1997 Ford F-150 Body & Structure Problems

I WENT TO OPEN MY 3RD DOOR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY F 150 AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED BOTH LATCHES ON THE OUTSIDE AND IN INNER DOOR FRAME BUT NO LUCK. I WAS PARKED AT THE TIME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME ITEMS OUT OF MY BACK SEAT. I HAVE NOTHING TO UPLOAD AT THIS TIME.

MY 3RD DOOR WON'T OPEN AND IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE KIDS AND IT'S THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE TO TRANSPORT THEM AROUND. I WENT TO YOUTUBE AND FOUND THAT SOME CHEAP PLASTIC RETAINERS THAT'S CLIPPED TO CABLES ARE BROKEN. THE RETAINERS OPEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. PLEASE HELP. THANKS

The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side subframe near the axle of the vehicle was severely corroded. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 134,788.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE LOOKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SECTIONS THAT WERE RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE BUMPER AND STEPS NEAR THE DOORS WERE ALSO RUSTED AND SLIGHTLY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,582.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT TO REAR FUEL STRAPS FRACTURED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL TANK TO FRACTURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FUEL STRAPS, FUEL LINES, AND FUEL TANK DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS INCLUDED. THE DEALER (REINEKE FORD LINCOLN OF LIMA, 419-223-3673, 1360 GREELY CHAPEL RD, LIMA, OH 45804) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, INDICATING THAT THE CONTACT WELDED THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR FUEL STRAP. THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 3 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CABLE THAT STRAPPED THE SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAMEWORK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,303.

AFTER CHECKING MY VEHICLE OVER I NOTICED THAT THE FRAME IN THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE IS RUSTED THRU. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A CONDITION COMMON WITH THIS YEAR OF TRUCK AND STYLE. IS THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY VEHICLES THIS YEAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM? I HAVE DRIVEN FORDS FOR YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS EXTEND OF RUST IN ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE FRAME FRACTURED. THE BRAKE LINES WERE BROKEN AND THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKING ABILITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS RUST AND CORROSION ON THE SURFACE OF THE FRAME, BUT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF CRACKS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED SINCE THE DRIVER WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 205,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS 5 MPH AND ABOVE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE WAS FRACTURED FROM THE HARNESS AND A CABLE WAS ALSO FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND HE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 84,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. THE SPARE TIRE FELL TO THE GROUND. UPDATED 01/19/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT, WHO WAS STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, HEARD A LOUD BANG AND NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE CABLE FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE CABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 314,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO TILT TOWARDS THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN THE CONTACT INSPECTED, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TACK WELDING MARKS ON THE FRAME ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

I HAVE A 1997 FORD F-150, I WAS CHANGING THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND NOTICED A LOT OF RUST ON THE FRAME AND BASICALLY EVERY THING ELSE UNDER THE BODY. I TOOK A SCREWDRIVER AND PUSHED IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SUSPENSION TRAVEL STOP. THERE ARE BIG CHUNKS OF RUSTY METAL FALLING OFF OF IT AT LEAST EVERY THREE OR FOUR MONTHS APART. I CAN TAKE MY FINGER AND PUSH THROUGH THE FRONT BUMPER. ALL THE BOLTS ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND COLLECTORS ARE RUSTED OFF OR ALL MOST RUSTED OFF. TO FIX THE EXHAUST IT WILL COST AROUND $700.00, IF THE DEALER DONE THE REPAIRS IT WOULD COST MUCH MORE. THE GAS TANK STRAPS LOOKS REAL RUSTY ALSO. IN MY 54 YEARS OF LIFE I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME AND THE UNDERSIDE OF A VEHICLE RUST SO BAD. I LIVE IN THE SOUTH SO THE TRUCK DID NOT SEE MUCH SALT. *TR

DRIVING AT 40 MPH IN 1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY. HEARD NOISE TOWARDS REAR OF VEHICLE. NO COLLISION SPARE TIRE EXITED BOTTOM OF BED . BOUNCED ON ROADWAY ACROSS TRAFFIC ON OTHER SIDE OF 4 LANE ON COMING TRAFFIC BEHIND THEN AND IN FRONT OF VEHICLES. SOMEHOW NO ONE COLLIDED WITH THE ROLLING SPARE TIRE AS IT EXITED THE ROADWAY TO THE SHOULD OF ROADWAY. TIRE NOW IN BED OF TRUCK NOT UNDERNEATH UNTIL I CAN REPAIR DUE TO BROKEN CABLE THAT SUPPORTED TIRE. *TR

THE FRAME ON MY 1997 FORD F150 HAS RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING THE SHOCK AND SPRING MOUNTS TO BREAK. FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEMS. *TR

1997-F-150 SUPER CAB WITH FACTORY INSTALLED REAR SLIDING WINDOW. THE WINDOW HAS FLOWED WATER/RAIN EVERY TIME. IT SEEMS TO BE COMING IN AROUND THE SEAL WHERE IT MEETS THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER 97 F-150 OWNERS AND THE SAME THING WAS HAPPENING TO THEIR TRUCKS. ISN'T THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE? *AK

ON MY 1997 FORD F-150 I NOTICED THAT I HAVE CRACKS ON THE DOORS BY THE WINDOWS, WHILE RESEARCHING THIS I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS TRUCK. WHEN I CALLED FORD SERVICE CENTER FOR HELP THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE THE DOORS (AT MY COST) AND IF A RECALL COMES OUT I WOULD GET MY MONEY BACK. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CRACKS AT "F150ONLINE.COM" AND IT SEEMS THAT FORD HAS REPLACED SOME DOORS BUT MOST (AND THEIR ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS) ARE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF. CAN YOU HELP? *NM

DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS ON 1997 FORD F-150 HAVE CRACKS AT REAR OF WINDOW FRAME ABOUT 4 INCHES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE CRACKS IN THE DOOR. *JB

DOOR HAS CRACKED DRIVERS SIDE BOTTOM CORNER OF WIDOW MOLDING