1997 Ford F-150 Complaint Log

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY, PROBLEM HAS WORSENED. THREE NEAR ACCIDENTS, COULD HAVE INJURED OR EVEN KILLED OTHER DRIVERS AND/OR PASSENGERS. I HAVE COMPLAINED MANY TIMES. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYTHING DONE ABOUT IT. IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS, I WILL TAKE THE PROPER LEGAL STEPS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE SO AN ACCIDENT DOES NOT OCCUR. AT THE PRESENT TIME, I AM CURRENTLY RESEARCHING THE FLORIDA "LEMON LAW" I WILL TAKE ALL NECCESARY STEPS TO CONCLUDE THIS PROBLEM. HAVE A GREAT DAY. PLEASE CONTACT ME.

REAR WINDOW LEAK

AFTER CLOSING DOOR, INTERIOR LIGHT, CARGO LIGHT ALONG WITH DOOR AJAR LIGHT SOMETIMES WILL NOT SHUT OFF AFTER GETTING INSIDE VEHICLE. THIS MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING WITH A LOT OF FORD PICKUPS.

VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THE THROTTLE LINKAGE. BUT MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT IN CLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK

CRACK IN THE DOOR SHEET METAL AT THE LOWER REAR OF THE BELT MOULDING. SHEET METAL AT THE LOWER REAR OF THE BELT MOULDING. *AK

TREAD SEPARATED FROM RIGHT FRONT TIRE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO FENDER WELL AND EMISSION CONTROL COMPONENTS. UPON INSPECTION OF OTHER TIRES, STEEL BELTING COULD BE SEEN ON TWO OF THE REMAINING TIRES EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS AT LEAST 3/16 OF TIRE TREAD ON EDGE OF TIRE. ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED. HAD THIS TIRE FAILED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: W 208 IPT TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK

CONSUMER IS NOT HAPPY WITH DEALERSHIP, AS THEY WILL NOT REPAIR RECALL DURING TIME SPECIFIED ON THE RECALL LETTER REPAIR INCOMPLETE. (99B29) YH

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO COMPLY WITH RECALL. NO PROBLEMS PREVIOUS TO RECALL, AFTER RECEIVING VEHICLE BACK ALL PROBLEMS STARTED. RECALL WORK WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY. SCREWS WERE NOT REATTACHED TO COVERING OVER FAN BELT, OIL CHANGE AND NEW FILTER WERE NOT DONE ACCORDING TO RECALL. KNOCKING STARTED TO OCCUR IN ENGINE AFTER VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. CALLED DEALERSHIP BACK TO REPORT THE 2 SCREWS MISSING ANDA KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE. WAS TOLD TO STOP IN ON SAT. TO HAVE SOMEONE PUT IN THE MISSING SCREWS. RETURNED TO SHOP NOONE WAS AROUND TO DO THE WORK. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK SAT. THE ENGINE OIL LIGHTS UP. HAD TO FIND A STORE TO BUY OIL AND ADD TO CRANKCASE. HAD TO DO THIS TWICE THAT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALESHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD I NEED A NEW ENGINE. THEY WILL PUT IN A REBUILT ENGINE. I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS SOLUTION. I FEEL THAT THEY HAVE RUINED MY TRUCK AND I WON'T FEEL SAFE AND SECURE IN IT ANYMORE. PLEASE CONTACT ME SO I CAN EXPLAIN FURTHER.

SHEET METAL CRACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AT BELT MOLDING AS HAS BEEN NOTED AND OBSERVED ON OTHER LATE MODEL FORD F-150S. WITH VEHICLE LESS THAN 5K MILES OUT OF WARRANTY ON A KNOWN QUALITY PROBLEM, FORD IS NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF PROBLEM AT THIS TIME.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE PARKED, UNOCCUPIED AND NOT RUNNING, IN AN CLOSED GARAGE THE RIGHT SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE IN TWO. THE BREAK OCCURRED JUST BEHIND THE LOCATION WHERE THE TORSION BAR FITS INTO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE THE RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION DROPPED APPROXIMATELY 8 - 10 INCHES. FROM EXAMINATION OF THE PART IT IS CLEAR FROM CORROSION IN THE BREAK THAT THE PART HAD BEEN CRACKED FOR SOMETIME BEFORE FINAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OCCURRED. WHILE THIS VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 49K MILES, THEY HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY HIGHWAY MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED IN AN "OFF-ROAD" ENVIRONMENT. FORD HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND IS WILLING TO REPAIR AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE. HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTANCE OF A PROBLEM. WHILE I HAVE SHOWN THE DEALER THE BROKEN PART, I AM RETAINING THE PART AND REFUSING REPAIRS AT THIS TIME DUE TO FORD'S LACK OF DEMONSTRATED CONCERN OVER THIS SITUATION. I HAS REGISTERED A CONPLAINT OVER THE PHONE WITH THE NHTSA. HOWEVER, I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO DEMOSTRATE THE URGENCY OF MY CONCERN. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, IT WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT POSSIBLY CAUSING BODILY INJURY. REVIEWING COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE NHTSA WEB PAGE I QUICKLY FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF TORSION BAR FAILURE AND A NHTSA ACTION (PE98009). IF IT IS POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE RESULTS OF THAT ACTION. AT THIS TIME I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS LIKE VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

FORD IS AWARE OF CRACKS IN THE DOOR SHEET METAL AT THE LOWER REAR OF THE BELT MOULDING OCCURRING IN THEIR 1997-1998 F-150/250 LD (LIGHT DUTY) VEHICLES. THEY HAVE ISSUED SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE #12071 TO THEIR DEALERS. MANY OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO HAVE THESE VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING THE CRACKS. I NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD!

WHILE DRIVING IN NEIGHBORHOOD, WENT TO GROCERY STORE, PARKED THE VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY, OPENED THE CAB DOOR AND SMOKE POURED OUT. STARTED THE CAR AND SMELLED GAS, TURNED VEHICLE OFF. LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED GAS LEAKING. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. *AK

THE SLAVE CYLINDER HAS BROKE TWICE NOW, AND I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A 1993 F150 AND IT DOES THE SAME THING WHEN EVER THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 0 DEGREES F. THIS USUALLY OCCURS ON THE INITIAL START OF THE DAY. AFTER THE CYLINDER BREAKS, THE CLUTCH MAKES A WHINE WHEN DEPRESSED. THIS ALSO EFFECTS THE ABILITY TO SHIFT. THE CRACK IN THE SHEET METAL ON THE DRIVERS DOOR IS APPROXIMATELY 1" IN LENGTH AND THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED OR EVEN BUMPED SINCE I HAVE HAD IT SINCE NEW.

BOTH PASSENGER DOORS HAVE STRUCTURAL CRACKS ON DOORS. THIS DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY USING NO SUPPORT ON THE DOORS WHILE IN THE ASSEMBLY LINE. AS THE CRACKS GET BIGGER THE DOOR FRAME WILL LOSE ITS INTEGRETY AND IF I'M EVER INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS MY FAMILY AND I WILL PROBABLY BE HURT OR KILL SERIOUSLY. I CONTACTED FORD COMPANY AND THE WILL REPLACE THE DOORS BUT NOT MINE BECAUSE MY WARRANTY RAN OUT. I FEEL THIS IS NOT FAIR BECAUSE IT IS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT SHOULD OF BEEN CORRECTED ALONG TIME AGO. I I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. IF YOU GO TO THESE SITE YOU WILL SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT..WWW.NETWIZ.NET/~CTBAKER/PROBLEMS/. *AK

NUMEROUS OCCASIONOF BRAKES (ABS) NOT STOPPING VEHICLE; THIS TIME, VEHICLE RAN INTO HOUSE. WALL KNOCKED DOWN. VEHICLE BEEN TO FORD DLR 3+ TIME RE: BRAKE SYS COMPLAINTS

FOUND R/F ROTOR W/ CRACK IN IT EXTENDING FROM CENTER OF HUB TO OUTER RIM. CRACK WIDE ENOUGH TO STICK A PENNY IN.*AK

EVERY TIME IT RAINS,WATER POURS IN THE TOP OF THE REAR WINDOW AND SOAKS THE REAR SEAT.WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER ,THEY SAID THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH THESE TRUCKS,BUT THAT FORD WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE. *AK

THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF OF VEHICLE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH PARKED VEHICLE'S. *MJS

CRACKS IN DOOR, CAUSING PAINT TO CHIP. *AK

A 1997 FORD PICKUP WAS PUT INSIDE THE GARAGE. *TR

I NOTICED THE TIRE RUBBING THE INSIDE OF TRUCK WHEN I WOULD TURN TO THE RIGHT. I CHECK THE FRONT TIRE AND SAW THAT IT WAS LOOSING ITS TREAD. I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO BURNSWORTH ZOLLARS AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM, I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT IF YOU LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL THE TRUCK WOULD AUTOMATICAL GO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. I ALSO ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE TIE RODS AND BALL SOCKET JOINTS TO SEE IF THE WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. A DAY LATER I CALLED THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK, THEY SAID THE HAD TO WELD THE TRUCK IN ORDER TO BRING THE TIRE BACK IN. THIS DOES NOT SOUND GOOD TO ME. I DONT THINK WELDING THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK IS GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I ALSO CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. ABOUT IT. I ASKED THEM IF WELD DOES NOT HOLD UP AND IT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHAT THEY WOULD DO THEN, THE GUY I TALKED TO SAID THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WOULD TELL ME WHO WAS AT FAULT. AND FORD SAID SAFETY COMES FIRST. I THOUGHT I SHOULD REPORT THIS BECAUSE I DONT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO TOW IN, OR IF IT WAS THE FRAME OR AXEL THAT IS THE DEFECT OF THE TRUCK. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I DONT WANT TO DRIVE MY CHILDREN AROULD IN A TRUCK THAT IS HAVING THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. *AK

WITH TRANSMISSION IN "D" TRAVELING AT A CONSTANT SPEED, SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN GEARS, THEN DISENGAGES. ALSO, WITH TRANSMISSION IN "D" WHEN ACCELERATING GENTLY IN 1ST GEAR, THE SHIFT INTO 2ND HAPPENS AFTER 2500 RPM.*AK

WANTED TO SLOW DOWN ON SNOW COVERED ROAD FOR STOPPED TRAFFIC AHEAD/PUSHED IN CLUTCH/ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH GEAR/FOUND SHIFT LEVER TO BE LOCKED UP/CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE/FOUND IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO BRAKE VEHICLE TO A STOP/WAS FORCED TO DRIVE VEHICLE OFF ROAD TO AVOID HITTING STOPPED VEHICLE IN REAR. STOPPED VEHICLE BY SHUTTING OFF ENGINE. FOUND THE CLUTCH CYLINDER OUT OF FLUID. REFILLED AND CLUTCH ACTION SEEMED OK. COULD NOT FIND ANY NOTICEABLE LEAKS. CALLED DEALERSHIP. TALKED TO SERVICE REP. REP FELT IT MAY OFF BEEN LOW ON FLUID DUE TO CLUCH WEAR. DROVE ABOUT 35 MILES AND AGAIN WHEN I ATTEMPED TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW DOWN FOR STOP LIGHT /NO CLUTCH OPERATION. NO CLUTCH FLUID. ONLY WAY ONE CAN SHIFT TO NEUTRAL IS TO SHUT ENGINE OFF. VERY DANGEROUS . DISCOVERED WHEN I TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR THAT A O-RING IN CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER LEAKED. FORD TECH SAID THIS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IF IT IS VERY COLD TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE. FUNNY FORD HAD A SIMILAR CLUTCH PROBLEM WITH THEIR 1987 F150 TRUCKS EXCEPT IT WAS DUE TO A WEAK FIREWALL MOUNTING FOR CLUTCH OIL RESORIVOR. AGAIN CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY AND FORD HAD A FACTORY MODIFICATION TO FIX. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND WASHER FLUID SPRAYS ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING. THIS IS UNSAFE ON A CURVY ROAD. ON A RAINING DAY AND MAKING A TURN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP. *AK

CONSUMER'S SON WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THERE WAS A BLOWOUT, AND FELT VEHICLE WAS JERKING. CONSUMER WAS FACING THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW REAR ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS DAMAGED, AND RUBBER TREAD HAD COME OFF THE TIRE. ALSO, MUFFLER PIPE WAS HANGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS FRONT END DAMAGE. *AK *ML

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ROTORS AND PADS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND REPAIRED A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. NLM

THIS IS ONLY TO ALERT YOU TO MY PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM OF THE MANY OTHERS I HAVE CAME ACROSS SEARCHING FOR BACKGROUND AS TO WHY MY DRIVERS DOOR LATCHES NO LONGER WORKS ON MY TRUCK. THIS HAS GOT TO BE OF SOME SAFTY CONCERN TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME I HOPE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. DEALER WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *AK

CLUNKING NOISE IN RIGHT REAR OF VEHICLE...MANUFACTURER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. *AK

THERE IS A BROKEN REAR SPRING WHICH COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. RADIATOR, ENGINE MOUNTS AND HEAD GASKET HAVE ALL FAILED. OWNER PAID FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

GOING DOWN THE ROAD WHILE IT WAS RAINING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. THEN, ALL AT ONCE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES. ALSO, WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK HORN STARTED TO BLOW ON ITS ON. THEN, WHILE ON THE ROAD, HORN ONCE AGAIN STARTED TO BLOW ON ITS OWN. *AK

IN PASSING A VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK. SPEEDS WENT PAST 90. THE BRAKES WOULD ONLY SLOW THE VEHICLE TO 70. FINALLY DOWNSHIFTING SLOWED THE CAR AND THE ACCELERATOR BECAME UNSTUCK. IF THERE HAD BEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE ROAD AHEAD, THE ONLY CHOICE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO DITCH THE VEHICLE. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE OF FAILURES. *AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. WHEN CONSUMER OPENED THE DOOR, THE HEADLIGHTS DIDN'T WORK. *AK

THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED DUE TO BROKEN/SHEARED OFF BOLTS THAT FELL OFF. *MJS

THIS TRUCK BURNED DOWN A SHOP BUILDING ON 1-6-00. *AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT RIGHT REAR TIRE P235/70R16 BEGAN TO SHREAD ALONG SIDEWALL WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SAFELY PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND PUT ON SPARE, TIRE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A BLOWOUT. *SLC

DRIVER SIDE ELEC. REMOTE CNTRL. MIRROR GLASS HAS CRACKED 2 TIMES ALMOST SAME PLACE EACH TIME, TOP TO BOTTOM

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT CHANGE INTO PASSING GEAR. IT KEPT SLIPPING BACK TO NEUTRAL. HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *AK

STRESS CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR COLUMN ABOVE THE CURVE OF THE WINDOW UNDER THE RUBBER INTO THE DOOR SKIN

THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE WILL CAUSE THE POWER WINDOWS/INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND THE ENTIE WINSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM TO FAIL. THE WEBB FORD DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND WOULD NOT REPLACE THIS MODULE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS A FEW THOUSAND MILES OVER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY 2 AND A HALF YEARS OLD. I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AS A MATTER OF SAFETY . AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY CHARGED AND EXTRA HOUR (2 TOTAL) OF DIAGNOSTIC LABOR THAN OTHER DEALERSHIPS THAT WERE CONTACTED. THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HOTLINE WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODULE. HOWEVER, I DID FIND OUT FROM THE NHTSTA THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME RESPONSIBILITY ACCEPTED BY EITHER THE DEALERSHIP OR THE MANUFACTURER, FORD.

BOTH OF MY DOORS ARE CRACKED ON MY TRUCK AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE CHANCES IF THIS VEHICLE WAS IN A ACCIDENT HOW SAFE WILL THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAB BE WITH THE DOORS BEING CRACKED. IN MY OPINION AND MANY OTHERS THIS IS A VERY LARGE SAFTEY ISSUE THAT FORD DOES NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH. HOW ABOUT A LAWSUIT, MAYBE THIS WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM? MAYBE THAT IS JUST WHAT IS NEEDED BEFORE ANYONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED FROM FORDS INCOMPETENCE. *AK

FORD DEALER INFORMED ME THAT TIRES WERE SEPERATING. I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. SPARE IS STILL SAME TIRES AS ORIGINAL. SPARE HAS W208 CODE *AK( DOT NUMBER: W208 TIRE SIZE: P23570R16 )

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE SNAPPED ALLOWING TIRE TO FALL FROM THE CARRIER UNDER THE TRUCK. THE DEALER WAS PHONED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM WILL BE CORRECTED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK *YC

VEHICLE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS FAILING TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES WITH A MONTH AND ALMOST CAUSED A VEHICLE COLLISION . DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

SHEET METAL HAS A CRACK CONSISTENT WITH OTHER 97-98 F150 MODELS. *AK

SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE BACK WINDOW STARTED TO LEAK, TOOK TO DEALER , AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. TOP OF THE WINDOW IS STILL LEAKING. *AK