1997 Ford F Series Problems

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

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

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

1997 FORD TRUCK F250

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

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

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

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

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 !

LIGHTS STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY - HAVE TO REMOVE FUSES - BACK UP LIGHTS AND DOME LIGHT WON'T GO OUT. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN VEHICLE IS OFF. BOTH TIE ROD ENDS HAVE FALLEN OFF (AT DIFFERENT TIMES) ENGINE IS GONE. INFERIOR GASKETS LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE AND DESTROYED MAIN BEARINGS. JUNE 2001 FRONT EENGINE SEAL LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ONTO GROUND. TWO LETTERS TO FORD MOTOR CO (ADDRESSED TO WILLIAM CLAY FORD) HAVE BEEN ANSWERED BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES: DUNCAN ALDERSON AND D KULLA. BOTH HAVE ADVISED THAT FORD WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH I ADVISED THEM I KNEW OF THEIR TSB'S TO THEIR DEALERS ADVISING THAT THESE TRUCKS WERE ASSEMBLED WITH DEFECTIVE GASKETS IN THE ENGINES. I NOW HAVE A TRUCK THAT I CANNOT DRIVE AND NO ASSIST IN GETTING IT FIXED,

CRACKS ON DOOR FORD 1997 TRUCK. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA THERE ARE 18 TRUCKS IN THE PARKING LOT 12 OUT OF THE 18 HAVE CRACKS.. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BY FORD!!!!!!!!*AK

I HAVE THE SAME DOOR CRACK AROUND THE WINDOW AS MANY OTHERS. I TALKED TO THE DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM, B UT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF DEFECT. I THEN WENT TO THE FORD DEALER IN TOWN TO SEE IF FORD WAS DOING ANUTHING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE AND SAVE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD A REPAIR KIT THAT WAS BEING INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE BUT I AM OUT OF THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND WILL HAVE TO PAY BETWEEN $500 AND $700 TO REPAIR.

TRUCK STARTED; HOWEVER, WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE. CONNECTOR FOR CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF ON BRAKE MASTER CYLINDAR WAS BURNT. OCCURED WHILE IN PARKING LOT WITH ENGINE SHUT OFF. APPEARS THAT THE BRAKE RELAY LEAKED BRAKE FLUID INTO CONNECTOR CAUSING SHORT. FORD DID NOT REPLACE CONNECTOR. CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. FORD ONLY REPLACED BRAKE RELAY AT MY COST. DID NOT REPLACE FRIED CONNECTOR.*AK

BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH, LOSS OF BRAKES. *AK

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

COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING, WENT THROUGH 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. FORD MOTOR WARRANTY SAID CONTACT GARAGE IT WOULD BE UP TO THEM TO REIMBURSE ANY REPAIR COST BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OFF WARRANTY, GARAGE ALSO SAID THEY WOULD NOT CONTACT FORD WARRANTY TO DISCUSS PROBLEM INSTEAD GAVE ME A NUMBER TO CALL. HOWEVER I DID TALK TO A FORD MOTOR REP FROM SLC,UT HE WAS VERY SORRY ABOUT MY PROBLEMS. ON APPROX. MAY 20TH 2003 I WAS NOTIFIED BY A FRIEND FOR MOTOR WAS RECALLING THIS PARTICULAR MODEL FOR A STEERING PROBLEM THE GARAGE SAID IT WAS A LOWER STEERING, FORD MOTOR WARRANTY SAID IT WAS AN INTERMEDIATE STEERING PROBLEM QUOTE "NOT UPPER OR LOWER" COULD BE EITHER AND THAT MY PROBLEM WAS UPPER STEERING AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER RECALL. ? DOES FOR MOTOR HAVE A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM THAN THEY ARE WILLING TO ADMIT, THEY WILL NOT TALK TO ME THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND TO MY E-MAILS AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? I HAVE CONTACTED ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF IDAHO WANTING FOR THERE RESPONSE. THANK YOU . *AK

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

PE00-020, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT, ORIGINAL EQUIPPED TIRE, SIZE P23570R16 AND DOT W281PT. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WHEN RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF ALL THE WAY TO STEEL BELT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO FENDER. TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE AND HAD ONLY 22,000 MILES. MINUTES PRIOR TO INCIDENT, CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT AS THOUGH THERE WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. ALSO, TIRE WAS AT CORRECT PRESSURE WHICH HE HAD CHECKED EARLIER THAT SAME DAY. *AK *SLC

DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT SEALER HOLDING WINDSHIELD IN PLACE WAS LEAKING. THIS CAUSED A SHORT IN FUSE AND RADIO. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

OVER DRIVE WENT OUT SOME WERE AROUND 56000-58000 MILES NOW AT 94,000 MILES THERE IS NO REVERSE