2001 Ford F-150 Exterior lighting Problems

WE PURCHASED OUR 2001 F150 SUPERCREW USED. I AM A MECHANIC, SO THE FIRST THING I DO WHEN BUYING A USED VEHICLE IS INSPECT IT THOROUGHLY. THERE WERE A FEW MINOR ISSUES, BUT ONE STOOD OUT AS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, IT SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON TO ALL 1997-2003 F-150S. SYMPTOMS - THIS ISSUE MAINLY AFFECTS THE REAR LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS. THESE LIGHTS, PARTICULARLY BRAKE LIGHTS, CAN CEASE TO FUNCTION ENTIRELY, INTERMITTENTLY AND UNKNOWN TO THE DRIVER. CAUSE - THERE IS A WIRE HARNESS WHICH CONNECTS TO THE "MULTI - FUNCTION SWITCH". THIS WIRE HARNESS IS PULLED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TILTED DOWN. AS A RESULT, THE CONNECTOR OR INDIVIDUAL TERMINALS CAN BECOME LOOSE OR DISCONNECTED. THIS PROBLEM IS MOST PREVALENT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE DOWN POSITION, BUT ONCE LOOSE CAN HAPPEN AT ANY POSITION AND ANY DRIVING SITUATION. SOLUTION - REPAIR OR REPLACE WITH MOTORCRAFT PART# WPT607, AND ENSURE THE HARNESS HAS ENOUGH SLACK TO ALLOW STEERING WHEEL TILT WITHOUT TENSION ON THE HARNESS. IN OUR CASE, I REPLACED THE CONNECTOR AND PULLED THE WIRES ENOUGH TO ALLOW SLACK FOR STEERING WHEEL TILT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ONLINE, AND IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED BY F150 OWNERS. I HAVE PICTURES BUT THE FILE SIZES ARE OVER 5MB.

NHTSA ID

11406715

Incident

Apr 4, 2021

Mileage

164,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND THEN ILLUMINATED AGAIN AFTER A FEW SECONDS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE PREVIOUSLY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10995849

Incident

Apr 17, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

REAR LIGHTS, INCLUDING BRAKE, TURN SIGNALS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. THIS ISSUE CAN BE FOUND ON MANY ONLINE FORD F-150 FORUMS. THE STEERING COLUMN WIRING IS TOO SHORT, AND BREAKAGE IN THE WIRE, OR CONNECTORS CAN OCCUR WITH THE TILT STEERING MECHANISM. THE TILT STEERING MECHANISM AND SHORT WIRING HAS CAUSED THE CONNECTION TO BREAK INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN TRIM ON OUR VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO STOP FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I INSPECTED THE PROBLEM, AND FOUND THE CONNECTOR CAN MOVE FREELY. I FEEL THIS IS AN ISSUE SINCE I AM ABLE TO LOCATE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE FROM 1997 UP TO 2001 FORD F-150S. *TR

NHTSA ID

10473685

Incident

Sep 3, 2012

Mileage

138,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED ILLUMINATING WHENEVER THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN USING BOTH THE LOWBEAM AND HIGHBEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 43,000.

NHTSA ID

10454747

Incident

Apr 7, 2012

Mileage

43,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AMBER LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06E023000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS) BUT THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

NHTSA ID

10414715

Incident

Jan 23, 2011

TAKE A LOOK A MY VEHICLE HISTORY, I BABY MY TRUCK - NEVER USED OFF-ROAD. I HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL ITEMS THAT I FEEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY FORD. I HAD TO BUY A WARRANTY THAT COVER MOST OF THE STUFF. SOME PARTS WITH DEFECTS THAT WERE REPLACED. MOST REPLACED AT 40,000-80,000 MILES 1.) TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY REPLACED 2.) REAREND REPLACED 3.) I'M ON MY THIRD SET OF ALL 4 BALL JOINTS 4.) TIE RODS, TIE ROD ENDS (REPLACED TWICE NOW) 5.) COIL 6.) HEADLIGHT HOUSING (3-4 TIMES) 7.) BRAKES, NUMEROUS THINGS WORKED ON AND REPLACED DEALERSHIP WAS NEVER ABLE TO STOP THE THUMPING NOISE THAT IS STILL THERE, SAID IT WAS NORMAL (NOT) 8.) IDLER ARM (REPLACED TWICE) 9.) SUNROOF SWITCH REPLACED TWICE, REPORTED LOUD BANG WHEN OPENING. A&B KIA SAID IT WAS NORMAL - NO, NOW IT IS COMPLETELY BROKE AND WILL BARELY OPEN AND HAVE TO FORCE CLOSED. 10.) SIDEVIEW MIRRORS VIBRATED 11.) ABS SENSOR REPLACED 12.) KEYLESS ENTRY REPLACED 13.) STEERING BEARINGS REPLACED 14.) BACK BUMPER IS RUSTING THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS I CAN REMEMBER RIGHT OFF HAND. I'VE GOT ALL RECEIPTS. I TAKE CARE OF THIS TRUCK - WASH AND WAX ONCE A WEEK BY HAND (UNLESS REALLY BAD WEATHER) THEN I JUST TAKE IT TO THE CAR WASH AUTOMATIC OR ACTUAL PEOPLE WASHING. KEEP INSIDE JUST AS NICE. IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT A VEHICLE FOR SAFETY/RECALL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD START WITH MINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114221

Incident

Dec 10, 2002

Mileage

35,000 mi

I HAVE 2001 FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE TURN SIGNALS. THEY CANCEL AFTER YOU TURN THEM ON IF YOU TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. IT TAKES VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT OF THE WHEEL TO CANCELL THE TURN SIGNAL. IF IT WOULD ONLY CANCELL IF YOU TURNED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TURN IT WOULD BE OKAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10065978

Incident

Apr 12, 2004

Mileage

200 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND WITHOUT WARNING HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF, CAUSING DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE STREET. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044515

Incident

Sep 12, 2003

THE FOG LIGHTS ARE ALL CRACKING, DUE TO DESIGN. THEY ARE FULL OF WATER AND MAY SHORT OUT MY HEAD LIGHTS . DT

NHTSA ID

768691

Incident

Nov 11, 2001

HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AT 1900 MILES. SUSPENSION, FUMES, BRAKES, SIGNAL SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SHORTAGES.

NHTSA ID

765354

Incident

Oct 25, 2001

I WAS CITED BY FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL FOR IMPROPER EQUIPMENT ON THESE TAIL LIGHTS (FACTORY FORD F150 SVT LIGHTNING TAIL LIGHTS). I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TAIL LIGHTS FOR THE 2001 F150 LIGHTNING HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY NHTSA, AS THE OFFICER SAID THAT IS THE STANDARD THEY USE. IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE SOME REFERENCE AS TO WHERE I CAN OBTAIN THIS INFORMATION FOR MY RECORDS TO DELIVER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COURT WHEN ADDRESSING THIS TICKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

747278