1997 Ford F-350 Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-350 WITH A DIESEL ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT UNUSUALLY WEAK AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS OF 10 MPH AND MADE A TURN. IN DOING SO, HE NOTICED FLAMES FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED ACCORDINGLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THE DEALER DID NOT WANT THE VEHICLE ON THE PROPERTY AND THE CONTACT TO REMOVE IT IMMEDIATELY. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO A LOCAL JUNKYARD. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 275,404 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 275,404.

A STEEL BRAKE LINE ON MY TRUCK RUSTED AND RUPTURED CAUSING A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED AND HAD A PARTIAL FAILURE, CAUSING A LEAK. THE RUSTED SECTION WAS REPLACED ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO. THE RECENT LINE FAILURE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

WE WERE TRAVELLING 65 MPH ON THE 91 FREEWAY TOLL ROAD WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE CASING CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO SWERVE AND JUMP AND CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, INCLUDING DAMAGING THE FUEL FILL LINE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAKAGE. THE TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE SO THERE WAS NO PUNCTURE OR OTHER EXTERNALLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TIRE OR VEHICLE. I TOOK THE TIRE TO A BF GOODRICH DEALER ON 10/19/14 FOR INSPECTION, THE TIRE WAS STILL FULLY INFLATED. THE DEALER DEFLATED THE TIRE OUT OF SAFETY CONCERNS. HAD THIS BEEN A FRONT TIRE THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE AND INJURY WOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2012 AND WAS JUST OVER 2 YEARS OLD. TIRE DOT# IS BFW8 0211 0712. *TR

FIRESTONE STEELTEX FAILURE ON A 1997 FORD F350. ON JUNE 20, 2005, THE LEFT FRONT OEM FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRE FAILED AT SPPED ON I-95S BETWEEN AVBERDEEN AND CHURCHVILLE MARYLAND. SINCE THE TRUCK IS DRIVEN VERY LITTLE, ALL TIRES HAVE 40,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE SUBSTANTIAL TREAD REMAINING. ALSO, I METICOULSLY MAINTAIN PRESURES. WITHOUT WARNING AND AT ABOUT 65MPH, THE TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE CARCASS CAUSING VEHCILE TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. NONETHELESS, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF-ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. TIRE CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE CAUSING INSTANT PRESSURE LOSS AND SIDEWALL FAILURE. JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHY PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES ARE NOT LIMITED TO SUVS OR THE LIMITED BATCHES THAT WERE RECALLED.

ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE PAN THE DIPSTICK ADAPTER WAS MANUFACTURED POORLY. THE OIL FROM THE CRANKCASE HAS CAUSED THE ORING TO SWELL AND LEAK OIL. THE OIL LEAK IS GETTING ON THE STARTER AND CLUTCH. THE OIL CAN CAUSE A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH WHILE DRIVING. THE OIL ON THE CLUTCH CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. THE ORING CAN SWELL AND FALL OFF THE ADAPTOR AND BECOME LODGED IN THE OIL PICKUP. THIS WILL STARVE THE MOTOR OF OIL AND CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE MOTOR WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. DUE TO THE INHERENT POOR DESIGN THE ORING THAT IS SUBMERGED IN OIL SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH OIL OR BE ABLE TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE THE ORING DUE TO DUE TO THE TERRIBLE DESIGN OF THE DIPSTICK ASSEMBLY. TO REPLACE THIS ORING WITH A PROPER OIL COMPATIBLE ONE REQUIRES THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE MOTOR AND THE REMOVAL OF THE MOTOR TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE DEFECTIVE PART. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL FROM 1988-2006.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-350. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT STALLED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE HOME. GLADIAN REPAIR SHOP OF PITTSBURG, VIRGINIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SUGGESTED A LIST OF UNKNOWN REPAIRS. CAMEL BROTHERS REPAIR SHOP OF PRINCE GEORGE, VIRGINIA REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SWITCH SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-60 MPH MOTOR VIBRATED, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANG. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TWO PIECE FLYWHEEL CAME APART, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING TO CRACK WHERE THE TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE WAS LOCATED. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS YEAR TRUCKS, AND THE TWO PIECE FLY WHEELS WERE NOT INSTALLED IN LATER MODEL TRUCKS. TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND THE FLYWHEEL WERE REPLACED.*AK

TRUCK WAS PARKED IN LEVEL DRIVEWAY AND JUMPED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE AND ROLLED THRU FENCE, PASTURE, AND SHED. DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO FENCE, SHED AND TRUCK. MY HORSE WAS MODERATELY INJURED DUE TO TRUCK CRASHING INTO SHED AND HORSE RUNNING THRU FENCE. FORD STATED THAT THIS TYPE OF THING CAN HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHEN A VEHICLE GETS A LOT OF MILES AND PARTS GET WEAK.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHILE BACKING UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING HOSE CAME LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LEAK POWER STEERING FLUID AND LOSE ALL POWER STEERING. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THE DIESEL ENGINE VIBRATION CAUSED THE RUBBER SEAL THAT HELD THE POWER STEERING HOSE ON TO COME LOOSE. UPDATED 9/18/2006 - *NM

1997 FORD F350 STEERING PROBLEMS.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR A BEARING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN CRACKED AND RESULTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP MOMENTARILY WHILE DRIVING. *NM

DT: CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED OF ABOUT REAR LEAF SPRINGS SPRING HANGER AND SHACKLE. CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE SPRING HANGER CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO HAUL ANY AMOUNT OF WEIGHT UNTIL PROBLEM WAS FIXED. CONSUMER PURCHASED THE PARTS TO FIX THE VEHICLE TODAY. FORD DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY SELL A LARGE AMOUNT OF THESE PARTS, THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE FORD DEALER PARTS DEPARTMENT. CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR STRUCTURAL ITEM, IT WAS RIVETED ON, NOT BOLTED. CONSUMER LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES LIKE HIS OWN, AND THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER CALLED FORD TO ISSUE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. CONSUMER ESTIMATED THAT IT WAS TO COST $500 TO FIX PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE GOES FROM SIDE TO SIDE AFTER HITTING A BUMP, VIBRATES, AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE NEEDS A STABILIZER BAR, DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH ONE.*AK

VEHICLE FIRE 1997 FORD F350, CAUSED BY FIRE STARTING IN BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHEN FIRE AND SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACT AND AFTER THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, IT WAS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL MODULE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS TAKEN BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PHOTOS WERE AVAILABLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURERS LOT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT YET NOTIFIED.

ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE PAN THE DIPSTICK ADAPTER WAS MANUFACTURED POORLY. THE OIL FROM THE CRANKCASE HAS CAUSED THE ORING TO SWELL AND LEAK OIL. THE OIL LEAK IS GETTING ON THE STARTER AND CLUTCH. THE OIL CAN CAUSE A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH WHILE DRIVING. THE OIL ON THE CLUTCH CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. THE ORING CAN SWELL AND FALL OFF THE ADAPTOR AND BECOME LODGED IN THE OIL PICKUP. THIS WILL STARVE THE MOTOR OF OIL AND CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE MOTOR WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. DUE TO THE INHERENT POOR DESIGN THE ORING THAT IS SUBMERGED IN OIL SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH OIL OR BE ABLE TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE THE ORING DUE TO DUE TO THE TERRIBLE DESIGN OF THE DIPSTICK ASSEMBLY. TO REPLACE THIS ORING WITH A PROPER OIL COMPATIBLE ONE REQUIRES THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE MOTOR AND THE REMOVAL OF THE MOTOR TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE DEFECTIVE PART. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL FROM 1988-2006.

WHILE DRIVING MY 1997 FORD F350 DIESEL PICKUP, PULLING A 36FT GOOSENECK HORSE TRAILER WITH MY TWO TEENAGE DAUGHTERS AND THEIR FOUR HORSES, THE ENGINE IN MY PICKUP SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED. THERE WAS NO "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT, AND THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWED NORMAL. THE ONLY WARNING I HAD WAS SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE LEFT WHEEL WELL UPON SPEED DECREASE TO TURN A CORNER. I WAS TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE FROM HOME AND AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED (LESS THAN 40MPH) DURING THE TRAVEL FROM MY HOME TO THE LOCAL FAIRGROUNDS FOR RODEO PRACTICE. AS I TURNED THE CORNER, THE SMOKE BILLOWED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND SMOKE FILLED THE CAB OF THE PICKUP. MY TWO DAUGHTERS AND I QUICKLY EVACUATED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. WE QUICKLY UNLOADED THE LIVESTOCK FROM THE TRAILER AND GOT FAR AWAY FROM THE SCENE. MY FIANCE, WHO WAS TRAVELING BEHIND US IN ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRIED PUTTING THE FIRE OUT WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER I CARRIED IN MY PICKUP, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONDER HIMSELF, HE HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO UNHOOK THE PICKUP FROM THE HORSE TRAILER AND PUSH IT AWAY AS IT BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND A TOTAL LOSS. FROM THE TIME I NOTICED THE SMOKE UNTIL THE FIRE CONSUMED THE VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 15 MINUTES. MY DAUGHTERS HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED BY THIS INCIDENT. WE HAVE SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC LOSS AS A RESULT OF THIS SPONTANEOUS FIRE. I NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THIS TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM SUFFERING SIMILAR LOSS, INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. I AM AWARE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE. I RECEIVED NO RECALL NOTICES FROM FORD, OR WARNING OF ANY KIND THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN TO MY VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY PART (WHICH IS WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THIS FIRE). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE METER SUDDENLY INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE CONTACT ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE PANEL FOR THE FUEL TANK WAS DETACHED, CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,823.

WE DROVE THE TRUCK AND IT NEVER GOT HOT OR ACTED UP THEN WE PARKED IT AND A LITTLE BIT LATER IT WAS ON FIRE. *TR

WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS, EITHER TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE DIRECTIONAL SWITCH SHUTS OFF IF THE WHEEL IS TURNED JUST A LITTLE BIT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I'M TURNING TO THE RIGHT TO GO DOWN MY STREET AND PUT THE RIGHT DIRECTIONAL ON (AHEAD OF TIME TO LET OTHERS KNOW I'M TURNING) THEY SHUT OFF BECAUSE MY STREET IS IN A BEND IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ALOT SINCE I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE BLINKER SHUT OFF AND I DID NOT KNOW IT AND I WAS JUST SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED THE FORD DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A "SAFETY FEATURE" AND SAID THAT ALL FORDS WERE LIKE THIS. I FOR ONE HAVE TO DISAGREE ON THIS "SAFETY FEATURE". THE STEERING WHEEL ONLY NEEDS TO BE TURNED NOT EVEN AN INCH IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.*AK

REPLACEMENT PART SHORTER AND FURTHER AWAY. MUST REMOVE HANDS FROM WHEEL TO USE.

ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE PAN THE DIPSTICK ADAPTER WAS MANUFACTURED POORLY. THE OIL FROM THE CRANKCASE HAS CAUSED THE ORING TO SWELL AND LEAK OIL. THE OIL LEAK IS GETTING ON THE STARTER AND CLUTCH. THE OIL CAN CAUSE A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH WHILE DRIVING. THE OIL ON THE CLUTCH CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. THE ORING CAN SWELL AND FALL OFF THE ADAPTOR AND BECOME LODGED IN THE OIL PICKUP. THIS WILL STARVE THE MOTOR OF OIL AND CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE MOTOR WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. DUE TO THE INHERENT POOR DESIGN THE ORING THAT IS SUBMERGED IN OIL SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH OIL OR BE ABLE TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE THE ORING DUE TO DUE TO THE TERRIBLE DESIGN OF THE DIPSTICK ASSEMBLY. TO REPLACE THIS ORING WITH A PROPER OIL COMPATIBLE ONE REQUIRES THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE MOTOR AND THE REMOVAL OF THE MOTOR TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE DEFECTIVE PART. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL FROM 1988-2006.

REAR AXLE WHEELS CAME OFF AND COULD HAVE ROLLED IN SOMEONES PATH AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

DRIVING AT APPROXMATELY 65 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW SHATTERED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK

ELECTRIC WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. YH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1997 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSIDE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR THE HANDLE WOULD BREAK. THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED TWICE BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. *AK

REAR DRIVER SIDE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AT 75MPH IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.22HRS. LATER IN THE STATE OF OHIO THE PASSENGER REAR SEPARATED. CONTACTED FIRESTONE AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INCIDENT. *TR

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND, CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL NOT LATCH. *AK *TT

VACUUM PUMP FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES FROM FLUID LEAKAGE. MJS

WAS TRAVELING 35MPH AND STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. NEITHER DRIVER'S NOR PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. NO INJURIES.*AK