1997 Ford F-150 Complaint Log

CONSUMER STATED THAT WITHOUT WARNING THE BRAKES LEAKED FLUID. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE SWITCH ON THE MASTER CYLINDER STARTED TO LEAK ON THE ABS WIRING AND STARTED THE FIRE. *SCC *JB.....*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVEL BROKE OFF. THERE WERE WIRES HANGING ALL OVER. CONSUME RCALLED THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A BUTTON ON THE LEVEL TO LET ONE KNOW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, BUT NO LIGHT CAME ON. HE WAS CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR, BUT HE HAD IT REPAIRED. HE NEVER SAW ANY LIGHT COME ON.*AK

A SHORT IN THE WIRING AROUND THE MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE BRAKES CAUSED THE RESEVOIR TO CATCH ON FIRE AND BURN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING ENGINE WOULD DIE OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

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

REAR WINDOW LEAKS WATER AROUND WINDOW SEAL.*AK

DRIVER SIDE FRONT BRAKE HAS LOCKED UP IN MOIST WEATHER CONDITIONS. SKID OCCURRED. *AK

I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL RIMS AND TIRE SIZE ,AND MY SPEEDOMETER IS OFF BY EIGHT MILES PER HOUR. MY SPEEDOMETER SAYS I AM GOING EIGHT MILES PER HOUR SLOWER THAN I REALLY AM.*AK

CRACK IN DRIVER'S DOOR AT CORNER OF WINDOW APPROX. 3/4 INCHES LONG.*AK

ENGINE FAILURE ON FORD 4.2L V6. *AK

CABLE OF SPARE TIRE CARRIER BROKE, CAUSING SPARE TIRE & SUPPORT BRACKET TO FALL ONTO ROADWAY.*AK

MY COMPLAINT IS ON A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT 11 TIRE,SIZE P235/70R16.DOT #W208 1PT 216 .WHILE DRIVING FROM SILVER POINT,TN. TO COOKEVILLE,TN.VIA INTERSTATE-40,THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BEGAN SEPARATING IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WHICH WERE RECALLED IN 2001.THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AT THIS TIME BUT,AT THE SAME TIME THERE COULD HAVE BEEN.I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE WAS SUCH A RECALL OR INVESTIGATION OF THIS BRAND OF TIRE AS WAS WITH THE ABOVE MENTIONED.THANK-YOU FOR YOUR SITE.HAVE A GREAT DAY.HAROLD HOUSTON. *AK

DEALER STATED THE TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SO HE HAS TO PAY $400. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THE EXHAUST IS LOCATED AT THE RIGHT SIDE, CAUSING THE TIRES TO OVERHEAT AND BLOW UP. IN JULY FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT SIZE 23570R16 DOT W2081PT WERE REPLACED BY GOODYEAR ,AND PROBLEM STILL RECURRING. DEALER STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT FIRESTONE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT TIRE BLEW UP DUE TO OVERHEATING. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS WHEN A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT

TIE ROD FAILURE. THE LEFT INNER TIE ROD BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING TRUCK. *JB

CONSUMER STATES STEERING HAS FAILED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST STEERING CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING IN ANY STANDING WATER TIRES SLID WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER AGREED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES.*AK

THE STARTER WENT OUT TWICE ON MY 1997 FORD F150 4.6LT AND I JUST BOUGHT IT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, IT ONLY HAS 94,684 MILES ON IT.*AK

1.) ENGINE FAILURE ON 1997 FORD F150 4.2 V6 WITH ONLY 84442 MILES REPLACED MOTOR AT PERSONAL EXPENSE $4019.00 2.) ENGINE DIED ON 10-02-1003 HAD TOWED BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NOT" RELATED TO THE REPLACED MOTOR AND IT WAS ELECTRICAL - PERSONAL EXPENSE $300 3.) ENIGNE BEGINS RUNNING ROUGH ON 6-6-2005 - DIAGNOSIS FAULTY COIL ASSEMBLY, PLUS AND PLUG WIRES "NOT COVERED UNDER THE REBUILT ENGINE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY - PERSONAL COST: $600

MY 1997 FORD F150 SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS OVERNIGHT. THERE WAS A SHORT HORN BURST, FOLLOWED BY A POP, THEN A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 6:30 AM, WHILE I WAS STILL IN BED, HALF-ASLEEP, AFTER MY CLOCK RADIO HAD JUST COME ON. A NEIGHBOR LOOKED OUT OF HER WINDOW AFTER HEARING THE HORN, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYONE AROUND THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN HEARD THE POP, AND SAW THE FIRE START. SHE CALLED 911, THEN CALLED ME. BY THE TIME I GOT OUTSIDE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAME. I RAN BACK IN THE HOUSE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT BY THE TIME I GOT BACK OUTSIDE, THE ENTIRE CAB WAS ALSO ON FIRE. A STUNNED CROWD OF NEIGHBORS AND I WATCHED AS THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. *JB

WHILE TIGHTENING BY HAND, THE LUGS: NUTS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WHEELS BROKE OFF AT THE STUDS.*AK

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS HAVE STRESS CRACKS LOCATED AT THE LOWER REAR SECTION OF THE WINDOWS NEXT TO THE WINDOW MOLDING. CURRENTLY THESE CRACKS ARE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH LONG. I BELIEVE THESE CRACKS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE VEHICLE WERE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. *AK

WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK FUEL WILL SPILL OUT, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

AFTER 2 DAYS OF RAIN I WENT OUT TO START MY 1997 FORD, F150. RAIN WATER HAD LEAKED IN FROM FIREWALL AREA ON TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AREA AND LEAKED IN THROUGH A FUEL INJECTOR FITTING AND FOUND ITS WAY TO A PISTON . THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO START THE STARTER ENGAGED AND ABRUPTLY STOP AFTER 3 MORE ATTEMPTS AT STARTING THE ENGINE IT TURNED AND STARTED.THE ENGINE HAD SEVERE BANGING NOISE(ABOUT 100 DECIBELS ).I WAS TOLD I HAD A BENT PISTON ROD FROM WATER BEING ON TOP OF PISTON AND THE ENGINE WAS RUINED!*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST STEERING CONTROL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. *AK THERE WAS ALSO A SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *PH *JB

MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING MY FORD F-150. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THE MECHANIC TOLD ME MY BRAKE LINES WERE TWISTED. THE SECOND TIME WHICH OCCURRED 1-1/2 YEARS LATER, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT COULD POSSIBLE BE A VALVE OR A CYLINDER PROBLEM WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW FLUID TO THE BRAKES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. MY WHEEL GETS EXTREMELY HOT AND SO DOES MY TIRE. THE VEHICLE PULLS EXTREMELY HARD TO THE RIGHT AND SMOKES EMERGES FROM THE WHEEL. I AM AFRAID THAT MY TIRE COULD POP IF THIS OCCURS AGAIN. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I WILL NOT DRIVE MY TRUCK UNTIL I GET SOME EXPLANATION FROM FORD ON THIS PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 5/25/2003. IT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH. VERY UNSAFE... CAN YOU HELP ME? *NLM

MY 1997 FORD F150 WITH 4.2L V-6 MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO 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 METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN HARD. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAYS THE LOCAL MACHINE SHOP THEY USE FOR REBUILDS HAS SEEN AT LEAST 24 OF THESE ENGINES SINCE JANUARY 1ST, 2003! ESTIMATES TO REBUILD OR REPLACE THIS ENGINE RANGE FROM $2,000 TO $4,000. WE HAVE NOT YET DECIDED WHAT TO DO - SCARED TO GET NEW ENGINE FROM FORD BECAUSE SAME PROBLEM MAY STILL BE PRESENT.*AK

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

I HAVE HAD THREE KELLY SAFARI TIRES,235-70-16,SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL,THESE THREE TIRES HAVE SPLIT IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILED WHICH LEAKED ANTI FREEZE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. *NLM *CB *NLM

THE VEHICLE LOSS STEERING AND TOTAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE MAKING A SLIGHT TURN. THE DEALER STATED THE STEERING SHAFT SEPARATED. THE CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL BUT WAS TOLD THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. RECALL# 03V196000 *AK *SCC

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGE INTO CYLINDERS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH VEHICLE'S CALIPER SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

THE ENGINE ROD PISTON BLEW, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE NON DRIVABLE. *NLM PH *JB

97 F150 BEGAN TO HAVE AN UNPREDICTABLE COOLANT LEAK, NEVER GOING BELOW MINIMUM COOLANT LEVEL. WITHIN THE WEEK NOTICED WATER IN THE OIL AND WENT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION. WHEN I STARTED THE TRUCK THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING, PROVING TO BE A DAMAGED ROD. LATER RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THIS IS COMMON IN THE 4.2 LITER V-6 ENGINE DUE TO FAULTY GASKET. FORD RAN A "CAMPAIGN," BUT I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION AS TO THE PROBLEM. *JB

MY 1997 FORD F-150 4X4 SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER HAVING BEEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 12 HOURS OVER NIGHT. THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN RUN, WAS NOT HOT, AND HAD NO MALFUNCTIONING PARTS TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I WAS AWAKENED FRIDAY MORNING BY A JOGGER BEATING ON MY FRONT DOOR SCREAMING THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. IT BURNED THE ENGINE COMPLETELY, DESTROYED THE HOOD, CAB, AND THE ENTIRE OF THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK BEFORE IT COULD BE PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE LOCAL FIRE MARSHAL AND ARSON INVESTIGATOR INVESTIGATED THE FIRE AND FOUND NO SIGNS OF MALFUNCTIONS. *JB PARKED THE VEHICLE AT 6:00 PM AT AROUND 6:00 AM THE NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE SEEMED TO BE HOTTEST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE. THE TIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS TOTALLY MELTED. THE TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT FAIL. SHORTLY BEFORE THE FIRE THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. ONCE IN A WHILE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. AT ONE POINT AN INTERLOCK SWITCH ON THE VEHICLE BRAKE PEDAL WAS REPLACED BECAUSE COULD NOT GET THE VEHCILE OUT OF PARK. WILL E-MAIL PICTURES TO BRUCE YORK. ONLY AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT WAS A STEREO PROFESSIONALY INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD LIABILTY INSURANCE.

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING SHAFT SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL. *TS *SCC *JB

INCIDENT = IN 2000 FORD MOTOR COMPANY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON FORD F-150 PICKUPS TO COVER A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM INVOLVING A GASKET THAT KEPT COOLANT FLUIDS FROM LEAKING INTO THE CRANKCASE AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. THEY ONLY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE EXISTING GASKET TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T LEAKING AND THEN EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR ANOTHER 12 MONTHS. JUST AS THEY KNEW IT WOULD, APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS LATER (APRIL 27) THEIR REPLACEMENT GASKET CRACKED AND COOLANT FLUID LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH THE CRANKCASE, AND MY ENGINE SEIZED UP. DAMAGE RESULTING = MY ENGINE BEGAN TO CLATTER, AND I DROVE STRAIGHT TO A DEALERSHIP. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ($3,600.00 PLUS TAX). IN TALKING WITH THE AUTHORIZED REPAIR DEALER IN CLARKSVILLE, TN WHERE THE TRUCK BROKE DOWN AND MY USUAL AUTHORIZED REPAIR DEALER HERE IN NASHVILLE, APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY OF THE F-150'S THAT RECEIVED A NEW GASKET AND AN EXTENDED 12 MONTH WARRANTY. AGAIN, FORD KNEW THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM (WHICH BY THE WAY BOTH PLACES TOLD ME FORD CORRECTED IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS) AND ONLY OFFERED A BAND-AID APPROACH TO DEALING WITH IT. IN TALKING WITH THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONSUMER AFFAIRS, I HAVE REQUEST THAT THE COST, OR AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE COSTS, OF MY NEW ENGINE BE PAID BY FORD. THE REPAIRS WILL BE MADE TOMORROW, APRIL 29. NEEDLESS TO SAY, FORD HAS NOT RESPONDED OR OFFERED TO PAY FOR MY NEW ENGINE. *NLM

I HAVE CRACKS IN BOTH MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS ABOUT 2" ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOWS. I LOOKED AT 24 OTHER F-150'S AND FOUND THAT 21 OF THEM HAD THE CRACKS AS WELL. *JB

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB

THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *JB PH

FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE AREA AFTER BEING PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS. VEHICLE AT A COMPLETE LOSS. FIREFIGHTERS COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF FIRE OTHER THAN IT ORIGINATING IN MIDDLE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *NLM

CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BROKE 4 BOLTS AND CAME OFF HARMONIC BALANCER ON 1997 FORD F150 CAUSING LOSS OF ROWER STEERING,ALTERNATOR,AND WATER PUMP FUNCTIONS. *NLM

I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH MY 1997 F150 4X4 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP. THE MIDDLE, RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE AND WAS EJECTED WITH GREAT FORCE FROM UNDER THE TRUCK. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, AND I REMEMBER RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD IN AUGUST 1998 DETAILING THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, EARNHARDT FORD, ON OCTOBER 10, 1998, AND THE DEALER INSTALLED CLIPS ON THE FRONT PORTION OF BOTH SPRINGS. I RETRIEVED THE EJECTED PIECE OF THE BROKEN SPRING FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND I NOTICED THAT THE BREAK WAS RUSTY. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN ARIZONA OR NEVADA SINCE NEW, SO TO ME THIS INDICATES THAT THE SPRING PROBABLY HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME. ALSO JUST PRIOR TO THE SPRING EJECTING, I HAD BEEN INVOLVED A VERY MINOR REAR END COLLISION (THE CAR THAT HIT ME ONLY BROKE MY HITCH COVER). I THEORIZE THAT SOMEHOW THE FORCE OF THE CAR HITTING THE BACK OF MY TRUCK MUST HAVE REPOSITIONED THE BROKEN SPRING IN SUCH A WAY THAT PLACED STRESS ON THE FRONT RETAINING CLIP SHEARING IT AND ALLOWING THE SPRING TO BE EJECTED. I USE MY TRUCK FOR COMMUTING WHICH IS HARDLY SEVERE DUTY USE. LEAF SPRINGS SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER ONLY 87K MILES, AND IF THEY DO BREAK, THEY SHOULDNT EJECT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE AND THE SPRING EJECTED INTO A VACANT DIRT LOT SO NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED. I HAD BOTH REAR LEAF SPRINGS REPLACED AT GAUDIN FORD, IN LAS VEGAS ON APRIL 25, 2003. I ASKED THE DEALER IF FORD WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THEIR ANSWER WAS NO. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD STEP UP AND COVER THE COST OF MY REPAIR. THIS WAS NOT AN INEXPENSIVE FIX. WHAT HAPPEN TO ME IS EXACTLY WHAT FORD WARNED AGAINST THEIR AUGUST 1998 RECALL LETTER. REAR LEAF SPRINGS SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER ONLY 87K MILES OF NORMAL USE, AND FACT THAT THE MIDDLE SPRING WAS EJECTED SHOWS THERE IS STILL A SAFETY ISSUE. I STILL HAVE THE PART OF BROKEN SPRING THAT I RETRIEVED FROM THE LOT.

THE TRUCK HAD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT COVER GASKET AND MANIFOLD SIDE GASKET FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDER. AT COLD START, THE COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER CAUSED THE PISTON ROD TO BREAK. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD COST $4000. TO REPLACE. *NLM *TT

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE. VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. OWNER CONTACTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE HOOD MELTED, AS WELL AS THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *AK