1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

VEHICLE FIRE INVOLVING THE SPEED CONTROL DISCONNECT SWITCH ((CRUISE CONTROL DEFECT)) ON THIS 1997 FORD F150. LIMITTED BURN IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, AND THIS FIRE PATTERN/EVIDENCE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE FAILURE OF THIS VEHICLE COMPONENT. SALVAGE IS PRESENTLY PRESERVED FOR INSPECTION.

I HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY TRUCK, CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING, HAD SOME FUSES BLOWN UNDER HOOD THAT WERE REPAIRED, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEN MY 1997 F-150 XLT SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTS IN DRIVEWAY. HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER AN HOUR. PERSONS DRIVING BY ALERTED ME TO THE FIRE, WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON AND FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF HOOD NEARLY 10' IN AIR. THEN THE CAR ALARM WENT OFF AND AT SOME POINT THE DOORS UNLOCKED THEMSELVES. POLICE AND I EXTINGUISHED FIRE, BUT THERE IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

1997 FORD F-150 TRUCK WITH APPROXIMATELY 122,000 MILES, HAD A FUSE FAILURE THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PARK POSITION WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. FUSE WAS REPLACED AND 4 DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING A NEARLY TOTAL DESTRICTION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR PORT IT WAS SITTING IN. FIRE OCCURRED ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS LAST DRIVEN. THIS FIRE MAY BE RELATED TO THE RECALL OF THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS) ON THE 2000 F-150 TRUCKS.

DT: THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING 20 MIN. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS OR WARNINGS THAT A PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY SERVICED. THE OWNER WAS INSIDE THE HOUSE AND HEARD A POP SOUND AND THEN LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM A HOLE IN THE HOOD. FLAMES WERE ABOUT 2 OR 3 FOOT HIGH. THERE WAS A FIRE INVESTIGATION #0002302 WHICH STATES THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS TECHNICAL PROCESSING CENTER AND CAUSE OF FIRE WAS THE IGNITION OF AN UNSPECIFIED SHORT CIRCUIT ARCH. POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. IT WAS ALSO REPORTED TO INSURANCE COMPANY. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. VEHICLE HAS NOT HAD OTHER PROBLEMS BEFORE. THE POLICE REPORT # 7619. *JB

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. DEALER SAID THAT ONE SECTION OF THE BRAKE LINE HAD ROTTED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS WET. CONSUMER STATES THAT IT'S ALWAYS WET AND HE LIVES IN A SALT AIR ENVIRONMENT. *JB THE CONSUMER'S MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS NOT REPLACED WITH AN IMPROVED FUEL LINE. INSTEAD IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE SAME LINE THAT FAILED. *NM

I OWN A 1997 FORD F-150 WITH THE 4.2L V-6 ENGINE THAT IS NOTORIOUS FOR "HYDROLOCKING" DUE TO A FAULTY LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS HAS BEEN A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE AMONG MANY CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THIS MODEL AND MANY OF US HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PAY LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN ORDER TO REPLACE A BLOWN ENGINE DUE TO POOR ENGINEERING.

DT: THE REAR END IS MAKING A WHINING NOISE. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE STARTING TO SEPARATE. THE TIRES ARE BRAND NEW PUT ON MARCH 21, 2003. THE TIRES ARE AMERITRAC GENERAL, P255/70R16. THE CONSUMER CAN NOT LOCATE THE NUMBER FOR THE TIRE COMPANY. THEREFORE, HE CANNOT CONTACT THEM. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT HE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TO FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE REAR END. THE CONSUMER'S MECHANIC STATES THAT THE BEARINGS ON THE REAR END ARE BAD DUE TO BAD CASING; IT WILL NOT ALIGN ITSELF UP WITH THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE WHINING STARTED. THE MECHANIC STATES IT WILL NOT GROUND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT ACTIVATE THE SWITCH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED FORD, AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN. WHEN HE CALLED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN HE WAS TOLD HE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR A SERVICE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN DRIVEWAY FOR SIX MONTHS, BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES THERE IS A MUSHY FEELING, AND THE FRONT END SHAKES AND SHIMMIES.*AK

DT THIS SATURDAY JULY 9TH, MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UP UNDER THE HOOD, THE VEHICLE SETTING IN THE YARD. IT HAD BEEN SETTING THERE FOR ABOUT A HOUR. HAVE CONTACTED FORD THEY ARE HAVING A CONSUMER CONTACT ME. THE FIRE STARTED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THAT WHERE MOST OF THE DAMAGE IS. MELTED EVERYTHING UP UNDER THE HOOD WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT BEFORE IT GOT TO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

ON JULY 11,2005 JASON WENT TO WORK AND PARKED HIS 1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP IN THE PARKING LOT OF HIS JOB ROLLED UP ALL THE WINDOWS AND LOCKED THE DOORS AND TOOK THE KEY.AT APROMENTLY 9.00AM HE WENT OUT FOR HIS BREAK TO FIND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT HIS TRUCK ITS A TOTAL LOSS.THE ONLY THING LEFT IS THE CAB OF THE TRUCK.

1) NO EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE. ORIGINAL OWNER, WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE WITH 98,000 MILES. 2) ENGINE SIEZED DURING START (4.2 LITER WITH APPARENT HISTORY OF MANIFOLD GASKET FLAW LEADING TO FAILURE) 3) VEHICLE NOT REPAIRED DUE TO HIGH COST OF ENGINE REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT