Ford F-150 Complaints (1997)

2,758 consumer complaints on file.

#10045971November 11, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ON NOV. 5TH I PARKED MY 1997 F150 TRUCK AT WORK AT 7:00AM. BETWEEN 10:30 AND 11:00 I GET A CALL THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS PUTTING A FIRE OUT UNDER NEATH MY TRUCKS HOOD. IT TOOK 4 HOURS AFTER THE TRUCK WAS PARKED TO START A FIRE. IF IT WASN'T FOR ME PARKING CLOSE TO A GUARDS STATION IT WOULD OF BEEN WORSE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD OF HAPPENED AFTER I PARKED IN MY GARAGE AT HOME WHICH WOULD OF PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER. AFTER THIS FIRE I CALLED THE FORD HEADQUARTERS AND MADE A COMPLAINT. I ALSO DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET UNDER 1997 BRAKE MASTER CLLINDER FIRES BECAUSE THATS WHERE THE FIRE FIGHTERS SAID IT STARTED AND I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND NUMEROUS ARTICLES ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046370November 5, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES AT 45 MPH BRAKES FAILED. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE AND A GRIND NOISE WAS HEARD. SOMEHOW, VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043882October 29, 2003
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
1997 FORD PICKUP DLERARM,PITTMAN ARM, TIE ROD END REPLACEMENT-FROZEN-CREAKING: LOWER BALL JOINTS WORN; WE ALREADY REPLACED BRAKES,THE PISTONS FROZE CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE ALL ROTORS AND BRAKE PAD AND PISTONS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK WHY DID THIS HAPPEN WITH ONLY 34,152 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. IS FORD USING POOR QUALITY PRODUCTS. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE THIS EXPENSE AT THIS LOW MILEAGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10044807October 27, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
UPON STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER HEARD A TAPPING NOISE. THEN THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. ENGINE HEAD GASKET DEVELOPED A LEAK WHICH CAUSED WATER TO GET INTO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE PISTON CONNECTING ROD SNAPPED. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10044452October 22, 2003
TIRES
WHEN DRIVING IN ANY STANDING WATER TIRES SLID WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER AGREED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018151October 22, 2003
STEERING
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING SHAFT SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL. *TS *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043216October 20, 2003
TIRES
GENERAL AMERI 550 AS TIRE BLEW OUT 18 AUG ON 1997 FORD F-150 REAR PASSENGER SIDE ON OPEN ROAD AT ROUGHLY 22,500 MILE. SECOND TIRE BLEW OUT YESTERDAY, 19 SEPT., ON OPEN ROAD AT ROUGHLY 23,820 MILES ON SAME TRUCK AND SAME REAR PASSENGER LOCATION. THIRD TIRE USED AS REPLACEMENT FOR BLOWN TIRE FOUND TO HAVE BULGE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AFTER 2D BLOWOUT. AGAIN, SAME WHEEL LOCATION ON SAME TRUCK. TIRES ARE ALL GENERAL TIRE AMERI 550 AS AND ORIGINAL TIRES ON TRUCK. TRUCK NOW HAS 23,921 TOTAL MILES. TRUCK HAD NO LOAD WHEN TIRES BLEW. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043128October 17, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND STUDS ARE CORRODEING AND WARPING. 1997 4.6 ENGINE. FORD F-150. SHOP WHERE I HAD SERVICE DONE REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL SIMILAR SITUATIONS WITHIN A WEEKS TIME. COULD THERE BE A PROBLEM HERE? MANIFOLDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CORRODE LIKE THIS. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038507October 16, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN ACCELERATING TO 40 MPH, THERE WAS A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING TO VIBRATE. *AK NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE SHOES HAD BEEN INSTALLED. THE TIRES WERE CHANGED. THE VIBRATION CONTINUED BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE ROTORS, BUT REPACKED THE BEARINGS. *SCC *JB *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042926October 15, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE HAD COOLANT LEAK INTO CYLINDER #3 CAUSING RINGS TO COLLAPSE AND LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN CYLINDER. THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE A REBUILD ON THE ENGINE THAT HAS ONLY 70,000 MILES ON IT. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041785October 14, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
HEAT SHIELDS LOOSE ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TWO CLAMPS WERE REPLACED AGAIN. I HAD THIS FIXED 2 YEARS, PREVIOUSLY. I WAS CHARGED $70.50 FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED AGAIN. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE QUALITY OF THE CLAMPS THAT ARE BEING USED BY FORD. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041784October 14, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
BROKEN HOOD RELEASE. MANY OTHER PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR '97 & '98 F150'S. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS FOR FORD SUV'S, WHY NOT THE F150? I WAS CHARGED $173.46 FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT HE HAD JUST HAD ANOTHER LATCH FAILURE PRIOR TO MY CALL TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024229October 12, 2003
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN
WHILE DRIVING STEERING SHAFT SEPARATED FROM THE GEAR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. RELATED RECALL 03V196000, BUT MANUFACTURER ADVISES THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE'S MANUFACTURING DATE FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE SPECIFIED.*AK *PH *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042856October 10, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE ON 1997 FORD F150. *MR THERE WAS A LOUD TAPPING NOISE WHICH HAD COME FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER WHICH DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, BUT LESS THAN 25K MILES LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041509October 9, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I OWN A 1997 FORD F-150, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE TRUCK'S MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN MAINTAINED THE ENTIRE TIME SINCE I HAD IT. MY TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED NOR HAS IT EVER PULLED A TRAILER OR BEEN USED FOR HAULING. WE HAVE PUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO MY TRUCK OVER THE PAST YEARS. THE TRUCK HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. IT HAS RUN POORLY, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON MANY TIMES. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO FORD FOR SERVICE, AND WE HAVE PERMITTED ALL OF THE REPAIRS THAT FORD HAS RECOMMENDED. IN APRIL, I BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN TO WOODY ANDERSON FOR SERVICE... $1100 LATER, THE TRUCK STILL FALTERED WHEN STARTING, AND CONTINUED TO RUN "ROUGH". THE SERVICE TECH AT WOODY ANDERSON TOLD ME THAT TRUCKS RUN ROUGH. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO SEARS, AND THEY SAID HER BATTERY WAS BAD, SO WE HAD IT REPLACED. THE TRUCK STILL RAN ROUGH AND DID NOT START PROPERLY. LAST FRIDAY (3 OCTOBER 2003) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN! ON SUNDAY, I ATTEMPTED TO START MY TRUCK ... AND THE ENGINE MADE A HORRIFIC SOUND. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF IMMEDIATELY, AND HAD IT TOWED TO WOODY ANDERSON ON MONDAY MORNING. NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAS "FALLEN APART," AND WOODY ANDERSON WANTS $4000 TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE! I FEEL THAT REPLACING THE ENGINE IS FORD'S RESPONSIBILITY. OUR RECORDS SHOW THAT WE HAVE DONE OUR PART IN KEEPING THE TRUCK'S MAINTENANCE CURRENT. IT WAS OUR EXPECTATION AND BELIEF THAT FORD WOULD DO THEIR PART AND SERVICE OUR VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE FACT THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON AFTER NUMEROUS SERVICE ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM(S), INDICATES TO ME THAT THE SERVICE THE TRUCK RECEIVED WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE ENGINE PROPERLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ENGINE'S FAILURE. WHETHER OR NOT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS RELATED TO THE ENGINE'S FAILURE I DO NOT KNOW, BUT IT DOES SUPPORT THE FACT THAT PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE WERE NEVER RESOLVED. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042666October 9, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT. ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND COULDN'T FIX THE ENGINE LIGHT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041492October 8, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MY 1997 FORD F150 WITH 4.2L V-6 MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED AT 68,000 (ORIGINAL) MILES WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDERS. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AT COLD START THE COOLANT IN THE CYLINDERS CAUSED PISTONS/ROD TO BREAK AND ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN LOUD KNOCKING AND POURING WHITE SMOKE OUT OF EXHAUST. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN HARD. THE COST TO REBUILD THE MOTOR (FROM FORD) WAS $3500.00. WHEN MY MECHANIC CALLED TO ORDER THE REBUILT ENGINE FROM FORD, HE WAS TOLD THEY HAD JUST PLACED AN ORDER FOR 50 IDENTICAL ENGINES. THEY ALSO TOLD HIM THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THESE ENGINES ALL THE TIME. IT'S A SHAME THAT FORD WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM AND TRY TO HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN AND I WILL TELL EVERYONE THAT I COME IN CONTACT WITH ABOUT THIS VERY UNFORTUNATE PROBLEM THAT FORD WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041047October 1, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CYLINDER #2 PISTON OF 97 F150 TRUCK BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF ALUMINIUM HEAD. THIS HAS APPARENTLY BEEN A PROBLEM OF FORD VEH. NOW ON 2004 FORD TRUCKS THEY USE CAST IRON HEADS. I REPAIRED MY TRUCK MYSELF WITH A HELI COIL BUT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FORDS RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE PUT THIS IN THE PILE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE........ I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD AGAIN.........THIS INCIDENT OCCURED IN DEC 2000 WITH ONLY 54,000 MILES. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE ON THERE WAY BACK HOME TO DALLAS FROM AMARILLO, TX. (CHANGED CONSUMER INFO PER 10/25/05 CONSUMER CALL - C. ROSE)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037606October 1, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
THE CONSUMER STATED FUEL LEAKED FROM THE GAS TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FILLER TUBE WAS RUSTED AT THE TANK 360 DEGREES AROUND AND 100% THROUGH.*AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031637October 1, 2003
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. THE OTHER THREE TIRES ALSO CONTAINED CRACKS AT THE SAME PLACED WHERE THE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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