PROPERLY. HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH VEHICLES, AND HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. ALSO, T THE GAS TANK WAS SUSPENDED BY TWO METAL STRAPS. THE REAR STRAP WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE GAS TANK WAS LAYING ON THE SKID PLATE. USUALLY, THERE WAS ABOUT ONE INCH CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TANK AND SKID PLATE. HE WAS AFRAID THAT THIS MAY CAUSE A GAS LEAK FROM THE GAS TANK .*AK