1999 Ford F-250 Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-250. WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED AND RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, IT MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND WHEN IT WAS RESTARTED. SUDDENLY, A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD, WHICH SPREAD TO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER FELL AND HURT HER KNEE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

I HAVE A 1999 FORD F-250, SUPER DUTY PICK-UP, WITH A 5.4 V8 ENGINE, WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES. I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH TOWN AT 35 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP (GUN SHOT SOUND), FOLLOWED BY POP POP POP POP POP. WHEN I PULLED OVER I DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF MY MICRO-COILS OVER MY SPARK PLUG HAD BROKEN OF THE PLASTIC HOUSING. WHEN I REMOVED THE COIL I FOUND THE PLATINUM SPARK PLUG IN THE COIL BOOT. SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT! NICE!...FORD WANTS $550 TO REPAIR ONE SPARK PLUG AND COIL, AND ALSO CHECK THE REST OF THE PLUGS FOR TIGHTNESS. HELP! *TR

I HAVE A 1999 F250 SUPER DUTY PICKUP 7.3 DIESEL. AS I WAS DRIVING IT ONE EVENING I SMELLED SMOKE AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AND UP IN THE DEFROSTER AREA AT THE WINDSHIELD. IT THEN BEGAN TO FLAME UP FROM THOSE AREAS AND I SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AND JUMPED OUT,FEARING I WAS GOING TO GET BURNED. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT ON A COUNTRY ROAD AT 2 AM. AND THE TRUCK BURNED FOR ALMOST A HALF HOUR BEFORE ANYONE DROVE BY ME TO CALL 911. BY THE TIME THE F.D. GOT THERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DESTROYED AND TOTALED ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I HAD A SMALL ONE GALLON GAS/OIL MIXTURE CONTAINER( FOR MY CHAIN SAW ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE) WHICH HAD LESS THAN HALF A GALLON IN IT. I TOLD MY INSURANCE CO. OF THAT FACT. THE INSURANCE CO. NOW WANTS ME TO BE DEPOSED UNDER OATH. I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE AND WILL ALLOW THAT. HOWEVER I RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE THAT THE INSURANCE CO IS TRYING TO DENY MY CLAIM AND EVEN POSSIBLY TRY TO CHARGE ME WITH ARSON AND FRAUD. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS MELTED AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK HAD BURNED TO BARE METAL. I HAD SMELLED THE ODOR OF BURNING ELECTRICAL WIRES ON SEVERAL PRIOR OCCASIONS BUT I NEVER DID FIND THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. I EVEN HAD A FORD MECHANIC CHECK IT AND HE DIDN'T FIND WHAT THE SMELL WAS FROM. I BELIEVE THE CULPRIT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AS I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND SAW SEVERAL RECALLS FOR SUCH IMMINENT FIRES FROM A FAULTY DEVICE. PLEASE ADVISE IF MY VEH. HAD THAT CONTROL THAT IS SUSPECT ON THESE LATEST RECALLS. *TR

POWERSTROKE ENGINE CODE PO 344 CAM SHAFT POS SENSOR, HAD TO REPLACE. *TR

ON THE 7.3 POWERSTROKE FORD TRUCK I THINK IT IS A SAFETY HAZORD IF THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WERE TO FAIL APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND YOU WOULDNT HAVE POWER BRAKES IF THE ENGIN SHUTS OFF AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CPS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT MY LIFE MAY BE ENDANGERED EVERY DAY ON THE WAY TO WORK WITH THE COMMON PROBLEM.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F250. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE LIGHTS BLINKED ON AND OFF ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ASSUMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO BARE WIRES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, THE LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF HABITUALLY WHEN THE STEERING WAS IN USE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

1999 F250 SUPER DUTY 7.3L DIESEL. CPS SENSOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON FREEWAY. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. VEHICLE VERY HARD TO CONTROL. I REPLACED THE CPS SENSOR(F7TZ-12K073-A- SYNCHRONIZER) AND REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. VERY SIMILAR TO THE THICK FILM IGNITION ISSUES FROM THE PAST. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE TO THE NHTSA. *NM

VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE. PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND 70 MINUTES LATER MY WIFE CAME HOME AND FOUND THE TRUCK ON FIRE. HEAVY FIRE WAS ENSUING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL AS WELL AS OUT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE GRILL. *JB

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TRUCK ON HIGHWAY 101 AND ENGINE DIED. NO POWER, NO POWER BRAKES OR STEERING. SHE PULLED TO SIDE AND TRIED TO RESTART TRUCK - NOTHING. CALLED TOW TRUCK AND VEHICLE STARTED BUT DIED AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS THE CAM POSITIONING SENSOR. WHEN IT IS BROKEN THE TRUCK THINKS THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING AND KILLS THE POWER. THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND SHE DRIVE THE TRUCK WITHOUT MAKING THE REPAIR AS IT WOULD DIE AGAIN. THE REPAIR COST $500 AND ONLY THE DEALER COULD DO THE REPAIR AS THEY HAD THE COMPUTER TO READ THE ERROR. THEY SAID THERE WERE NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL. *NM

RANDOM TRUCK FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AT NO PARTICULAR TIME. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS CAMSHAFT SENSOR BY FORD TECHNICIANS. $185.00 PART THAT SEEMS TO BE FAILING A LOT ACCORDING TO FORD TECHS. FORD STATES THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSORS BUT OUT OF 5 GUYS I PERSONALLY KNOW, ALL 5 HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 7.3L DIESEL CAMSHAFT SENSORS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE. FORD ONLY OFFERS A 1 MONTH WARRANTY ON THE ITEM AND OFFERS AN AVERAGE OF 6 MONTHS ON ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE ON THE TRUCK. SEEMS THEY KNOW THE FAILURES ARE OCCURING AS WELL BUT DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT.

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWENTY MINUTES. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, THE CONSUMER WENT TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THE NOISE, AND DISCOVERED, THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *NM

1999 FORD F250 EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER.*MR WHEN THE LIGHTER WAS HOT IT WOULD POP OUT OF IT'S CHAMBER AND ONTO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT A FIRE WOULD OCCUR. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *NM

THE HORN HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS, I'VE CONTACTED FORD MANY TIMES WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK. THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY IF I WANT IT FIXED. ON YOUR WEB-SITE, (NHTSA) MANY COMPLAINTS ALREADY ABOUT THIS ISSUE, ITS A SAFTY ISSUE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRY TO USE THE HORN IT SEEMS AS THE AIRBAG IS IN THE WAY. *AK

MY 1999 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY 7.3 POWER STROKE DIESEL ENGINE HAD INTERMITTENT ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DIE IN PRECARIOUS LOCATIONS, SUCH AS INTERSECTIONS AND FREEWAYS. THIS ORIGINALLY OCCURRED WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE VEHICLE PURCHASE DATE WHEN IT WAS NEW IN OCTOBER 1998. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM, AND THE CPS WAS THE KNOWN CAUSE. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS NEW. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD, AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL ON THEIR POWER STROKE WEBSITE. ACCORDING TO THE MANY WEBSITES DEALING WITH THE POWER STROKE DIESEL, BOTH THE 7.3 AND THE 6.0 LTR MODELS, THIS PROBLEM WAS CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE MARKETPLACE. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS DANGEROUS AND ACCORDING TO FORD'S SAME POWER STROKE WEBSITE - WWW.POWERSTROKEDIESEL.COM "SINCE 1994 OVER 2,000,000 POWER STROKE ' DIESEL EQUIPPED FORD TRUCKS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED '' AND AN ASTONISHING 98.5%* ARE STILL ON THE ROAD!" AS OF TODAY'S DATE. CAN NHTSA TELL ME IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BEN IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY, AND WHETHER OR NOT RECALL RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE?*AK

SPARK PLUG BLOW-OUT ON MY 1999 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY V-10. *NM

SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN FROM THE HEAD. SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD AND CYLINDER WALL CREATED ENOUGH MATERIAL AND LABOR COSTS TO JUSTIFY REPLACING THE ENTIRE ENGINE.*AK

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I HEARD THIS LOUD POP SOUND. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, WERE MULTIPLE POPPING SOUNDS, SO I PULLED INTO THE IMMEDIATE PARKING LOT ON MY RIGHT TO TAKE A LOOK. UPON EXAMINING THE ENGINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE 3RD SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN OUT. HAD TO GET A RIDE TO NAPA TO GET MORE SPARK PLUGS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT TRYING TO REPLACE IT (BEING THE MECHANICALLY INCLINED PERSON THAT I AM) I REALIZE THAT I HAD A BIGGER PROBLEM ON MY HANDS. THE THREADS ARE SHOT AND WILL NOW HAVE TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A NEARBY FACILITY FOR REPAIRS THAT ARE ESTIMATED BETWEEN $1500 TO $2000 (CONSERVATIVELY).*AK

I WAS MERGING INTO THE RIGHT LANE OF THE FREEWAY TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND MY TRUCK DECELERATED AND CAUSED THE PERSON BEHIND ME TO SWERVE TO AVOID RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF ME. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO MY LOCAL ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE THIRD SPARK PLUG ON THE PASENGER SIDE HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE ALUMINIUM CYLINDER HEAD. THE CYLINDER PLUG OPENING WAS BORED OUT AND TAPPED. AN INSERT WAS THEN PUT INTO PLACE AND THE SPARK PLUG REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST OF THIS WAS ~$450. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURENCE ON THE FORD TRITON ENGINES AND THAT FORD IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO AVOID TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS APPARENT DESIGN DEFECT. THIS STINKS!!!*AK

WHEN ACCELERATING A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE WHICH IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW THAT FORD MOTOR CO. IS WELL AWARE OF. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS NEW OR IT HAS MANY THOUSANDS OR, IN MY CASE, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, OF MILES ON IT. FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS ON VEHICLES THAT ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. FOR THOSE VEHICLES, LIKE MINE, THAT ARE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, THE FULL COST OF THE REPAIR IS LEFT UP TO THE CONSUMER. THE AVERAGE REPAIR COST FOR THIS MAJOR MALFUNCTION IS $2,500.00-$3,500.00. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION FOR THE BASIC FACT THAT FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ARE ON THE PUBLIC RECORD STATING THAT THEY WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR THESE ENGINES BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE FOR THEM TO FIX THEM ALL, BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE IS THE ONE THAT FORD INSTALLS IN MOST OF IT'S HIGH END TRUCKS AND SUVS. THIS POSITION BY FORD IS JUST NOT FAIR BUSINESS AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER WHO SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT A BETTER PRODUCT WHEN PAYING $25,000.00-$40,000.00 FOR SAID PRODUCT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DEFECT IS ONE KNOWN BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THEIR ENGINEERING TEAM WHO FINALLY REDESIGNED THE ENGINE IN THE 2002 MODEL YEAR TO AVOID THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. *JB