Ford F-150 Complaints (1997)

2,758 consumer complaints on file.

#10156670May 3, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
1997 FORD 150 V6 4.2 L ENGINE FAILURE, NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM FORD ABOUT LOWER INTAKE GASKET RECALL, OR THE RECALL ON THE FRONT COVER GASKET. BOTH DEFECTS CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE BY HYDROSTATIC LOCK, BENDING OR BREAKING THE CONNECTING ROD(S) IN 1 OR MORE CYLINDERS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10156497May 1, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
(1) NO SPECIFIC EVENTS PRECEEDED FAILURE. (2) DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION BY OWNER, A LEAK WAS DISCOVERED IN A STEEL BRAKE LINE NEAR THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL. CAUSE OF LEAK APPEARS TO BE RUST THROUGH. THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUSTING OF BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE. (3) REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN PERFORMED YET. RUSTED BRAKE LINES WILL BE SAVED AFTER REPAIRS ARE PERFORMED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10156438April 29, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
11/16/2005 ~ GO IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL AND LUBE. ATTENDANT GIVES ME DETAILS, I HAVE AIR FILTER REPLACED AND COOLANT ADDED BECAUSE IT WAS LOW. 2/23/2006 ~ GO IN FOR MY ROUTINE OIL AND LUBE. I ASK THE ATTENDANT TO LOOK AT THE COOLANT, I TELL HIM THAT IT KEEPS GETTING LOW. SURE ENOUGH HE COMES BACK AND LETS ME KNOW ITS VERY LOW, DID I WANT TO PUT COOLANT IN IT. 4/28/2006 ~ I GO TO MY 97 F-150 TO HEAD OUT TO AN INTERVIEW, SHIRT AND TIE, CUP OF COFFEE AND PAPERWORK IN HAND. PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WONT TURN OVER. IT ISN'T THE "BATTERY IS DEAD" WON'T TURN OVER, ITS A "I WANT TURN OVER BUT I CAN'T" OVER AND I CALL MY MECHANIC. HE ARRIVES AND GETS OUT HIS JUMPERS TO SEE IF IT IS A DEAD BATTERY. WE LOOK AT THE STARTER, ELECTRICAL EVERYTHING AND CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE IT OUT. HE SAYS TO ME, "YOU DON'T HAVE VERY LOW OR LITTLE COOLANT, PUT SOME IN THE RESEVOIR" HE ASKS ME IF I NOTICED ANYTHING ODD, ANY HESITATION THE PREVIOUS DAY, I TELL HIM NO, I LITERALLY DROVE 3 MILES TO GO TO THE MARKET AND THAT WAS IT FOR DRIVING THAT DAY. HE ASKS ME TO PUT IT IN REVERSE AND WE TRY AND PUSH IT BACKWARDS TO TURN THE MOTOR OVER. IT WON'T BUDGE, AT THIS POINT HE SAYS THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE CYLINDER(S), GAS, WATER, OIL, SOMETHING AND WE'LL PULL THE PLUGS AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT. WE PULLED THE PLUGS AND COOLANT CAME POURING OUT OF CYLINDER #2. I HAVE PICTURES ETC OF THE COOLANT AND PLUGS. I FOUND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HAVING ISSUES IDENTICAL TO THIS WITHIN THE SAME TIMBERING OF MILEAGE AND EVEN THE SAME CYLINDER. HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=224 HTTP://WWW.FORD-TRUCKS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=473230 HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/FORD_ESSEX_V6_ENGINE_(CANADIAN)#4.2 MY MECHANIC IS NOW PRICING A COMPLETE GASKET KIT AND WILL NEED TO TAKE THE MOTOR APART TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE MOTOR SOUNDS AS IF IT IS OK AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO REMEDY THE GASKET SITUATION AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET IT TO RUN NORMALLY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10156133April 26, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS HAPPENED MORE OFTEN WHILE TOWING SOMETHING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE SPEWED COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES. THE HEADS HAVE BEEN CHANGED ONCE; THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE. THE EGR VALVE HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10156017April 24, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
RE: 97 FORD F- 150 PICKUP W/ 4.2L V 6 IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS ENGINE GIVES TROUBLE W/ FAILING HEAD GASKETS . MINE FAILED AT 86,560 MI. ENGINE COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO #S 3 & 6 CYLINDERS SO BOTH SIDES OF ENGINE WERE AFFECTED FORD OWES ME $1765 DOLLARS IF THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM PLEASE HELP! *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155469April 17, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1997 FORD F150 4.2L V 6 ENGINE. WENT TO START THE TRUCK AND IT RAN VERY ROUGH. CUT IT OFF AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY SAID IT HAD A BENT ROD AND WOULD NEED A REBUILT ENGINE AT A COST OF $5,000. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ENGINE ALL WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. NOW I'M STUCK SHOPPING AROUND FOR A BETTER DEAL ON REBUILT ENGINES THAN THE FORD DEALER PROVIDED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155421April 16, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY 1997 FORD F-150 HAS A LOUD TAPPING SOUND IN THE ENGINE. IT EITHER BROKE A ROD OR A PISTON. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155000April 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 1997 FORD F-150 WITH A 4.2L V6 ENGINE THAT HAS FAILED WITH 82,000 MILES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE DUE TO AN ENGINEERING FLAW. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT CHOOSES TO EXCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY AND LEAVE THE CONSUMER WITH THE BURDEN OF ENGINE REPLACEMENT FOR $4000 TO $5000. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE FAILURES ARE NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM BUT ARE BEING EXPERIENCED BY THOUSANDS OF FORD F-150 TRUCK OWNERS WITH THE 4.2L V6 ENGINE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF A PROBLEM IS THIS WIDE SPREAD AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO BE ACCOUNTABLE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY SHOULD STEP UP AND REPRESENT AS WELL AS PROTECT THE PEOPLE TO SOMETHING THAT AMOUNTS TO OUT AND OUT CONSUMER FRAUD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154801April 7, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT AN IDLE, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DECREASES TO ZERO FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING NOISE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154657April 5, 2006
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE TANK IN PLACE BROKE. THE GAS TANK DROPPED 4 INCHES; HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. UPON INSPECTION ONE OF THE TWO BRACKETS WERE CORRODED AND HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF. THE BRACKET WAS REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 5/3/2006 - *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154567April 4, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1997 F150 4.2L V6 60K MILES WATER IN CYLINDER WARPED ROD. ENGINE NO GOOD. CANT AFFORD TO SPEND 5K DOLLARS TO TRY TO REPAIR ENGINE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10153790March 27, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
BOUGHT A 1997 F-150 USED IN 2001 WITH 62,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE PUT LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE IN THE 4.5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT AND CHANGED THE OIL TWICE. I HAD NOTICED IN THE PAST THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FILL UP THE COOLANT, BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAT GOING IN AND OUT. WENT TO START THE TRUCK AND IT SHOOK AND CAME TO A STOP. STARTED IT AGAIN AND THERE IS NOW AN AWFUL BANGING/KNOCK. I BELIEVE TO BE A ROD OR OTHER INTERNAL PART. HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY A PROFESSIONAL, BUT AFTER READING THE FORUMS ON THE FORD 4.2 LITER ENGINES I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT I CAN SELF DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS HAVING TO DO WITH THE COOLANT LEAK PROBLEMS. I HAVE NOT RAN THE ENGINE AND HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO FIX IT OR REPLACE IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SOME PROBLEM, SYMPTOMS, AND OUTCOME AS ME. THEY HAVE TO NUMBER IN THE HUNDREDS-THOUSANDS. FORD SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS AND HAVE TO BE FULL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 4.2 MOTOR. THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT AND A RECALL. ON BEHALF OF ALL THE F-150 OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WE NEED HELP TO RESOLVE THIS. THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND PLEASE INFORM ME IF ANYTHING HAPPENS OR CAN BE DONE AS I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING AS FAR AS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD. JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10153676March 25, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE ON 1997 FORD F150 4.2L 145K DUE TO LEAKING GASKET IN ENGINE, ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT INTO ENGINE, CAUSING ENGINE TO FREEZE CYLINDER AND THROW A ROD THEN ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED. I NOTICES THAT ENGINE COOLANT WAS DISAPPEARING AND WHITE SMOKE OUT OF TAIL PIPE, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, THEN SOON AFTER THROUGH A ROD AND ENGINE SEIZED UP. MY CAR NOW REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE DUE TO DEFECTIVE GASKET ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT INTO ENGINE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING THEME WITH FORD ENGINES IN THIS YEAR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10153562March 23, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1997 FORD F-150 INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED ALONG WITH A TON OF OTHER PEOPLE. HAD TO PAY A HEFTY REPAIR FEE. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO IT, JUST SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM MY TAIL PIPE. LUCKILY I CAUGHT IT REAL QUICK AND IT ONLY COST THE ME REPAIR OF THE ENTIRE GASKET. A LOT OF TIMES IT IS A WHOLE NEW ENGINE. MY REPAIR COST $500. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10153469March 22, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN FOR A BRAKE REPAIR THE WEEK OF MARCH 6- 10, 2006. WE GOT THE TRUCK BACK DROVE IT A 100 MILES ON THE WEEKEND WITH NO PROBLEMS. ON MONDAY, 3/13/06, I NOTICED IT MISSING AFTER 40 MILES AN HOUR. MY HUSBAND DROVE IT TO WORK THE NEXT DAY TO SEE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK MY SON TO WORK ON THURSDAY AND IT WAS STILL MISSING. WHEN ON THE FREEWAY, I GOT IT UP TO 65/70 MPH WHEN IT JUST STARTED SLOWLY DOWN. I COULD NO LONGER GIVE IT ANY GAS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO A LARGE SHOULDER WHERE I HAD IT TOWED INTO A TRANSMISSION SHOP I TRUSTED. ON INSPECTION, THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLOODED WITH WATER AND COOLANT AS WELL AS THE ENGINE DUE TO A FAULTY RADIATOR. I HAD REPLACED THE RADIATOR APRIL 11, 2005. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST RADIATOR REPLACED. THIS WAS THE 4TH RADIATOR. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT INSTALLED THE RADIATOR AND WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. I'M WAITING FOR A CALL BACK WITH AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN ENGINE BREAKDOWN WHICH WOULD COST ME, TO FIND OUT WHY IT FAILED. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE WHOLE COOLING SYSTEM IN GENERAL SINCE 1999. RANGING FROM CHANGED HEAD GASKETS, HEATER CORES, RADIATORS, ETC. IT HAS BECOME APPARENT FROM READING ON THE FIGHT BACK SITE: [HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=836&PAGE=2&PP=15] THAT THIS A COMMON UNRESOLVED ISSUE WITH THE FORD COMPANY. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT THAT HAS YET TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I COUNTED OUT 226 COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE UNDER ENGINE AND ENGINE: COOLING THROUGH E/E:C:EXSYS:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAILPIPE. I'VE ALWAYS TRUSTED THE FORD COMPANY AS MY FATHER-IN-LAW RETIRED FROM THERE. WE ALWAYS HAD GREAT SERVICE UNTIL HIS PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP CLOSED. I AM NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT ANY ONE DEALER AS I'VE BEEN TO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO SERVICE MY CAR WHEN THEY CLOSED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURE RESPONSIBILITY *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10153136March 19, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OWN A 1997 F150 WITH 4.2 FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. NEVER SEEN THE SMOKE COMING. HYRDOLOCKED ON ME WITH 150,000 KMS WHICH I HAVE HEARD IS KINDA LOW KMS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. LOOKING AT GETTING A REBUILT BUT WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152945March 17, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLANT LEAK. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152624March 13, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE, FORD 4.2L V6 1997 WITH 102,000 MILES. STARTED ENGINE AND LOUD CLANGING NOISE FROM FRONT OF ENGINE ALSO LARGE PLUMES OF WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST. BROUGHT MY TRUCK TO FORD DEALER FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD BEST SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE ENGINE. TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER. I WENT TO ON-LINE TO RESEARCH ENGINE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AND FOUND 21 PAGES OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THE SYMPTOMS WERE EXACTLY THE SAME FOR EACH ONE. ONLY THE MILEAGE VARIED. SOME CLAIMED A FORD RE-CALL WAS ISSUED FOR A GASKET PROBLEM TO CORRECT COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE CAUSING INTERNAL FAILURES. I DID NOT RECEIVE THIS RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HAVE FORD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY (AND THE OTHERS) ENGINE FAILURE. IT IS VERY COSTLY. THANK YOU.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152374March 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WHILE RUNNING. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE PLUGS CHANGED ONCE BY THE FORD DEALER. I HAVE READ ON THE FORD F150 FORUMS THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON ON THE 5.4 ENGINE AS THEY HAVE VERY FEW THREADS HOLDING THE PLUG IN. I AM TOLD FORD FIXED THE PROBLEM IN 2002 BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE EARLIER TRUCKS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152446March 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY FORD F-150 4.2 L ENGINE THREW A ROD ON MARCH 8 2006, WITH LESS THAN 61K MILES ON THE MOTOR. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TOO WATER SEEPING INTO THE CYLINDERS FROM A DEFECTIVE GASKET . I HAVE MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE PER FORD'S PRINTED MANUAL AND HAVE THE RECORDS TO PROVE IT. THE RESULT OF THE PROBLEM HAS COST ME OVER 3,000 DOLLARS FOR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I EXPECT FORD MOTOR CO. TO REIMBURSE ME FOR MY DAMAGES FINANCIALLY. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE MANAGER AT A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND HE SAID HE HAS NEVER KNOWN OF FORD TO REIMBURSE A CUSTOMER IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. THEREFORE I DECIDED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. MY TRUCK IS NOW BEING REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE GARAGE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Ford F-150