Ford F-150 Complaints (1998)

1,381 consumer complaints on file.

#10221844March 20, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 1998 FORD F150 TRUCK EJECTED A SPARK PLUG WHILE DRIVING AT LOW RPM'S. NUMEROUS WEBSITES HAVE STATED THE HEAD DESIGN IS FLAWED AND ONLY ALLOWS 3 THREADS TO CATCH. UPON EJECTION OF THE SPARK PLUG THE THREADS ON THE ENGINE HEAD ARE REMOVED. FORD HAS A NEW DESIGNED ALUMINUM HEAD TO OMIT THE PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T IT BEEN MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH A RECALL? NOT ONLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY LOSING POWER, BUT A BAD DESIGN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10221764March 19, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD CALL THE CONTACT WHEN THE PARTS ARRIVED AND THERE WAS NO NEED TO DISCONNECT THE SPEED CONTROL IN THE INTERIM. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,365.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219120February 25, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10218779February 21, 2008
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 1998 F150 FORD PICKUP HAS LEAKED FOR YEARS AND NOW THE WATER HAS CORRODED THE GEM MODULE TO THE POINT WHERE I AM EXPERIENCING UNWANTED ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY WHEN THE CAR IS UNATTENDED AND WORRIED THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE OR CAUSE A DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION WHILE I AM DRIVING THE TRUCK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY AT FIRST WOULDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM UNTIL I MENTIONED THE FORD BULLETIN ##15773. THEN THEY SAID THAT THE ONLY THING THEY WOULD DO IS REPAIR THE PROBLEM FOR $1,300 DOLLARS. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND IT IS CLEAR THAT FORD MANUFACTURED A FAULTY WINDSHIELD AND THAT IT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217721February 11, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
1998 FORD F150 CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER HOOD NEAR BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR, BURNING WIRES, PLASTIC COMPONENTS, HOOD AND FENDER BEYOND REPAIR. VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN DRIVEWAY FOR OVER 20 MINUTES UNATTENDED, TURNED OFF, KEYS OUT OF IGNITION. FLAMES WERE 2 FEET HIGH AT TIME OF NOTICE; NEIGHBOR SAVED FURTHER DAMAGE TO TRUCK AND HOME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216794February 3, 2008
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WIPERS WILL COME ON BY THEMSELVES AT HIGH SPEEDS DISTRACTING THE OPERATION ON THE VEHICLE. ATTEMPTS TO FIX PROBLEM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216798February 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SUSPENSION
1998 F-150 5.4L TRITON I'VE OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR 2 YRS. AND PUT 30,000 MILES ON IT. CURRENTLY AT 124,000. OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE (NOT INCLUDING SPARK PLUGS) HAVE CHANGED BOTH CV SHAFTS AND BEARINGS IN THE FRONT. FEB. 3, 08 WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR PRECURSOR IT BLEW A SPARK PLUG FROM THE HEAD STRIPPING THE THREADS. IT OCCURRED VERY QUICKLY WHILE COASTING DOWN HILL AT 55 MPH. NOT HARDLY WORKING THE ENGINE. I KNEW WHAT IT WAS IMMEDIATELY, I HAD BEEN WITH A FRIEND WHEN HIS 2000 F 150 4.6L BLEW A SPARK PLUG FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 6 MONTHS. THIS ACTION ALMOST STALLED MY TRUCK OUT BEING AT LOW RPM TO BEGIN WITH IT RATTLED VIOLENTLY. I WAS AFRAID MY 10 YR OLD BROTHER AND I WOULD HAVE TO WALK FOR HELP. NOT FUN IN NY IN FEB. A PASSERBY CAME TO OUR AID. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED HOME BY A FRIEND. STILL TRYING TO FIND A SUITABLE AND AFFORDABLE REPAIR. THOUSANDS OF THESE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO VARIOUS WEBSITES, DEALERS, AND EVEN TO FORD. SOME INSTANCES HAVE RESULTED IN FIRES DESTROYING THE WHOLE VEHICLE. IGNITED BY A STRAY SPARK PLUG AND FUEL MIST FROM THE CYLINDER. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BY FORD. MOST REPAIRS RUN $2,000 - $4,000 EACH TIME A PLUG A SPIT. MANY VEHICLES HAVE UNDER 100,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214562January 11, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
MY 1998 FORD F-150 ONLY HAD 76,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS WELL-MAINTAINED. ON 12/30/2007. IT HAD RUN A LITTLE ROUGH AT START UP FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO 12/30/2007. THEN ON THAT DAY A LOUD KNOCK IN THE ENGINE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THERE WAS A HISTORY OF THE 4.2 ENGINES HAVING PROBLEMS. AND I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING WITH IT YET. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THIS ENGINE. IF THEY KNOW IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM TO START WITH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213563January 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE LEFT LOBE WOULD NOT FIRE AND CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213250December 31, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I OWN A 1998 FORD F-150, WHICH HAS A 5.4L ENGINE. AT 100,000 MILES THE #3 SPARK PLUG BLEW. THEN ON A TRIP BACK FROM IDAHO FALLS IDAHO THIS MONTH TO MY HOME IN LINDON, UT THE #1 PLUG BLEW. BASED ON RESEARCH, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. THE SECOND TIME MY PLUG BLEW, I WAS DRIVING ON A VERY ICE COVERED HIGHWAY (I-15 JUST NORTH OF BLACKFOOT, ID). WHEN #1 WENT THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN RUNNING EXTREMELY ROUGH AND MY SPEED DRASTICALLY DECREASED. THIS COMBINATION MADE ME LOSE CONTROL ON THE FREEWAY AND ALMOST SLID OFF THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY POSSIBLY ROLLING MY TRUCK. LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES NEAR ME. GIVEN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS ISSUE AND THE OVERWHELMING INCIDENTS, I THINK IT IS TIME SOMEONE TOOK ACTION AGAINST FORD. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A DEATH! IF NOTHING IS DONE, THEN THE GOVERNMENT IS AS MUCH TO BLAME FOR NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT A KNOWN SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10210650December 3, 2007
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD NOISE AS IF SOMETHING WAS SCRAPING ACROSS THE ROAD. WHEN HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, HE REALIZED THAT THE GASOLINE STORAGE TANK FELL AND WAS DRAGGING ACROSS THE ROAD. HE TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS. FORD STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10209361November 19, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. AAA TOWED THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. HE HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE DEFECTIVE BRAKE LINES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,700. UPDATED 01-11-08. *KB UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10208364November 7, 2007
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
1998 FORD F-150 FUEL TANK FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL TANK FELL FROM BENEATH THE VEHICLE WHILE BACKING OUT OF HIS GARAGE. HE STATED THAT BOTH THE STRUTS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE BROKE. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10208191November 7, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1998 FORD F150- 66,000MI. DEVELOPED A SERIOUS OIL LEAK FROM THE HEAD. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS COMMON AND FORD IS WELL AWARE OF IT'S RECURRENCE. BESIDES COSTING $2000.00 TO REPAIR, IT IS LEAKING HEAVILY ONTO AN EXHAUST PIPE CAUSING SMOKE AND POTENTIAL FIRE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10207306October 29, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AS THE FIFTH AND SIXTH CYLINDERS. THE REPAIR HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,250.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10207061October 27, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I PURCHASED A USED 1998 FORD F150 FROM CAR MAX IN LAS VEGAS. I ALSO PURCHASED CAR MAX'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO JIFFY LUBE FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND DROVE IT HOME, A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1 MILE. JIFFY LUBE DID NOT NOTE ANY PROBLEMS WHEN THEY SERVICED THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START THE NEXT TIME I WENT TO USE IT. JUMPING IT DID NO GOOD, THE BATTERY WAS NOT LOW. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO CAR MAX IT WAS TOWED ON A FLAT BED TRAILER, SO THE WHEELS NEVER TOUCHED THE GROUND. I CALLED CAR MAX THE NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID THEY HAD IT SCHEDULED TO LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY CALLED ME THAT FOLLOWING DAY AND ASKED IF THE TRUCK WAS SMOKING WHEN I LAST DROVE IT. I TOLD THEM IT WAS NOT AND THAT IT DROVE FINE. THEN THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND CONTINUED TO ACT AS THOUGH I HAD CAUSED IT. ON MY NEXT DAY OFF, I RODE MY BICYCLE TO CAR MAX AND CHECKED THE TRUCK'S ODOMETER AGAINST THE MILEAGE JIFFY LUBE WROTE ON MY RECEIPT. THERE WERE 28 MILES PUT ON MY TRUCK SINCE THE OIL CHANGE. CAR MAX WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY BLEW THE MOTOR IN MY TRUCK, BUT DENY IT. MY SON HAD DONE MOST OF THE OIL CHANGES ON THE TRUCK, SO I HAVE NO PROOF OIL CHANGES WERE DONE, SO CAR MAX DENIED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I CALLED FORD AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO SUCH ISSUE ON THE TRUCK, EVEN THOUGH FORD CHANGED THE HEAD STARTING WITH LATER 1998 MODELS, DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WITH MY ASKING HOW THEY CAN DENY AN ISSUE, WHEN THEY PUT OUT INFORMATION TO THEIR DEALERS ON STEPS TO TAKE WHEN SERVICING THE F150. SHE ASKED WHAT I WANTED THEM TO DO. I TOLD HER I WAS NOT ASKING FORD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR BECAUSE I AM PAYING FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. BUT I WOULD LIKE THEM TO CONTACT CAR MAX AND TELL THEM THAT THE MOTOR BLOWING UP WAS NOT MY FAULT, SO CAR MAX WOULD COVER IT, AS THEY SHOULD ANYWAY. SHE TOLD ME NO, BECAUSE THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE 1997 AND 1998 FORD F150'S. PLEASE HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10205898October 16, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WHILE PARKED. THE CONTACT LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT FLAMES WERE PRESENT. HE ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A HOSE. WHEN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED, THEY FINISHED EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED THE FAILURE. A FIRE AND POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY ASKED FOR THE VIN. THE DEALER THEN CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE DUE TO THE RECALL; HOWEVER, THEY OFFERED TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY SENT NOTIFICATIONS, BUT THE CONTACT NEVER RESPONDED. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE CRUISE CONTROL AND FUSE BOXES. THERE WAS ALSO PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE DRIVEWAY, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE TIME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 176,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10202888September 13, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A WIRE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SWITCH, BUT THE CONTACT STILL HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START. THE DEALER FINALLY DISCONNECTED THE SWITCH, BUT IT CONTINUES TO TAKE FOUR OR MORE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS PAID $200 IN REPAIRS. THE FAILURE OCCURS IN BOTH COLD AND HOT WEATHER AND THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE DISCONNECTED WIRE WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 229,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10200546August 23, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
MY 1998 FORD F-150 FITS THE SUMMARY OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 97V171000. MY TRUCK IS CURRENTLY IN WITH THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER REASON, INCLUDING THE SPEED CONTROL RECALL. HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT FIX THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR BECAUSE THEY STATE IT IS NOT A FORD RECALL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE NHTSA SITE INDICATES AS A (RECALL DATE OF 10/07/97) BECAUSE FORD HAS TO MAKE A RECALL NOTICE. MY INDICATOR IS OFF BY ONE (IT SAYS I'M IN 'R' WHEN RALLY IN 'P' AND SO FORTH). 'I UNDERSTAND NOT DOING A MASS RECALL FOR THIS, BUT WHEN A VEHICLE IS IN FOR A MANDATORY RECALL OF THE SPEED CONTROL CATCHING FIRE, ONE WOULD THINK THEY WOULD REPAIR A VEHICLE THAT IS EXPERIENCING ANOTHER KNOWN DEFECT AS INDICATED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN 97V171000. ALSO, IT IS IN FOR DAMAGE RELATED TO THE FUEL TANK, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE REPLACING THE FUELS TANK AND MANY OTHER ITEMS ATTACHED TO IT (I.E. LINES ETC.) THEY DON'T FEEL IT IS WARRANTED TO ADDRESS ANOTHER NHTSA RECALL RELATED TO THE LEAF SPRING POTENTIALLY PUNCTURING THE TANK. THAT IS CAMPAIGN #98V161000. REGARDS, STEVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10200482August 22, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
HYDRAULIC BRAKE FAILURE. VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY. REAR BRAKE LINES REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Ford F-150