1997 Ford F Series Owner Complaints

WHILE DRIVEING AT 60 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD CRASH FROM THE LEFT REAR THEN A GRINDING POP FROM THE LEFT REAR ALL WHILE THE REAR END OF MY TRUCK FELT LIKE IT WAS FISH TAILING ON ICE OR LIKE SOME ONE HUGE WAS SHAKEING IT FROM SIDE TO SIDE I ALMOST LOST IT INTO A FIELD I WAS SO SUPRISED I GOT STOPPED TO LOOK THE LEFT REAR SHACKLE CUT LOOSE BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST ALL DOTTED AWAY THE LOWER SPRINGS ON BOTH SIDES ARE MISS ALIGNED BY 2 INCHES EACH AND THE SPRING END IS NOW PEEKING THRU THE BED THIS TRUCK WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW BY MY BEST FRIENDS DAD AND WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF KEPT IN THE GARAGE AND NOT USED TO TOW OR HAUL BUT IT IS RUSTING AWAY SO BADLY THAT THE EXHAUST BOLTS HAVE ROTTED AWAY ON BOTH SIDES AND WILL COST 1500 TO FIX ALOT OF THAT IS THE COST TO GET THE BOLTS OUT OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THEY SAY BUILT FORD TOUGH BUT THEY REALY MEEN FORD BUILT IT AND IF U GET IT WET TOUGH ITS GONA ROT AWAY !

NHTSA ID

10721099

Incident

May 21, 2015

Mileage

180,746 mi

THE TRUCK WAS PARKED IN A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT. A FEW MINUTES LATER SOMEONE SAID THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL IN 10 MINUTES. FOUR OFF DUTY FIREMEN WERE THERE AND COULD NOT PUT THE FLAMES OUT. NEAR BY FIRE STATION WAS CALLED. ITS RESPONSE WAS WITH IN A FEW MINUTES. TRUCK WAS TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10636977

Incident

Sep 23, 2013

Mileage

140,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STARTED SURGING UP AND DOWN IN SPEED ERRATICALLY. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE SPEED CONTROL, BUT FINALLY TOOK IT OUT OF CRUISE FOR GOOD. THE SPEEDOMETER STILL WAS SURGING UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 4 AND 10 MPH DIFFERENCE FROM WHAT MY SPEED WAS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF FOR A DAY, IT RAN FINE UNTIL I RAN IT ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 40 MILES, THEN IT DID THE SAME ERRATIC SPEED CHANGES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10610880

Incident

May 9, 2014

Mileage

199,400 mi

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 2001, THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 82K MILES. I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START. AT FIRST THE DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER AND THEY REPLACED IT. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO PEPBOYS TO GET THE STARTER REPLACED. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR A MASS OF GRAY SMOKE COME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. TWO DAYS LATER THE ENGINE FROZE. SINCE I HAD A WARRANTY AGREEMENT I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY STATED IT HAD HYDROLOCKED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WARRANTY COMPANY SENT OUT A SHORT BLOCK AND FORD COMPLETED THE REST OF THE REPAIRS. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, MY DAUGHTER WAS USING MY TRUCK AND SHE DROVE IT TO MY HOUSE AND PARKED IT OUT FRONT. IT SAT FOR 2 WEEKS, WHEN I WENT TO START IT, IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. REPLACE THE BATTERY AND IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN OVER. AT THAT TIME THE STARTER SMOKED AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE STARTER. HE TRIED TO TURN IT OVER AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. HE STATED THEY TRIED USING A TORQUE WRENCH AND STILL COULD NOT TURN THE MOTOR. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO MY HOME. AFTER READING THE INFO ABOUT ANOTHER TRUCK HYDROLOCKING, I DECIDED TO CHECK TO SEE IF MY TRUCK HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN I PULLED THE PLUGS, I HAD COOLANT DRAIN FROM THE #3 CYLINDER AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF COOLANT LEAK FROM #5 CYLINDER. PREPARING TO REPLACE THE LOWER AND UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10456371

Incident

Apr 3, 2012

Mileage

82,000 mi

RECALL CORRECTION TURNS TO EXPLOSION DANGER! FORD ISSUED RECALL #11 S 21 ON THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS. BEST FORD OF NASHUA PERFORMED THE SERVICE TO INSTALL NEW STRAPS ON OCTOBER 7, 2011. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RECALL WORK, A VEHICLE REPORT ON BEST FORD LETTERHEAD WAS PROVIDED SHOWING ALL SYSTEMS WERE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. ON OCTOBER 21, 2011, DURING A REGULAR OIL CHANGE THE SERVICE PERSON ADVISED ME THAT MY FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED IT TO BEST FORD ON OCTOBER 21, 2011 TO WHICH THEY REFUSED TO CORRECT THE LEAK. THEY INSISTED THAT FORD WOULD NOT COVER ANY OTHER REPAIRS. I INFORMED THE BEST FORD SERVICE MANAGER THAT FAULT WAS THEIRS AND DID FILE A WRITTEN COMPLAINT. I HAVE RETURNED TO BEST FORD ON THREE ADDITIONAL OCCASIONS AND SENT NOT LESS THAN FIVE EMAILS TO REQUEST A FACE TO FACE MEETING. THEY HAVE IN EACH CASE REFUSED TO FIX THE LEAK CAUSED AS A RESULT OF THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. COMPLAINTS HAVE ALSO BEEN SENT TO FORD MOTOR CO (CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE CEO) AND THEY HAVE LIKEWISE REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE POSSIBILITY OF A FUEL TANK STRAP MAY HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, HOWEVER, MY VERY MAINTAINED F150 IS NOW A PRESENT DANGER OF EXPLOSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10443985

Incident

Oct 7, 2011

Mileage

165,091 mi

AFTER FILLING UP THE GAS TANK, PULLED OUT ON TO THE ROAD, SMALL BUMP IN THE INTERSECTION. RUSTED STRAPS BROKE AND GAS TANK FELL OFF. LUCKY IT WAS RAINING AND ROAD WAS WET OR COULD OF CAUSED FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10400910

Incident

Oct 22, 2010

Mileage

150,000 mi

WAS FORTUNATE TO NOTICE GAS TANK HANGING DOWN FROM UNDER CARRIAGE... WAS PREPARING TO DRIVE 50 MILE IN ON INTERSTATE... WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO LOCAL DEALER...NOT WHERE PURCHASED... AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW GAS TANK STRAP..WHICH WITH LABOR WAS 93 DOLLARS... WELL WORTH IT WHEN CONSIDERING WHAT COULD HAVE EASILY HAPPENED AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. AM AMAZED THAT EVEN NOTICED UNTIL TOO LATE...THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED EVENT UNTIL STARTING TO LOOK UP OTHER NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THAT HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10374608

Incident

Oct 14, 2008

Mileage

126,393 mi

WALKING TO MY TRUCK I NOTICE THE REAR FUEL TANK STRAP BROKEN AND HANGING AND THE FUEL TANK HANGING FROM THE FRONT STRAP ONLY. THE REAR STRAP WAS TOTALLY RUSTED THROUGH. THE RUST ALSO RUSTED THE TANK I AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE TANK AS WELL ON 10/3/2010. *TR

NHTSA ID

10359026

Incident

Oct 3, 2010

Mileage

173,051 mi

I OWN A 1997 FORD F-150 PIK UP TRUCK. BOTH STRAPS THAT HOLD THE GAS TANK IN PLACE HAVE BROKEN IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10355603

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

184,000 mi

ON AUGUST 1, 2010, OUR FORD F150 (VIN [XXX]) STARTED ON FIRE AND BURNED FROM THE ENGINE ON OUT. THE HOOD IS TOTALLY BURNED THROUGH AND THE WINDSHIELD ALSO BURNED. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS RUINED. THE TRUCK WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME AND WE WERE ALERTED MY NEIGHBORS WHO SAW FLAMES SHOOTING 10' INTO THE SKY. WE BELIEVE THIS ENGINE FIRE WAS DUE TO ONE OF THE RECALLS OF FORD'S FAULTY SWITCHES OR WIRING THAT IGNITED THE SPARK INTO A FULL BURN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10350446

Incident

Aug 1, 2010

Mileage

200,000 mi

ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL KEEPS RUNNING LOW .TRUCK STARTING TO SKIP OR MISFIRE ON CYLINDER. NO VISIBLE LEAKAGE ON THE OUT SIDE OF MOTOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326204

Incident

Apr 16, 2010

Mileage

161,030 mi

WENT TO START TRUCK. HYDRO LOCKED. WOULD NOT START. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233587

Incident

May 22, 2008

Mileage

110 mi

1997 F150 ENGINE FAILURE 4.2L 6 CYL MOTOR BENT OR BLEW A ROD AFTER SOUND CAME FROM ENGINE AFTER STARTING IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212280

Incident

Dec 18, 2007

Mileage

131,000 mi

FAULTY HEAD GASKET CAUSING OIL AND COOLANT TO MIX. EVENTUALLY HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO BENT RODS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212033

Incident

Nov 28, 2007

Mileage

120,000 mi

4.2 ENGINE PROBLEM, THE 1997 FORD F150 HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT, AS OF THIS DATE THE ENGINE MAIN BEARING WORE OUT. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALL WAYS BEEN SERVICED, AND WITH OIL CHANGES EVERY THREE MONTHS OR 3000 MILES SINCE I PURCHASED IT WITH 6 MILES ON IT. AND THIS WAS A ONE OWNER VEHICLE. I THINK THE BEARING WERE WORN BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE ENGINE PARTS FROM THE FACTOR DUE TO THE LEAKING OF LOWER INTAKE GASKET THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALLED THESE VEHICLES. THEY REPLACED THIS GASKET ,BUT STILL SOME OF THESE VEHICLE HAVE HAD COOLANT PROBLEMS . BEFORE THE ENGINES WENT BAD IT HAD TO BE REPLACED , AND THE COST OF THAT ENGINE I WAS APPROXIMATELY $4,000. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERSHIP ,AND THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED FOR COMPRESSION, AND THE COMPRESSION WAS LOW DUE TO THE BEARINGS FAILURE. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187247

Incident

Apr 4, 2007

Mileage

90,000 mi

THROTTLE HUNG THREE TIMES: ONE UNDER CRUISE, TWICE WITHOUT. ALL INSTANCES STARTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN TEMPS WHERE EXTREMELY COLD. PUMPING PEDDLE TO BREAK ACCELERATION ONLY ALLOWED FOR PARTIAL DECELERATION. REPEATED ATTEMPTS REQUIRED TO REDUCE SPEED. COULD HAVE CAUSED FATALITY IN SECOND OCCURRENCE AS ICY CONDITIONS AND STOPPED VEHICLES COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR COLLISION. SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND PUMPING BREAKS ALLOWED FOR A CONTROLLED STOP. EXTREMELY HIGH IDLE REMAINED UNTIL MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO BREAK ACCELERATION PREVAILED. NOTE: FLOOR MATS ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE. RESEARCH HAS UNCOVERED MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, SIMILAR TO THE EXPLORER OF THE SAME YEAR. WHEN IS A RECALL TO GET THIS CORRECTED GOING TO BE ISSUED... HOW MANY NEED TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE SOMEBODY DOES THE RIGHT THING!!! *NM

NHTSA ID

10182482

Incident

Feb 13, 2007

Mileage

87,600 mi

FIRESTONE STORES AT 11865 W 95 OVERLAND PARK KS 66214 AND ONE AT 7575 WORNALL RD KANSAS CITY MO 64114 ARE FALSIFYING DOT REGISTRATION ON OVER 90% OF TIRES SOLD. PROCESS USED IS THAT A FICTITIOUS NUMBER THAT HAS THE RIGHT SERIES OF CHARACTERS IS USED ON ALL TIRE INVOICES REGARDLESS OF SIZE OR TYPE. THIS IS ALSO ENTERED INTO THE COMPUTER WHICH ACCEPTS THE FICTITIOUS NUMBER AS LONG AS THE CHARACTER STRING IS LONG ENOUGH. THE NUMBER IS GIVEN TO NEW HIRES AS IT WAS ME WHEN I STARTED AND WHEN I REPORTED THIS TO SUPERIOR I WAS FIRED. OVER A PERIOD OF 1 MONTH OVER 700 TIRES WERE SOLD IN THIS FASHION AND NO OTHER EMPLOYEE SAW THE PROBLEM WITH THE POLICY OTHER THAN TO SAY THEY DID NOT WANT TO LOSE THEIR JOB. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176812

Incident

Jun 3, 2005

'97 FORD F-150 4.2L V-6, LOWER INTAKE GASKETS FAILED, LEADING TO HYDROLOCKED ENGINE. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING. TRUCK IS NOW INOPERABLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171774

Incident

Oct 23, 2006

Mileage

116,000 mi

FORD LOWER INTAKE GASKET ON 1997 F150 4.2L ENGINE CAUSING COOLANT LOSS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10160680

Incident

Jun 24, 2006

PERIODIC LOW COOLANT LEVELS WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKS, PROGRESSIVELY WORSE LOW OIL PRESSURE, TROUBLE STARTING, STEAM IN EXHAUST COOLANT LEAKING INTO CYLINDER CAUSED BENT ROD AND NECESSITATED ENGINE REBUILD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157534

Incident

May 2, 2006

Mileage

86,000 mi

1. LOSS OF COOLANT 2. PRESSURE TEST SHOWED FRONT GASKET LEAKING 3.FRONT GASKET REPLACED AT COST OF $1000.00 , MAY HAVE LOWER INTAKE GASKET LEAK NOW, ALL COMMON SERVICE ISSUE , NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10149601

Incident

Feb 4, 2006

Mileage

84,000 mi

ENGINE DEAD DUE TO FAULTY GASKETS, COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147320

Incident

Jan 9, 2006

Mileage

168,000 mi

MY SON APPLIED HIS BRAKES ON A 1997 FORD F-150 AND TRIED TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM, HOWEVER; HE CLAIMS THE STEERING WHEEL "LOCKED" PROHIBITING HIM FROM AVOIDING THE WRECK. HE SAID IT WAS LIKE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE KEY FOR THE CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING ON 1997 FORD F-150'S OR IF THIS IS SIMPLY A BY-PRODUCT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BREAK FEATURE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144427

Incident

Nov 28, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

I DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE ANYTHING JUST ONE DAY MY ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD KNOCKING SOUND TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING AND FOUND OUT I SPUN A ROD I REPLACED THE ENGINE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134441

Incident

Apr 7, 2004

Mileage

135,000 mi

UPON STARTING MY TRUCK, A LOUD BANGING OR RATTLING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. THE NOISE WAS NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO THAT DAY. I SHUT IT DOWN AND UPON DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THAT A FAULTY GASKET DESIGN CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO ONE OF THE CYLINDERS INSPECTION OF THE CYLINDERS SHOWED COOLANT TO BE POOLED IN THE FRONT, PASSENGER-SIDE CYLINDER. CERTIFIED MECHANICS ATTRIBUTE COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER TO BE DUE TO A PREMATURE GASKET FAILURE. IF NOT CORRECTED, THE PROBLEM LEADS TO MAJOR ENGINE DESTRUCTION. DOCUMENTED EFFECTS OF THE COOLANT LEAK ARE WORN OUT BEARINGS AND SURFACES, AND BROKEN OR BENT CONNECTING RODS, NECESSITATING AN ENGINE REBUILD. FORD SENT A TSB TO SOME OWNERS OF THESE ENGINES TO REPLACE THE FAULTY GASKET BUT NOT TO OTHER OWNERS. THE KNOWLEDGE OF A FAULTY GASKET DESIGN WAS WITHHELD FROM SOME 1997 4.2L F150 OWNERS. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE TSB AND THOSE WHO DID NOT (BASED ON MY RESEARCH SO FAR) SEEMS TO BE MADE BASED ON WHERE THE TRUCK WAS ASSEMBLED, NOT ON WHERE THE ENGINE WAS ASSEMBLED. ERGO, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, WITH AVERAGE REPAIR COSTS OF AROUND $4500 DOLLARS, DUE TO FORD NOT NOTIFYING OWNERS OF KNOWN DEFECTS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133163

Incident

Jun 1, 2005

Mileage

140,000 mi