1997 FORD F-250 Complaints

THE WINDSHIELD WASHER OPERATED SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON, COMPLETELY OBSCURING FORWARD VISION IN THE FIRST INCIDENT. IN THE THREE SUBSEQUENT INCIDENTS BOTH THE WASHERS AND WIPERS OPERATED SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON BUT VISIBILITY WAS OK BECAUSE THE WIPERS CLEARD THE WASHER FLUID AWAY.

FRONT AXLE HOUSING CRACKED ON 4X4. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK

CAN'T GET DOT NUMBER, NOTHING LEFT OF THAT PART OF TIRE BUT ROPES AND FIBERS. NO WARNING, NO NOISE TO INDICATE A BLOWOUT, JUST SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL AS THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL APART. TREAD AND BELTS ALL COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, SIDEWALLS SHREDDED. LOOKS LIKE THE TIRE PERFORATED AROUND ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE AT THE "BEADING". NOTHING LEFT OF SIDEWALLS EXCEPT "ROPES" CONNECTING INNER RIM TO TREAD SURFACE, CAN SEE ALL INDIVIDUAL LAYERS OF TREAD, BELTS AND FIBER SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. FATHER STATES IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF STRENGTH (AND PAST RACING EXPERIENCE OF SEVERAL DECADES AGO) TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND KEEP IT FROM ROLLING. I AM KEEPING THIS TIRE IN CASE ANYONE WANTS TO INSPECT IT, IT LOOKS STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO THE ONES INVOLVED IN RECALL WHEN THEY FAILED. FATHER HAS NEVER FELT ANYTHING LIKE THIS WHEN IT WENT, INCLUDING WHEN RACING. HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIRE LOOK LIKE THIS AFTER A BLOWOUT. THE TREAD AND BELTS HAVE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, ALL THE WAY AROUND! IT LOOKS LIKE IT JUST FELL APART. THIS IS A DANGEROUS TIRE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: SHREDDED TIRESIZE: LT23585R16)

PITMAN ARM ASSEMBLY. I HAVE AN F-250 "LIGHT DUTY" 3/4 TON. I HAVE A NOISE FROM THE PITMAN ARM ASSEMBLY/GEAR BOX. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED NO RECALL ON THAT COMPONENT. HOWEVER, HE DID SAY THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE EXPEDITION BECAUSE OF PITMAN ARM PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT A DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO LUBRICATE THIS MECHANISM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT STEERING SAFETY AND IF THE EXPEDITION WAS RECALLED, IS THIS SIMILAR. PLEASE RESPOND VIA EMAIL. THANKS*AK

VERY INTERMITTENT INCIDENTS OF FALSE ABS CYCLES WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP FROM A LOW SPEED. THIS SEVERELY EXTENDS THE STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION INTO STOPPED VEHICLES. MOST OF THE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON DURING THE INCIDENTS. THIS SAME PROBLEM IS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS SB604767 AND SB606515. WILL BE TAKING TO FORD DEALER, BUT IT WILL BE HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED UNDERNEATH A RAILROAD TRACK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR HIM. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED SELECTOR SWITCH TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CUSTOMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BUT HE IS EXPREINCING A SELETCTOR SWITCH PROBLEM.( THE RECALL WAS ON FORD F150 1989 NOT ON F250). *YH

WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING WHEN RIGHT REAR AXLE SLID OUT, VEHICLE STOPPED. AXLE WAS SITTING OUT FROM UNDER VEHICLE. CONTACTED A TOW COMPANYAND HELPED PUSH AXLE BACK IN, AND PLACED ON FLATBED. TOW DRIVER INDICATED POSSIBLE SHEAR PIN CAME OFF OR BROKE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 235R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R16 )

STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME VERY LOOSE, WILL NO LONGER TILT UPWARD, FEELS LIKE IT WILL COME OFF, DEALER SAID VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

BOTH THESE RETAINING BOLTS FAILED. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE I NOTICED A BOLT HANGING DOWN FROM THE FRONT END ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE, THE SHOP OWNER NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE BOLT WAS MISSING. HE COMMENTED THAT HE LOOKS FOR THIS ITEM ON FORD F150 AND F250 UNITS. HE HAS HAD VEHICLES COME IN WITH BOTH BOLTS MISSING! FORD CHANGED THE BOLT MECHANISM RETAINING THE STABALIZER BARS IN THIS MODEL YEAR (1998). THEIR DESIGN APPEARS FAULTY AS THE PLASTIC RETAINING DEVICES ON THE BOLT DO NOT APPEAR TO WORK PROPERLY.*AK