1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS HANGING ON BY ONE OF ITS STRAPS. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WAS FRACTURED AND THE SECOND STRAP WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE STRAPS HIMSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TRUCK HAS A 4.2 LITER, V-6 ENGINE. A WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN THEN PARKED IN A MY GARAGE. ON THE INCIDENT DAY I TRIED TO START THE TRUCK BUT HEARD ONLY A LOUD, HARD KNOCK WHEN THE STARTER ENGAGED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE BATTERY VOLTAGE CHECKED OUT OK. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE STARTER WAS REMOVED AND CHECKED OUT OK ELECTRICALLY. THE MECHANIC MANUALLY ROTATED THE ENGINE BACKWARD 1-1/2 TURNS (HE COULD NOT ROTATE IT FORWARD) THEN TRIED TO START IT BUT THE ENGINE AGAIN MADE A LOUD, HARD KNOCK SOUND. THE MECHANIC THOUGH THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED OR A PUSH ROD WAS BENT. HOWEVER, SINCE THE TRUCK RAN FINE THE LAST TIME IT WAS USED I FELT THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED DURING ITS LAST USE AND LAST COOLDOWN. I CONCLUDED A GASKET FAILED (OR A HEAD CRACKED) ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS DURING ITS LAST COOLDOWN. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED BACK TO MY GARAGE. I REMOVED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND FOUND COOLANT DRAINING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CYLINDER WHICH WAS CAUSING HYDROLOCK. I ROTATED THE ENGINE BACKWARD 4-1/2 TURNS THEN FORWARD 9 TURNS. THE ENGINE NOW TURNED FREELY. A TOTAL OF 4 TO 6 OUNCES OF COOLANT CAME OUT OF THE CYLINDER. I SPOKE WITH A MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE FORD ALERT SYSTEM AND FOUND A POSTING FOR THE 1997 4.2L V-6 ENGINES THAT INDICATED THEY ARE PRONE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD O-RING FAILURES. I FOUND MANY REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES FOR THIS YEAR AND ENGINE TYPE. I INTEND TO CHECK IN WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO GET THEIR TAKE ON THIS PROBLEM AND FIND OUT WHY I WASN'T NOTIFIED ABOUT A "RECALL". *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS FRACTURED AND THE FUEL TANK DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY. THE FUEL TANK DETACHED AND SPILLED NINETEEN GALLONS OF FUEL ONTO THE GROUND. A HAZMAT TEAM WAS NOTIFIED TO ASSIST WITH THE CLEAN-UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL TANK, SENSORS, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS AND THE FUEL TANK HOSES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY: MOUNTING) DUE TO THE STATE THE CONTACT RESIDED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,429.

NOTICED GAS PORING FROM TANK AS I WAS REFILLING. LOOKED UNDER TO SEE STRAP ROTTED AND BROKEN. SCHEDULED TO HAVE STRAP FIXED FRI 4/6/12 BUT FROM WHAT I READ,THEY WONT FIX LEAK CAUSED BY STRAP. SO TANK WILL CONTINUE TO LEAK. *TR

THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FUEL STRAPS UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING), BUT THE DEFECTIVE STRAPS CREATED A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK AND CAUSED A FUEL LEAK. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS BECAUSE THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 81000. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD THE HORN SOUNDING OFF. THE VEHICLE ENGULFED INTO FLAMES SOON THEREAFTER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE FIRE CHIEF STATED THAT THE FRONTAL AREA ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 161,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS PER CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V385000, I FOUND THAT WHEN I WAS REFUELING THE GASOLINE WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR AT ABOUT 1.5 GALLONS. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I THE PROBLEM WASN'T PRESENT TILL THE STRAPS WERE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW FUEL FILLER NECK WHICH WAS NOT COVERED BY THE ORIGINAL RECALL, SO I WENT TO PRIVATE SHOP FOR A LESS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. UPON INSPECTION IN REPLACING THE FUEL FILLER NECK, MY MECHANIC NOTIFIED ME THAT I ALSO NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK BECAUSE OF CORROSION OF BOTH THE FILLER NECK AND THE TANK. THIS TANK STRAP RECALL COST ME MORE IN PARTS AND LABOR THAN THE STRAPS ALONE COST FORD. WOULD I HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF LETTING THE TANK DROP AND CATCH ON FIRE IN MY FULLY COVERED 1997 VEHICLE? THE INSURANCE MONEY ALONE WOULD'VE GOTTEN ME A BETTER VEHICLE, BUT I LOVE MY TRUCK! HOPING ENOUGH COMPLAINTS WILL INITIATE AND INVESTIGATION AND RECALL SO I CAN GET MY REIMBURSEMENT. FOR NOW, I WILL HOLD ONTO THE OLD TANK AND ALL THE PARTS IN CASE I NEED PROOF OF PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER RECEIVING NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY: MOUNTING) THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL STRAPS WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REMEDY DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE CORROSION ON THE FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE RECALL REPAIR AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE MANUFACTURER THE FUEL TANK MOUNT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME BRACKET HAD ROTTED AND THE RECALL COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS A SLIGHT HESITATION, THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE, THE BRAKES FELT SPONGY, THE BRAKE LINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE BRAKES, CALIPERS AND HOSES. UPDATED 04/17/12 UPDATED 04/25/12*LJ UPDATED 05/02/12 *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. NO ONE WAS INJURED FROM THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND TOOK A COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT, WHO WAS STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, HEARD A LOUD BANG AND NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE CABLE FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE CABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 314,000.