1997 Ford F-150 complaints

DOOR POSTS DEVELOPE CRACKS NEAR BOTTOM REAR CORNER ALL 97 F150'S, FORDS STONEWALLS ISSUE, WILL NOT REPLY TO REPAIR ORDERS.

TRUCK IDLES ROUGH WHEN COMING TO A STOP , BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. TRUCK HAS ALSO STALLED, AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN SLOWING DOWN.

CRACK IN DOOR PILLAR AT LOWER RIGHT FROM DRIVERS WINDOW,APPENTRENTLY A BIG PROBLEM AS F150ONLINE SITE ON WEB HAS HUGE QUANTATY OF OWNERS ADVISING OS SIMILAR COMPLAINT. IS NTSA GOING TO REQUIRE A RECALL? SEEMS IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO A JUST FOUND MY CRACK AND FORD HAS A BULLETIN DUE OUT ON IT.

WHILE DRIVING THE WHEEL BEARINGS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, TIRE AND RIM ALSO EPARATED FROM VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND UPON TRYING TO CATCH THE STEERING WHEEL, CONSUMER ACCIDENTLY HIT THE SHIFT LEVER AND VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE. ALSO, WHEN STARTING UP THE VEHICLE THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON. *AK

WATER POURS IN THROUGH THE BACK WINDOW EVERYTIME IT RAINS. DEALER PUT SOME KIND OF SEALANT AROUND THE WINDOW, WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS GETTING READY TO TURN AROUND, HAD PUT ON BRAKES, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR STATRTED TO RACE. CONSUMER HAD TO PUSH HARDER ON THE BRAKES, THEN BACK TIRES STARTED SPINNING AS THOUGH THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE OFF IF FRONT BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER FELT THAT CAR WOULD HAVE TOOKEN OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT CAR IN PARK.

IN MAY 99 HEARD RATTLE FROM LEFT REAR. FOUND SPRING CLAMP MISSING BUSHING, NO BIG DEAL. BUT DID NOTICE BOTTOM LEAF WAS KICKED OUT ON AFT END (AND KICKED IN OF FWD END) APPX 1/4 TO 3/8". WHILE DEALER REPLACE LUGS: NUTS ON RECALL SAID LEAF SPRING NO BIG DEAL. I WRAPPED LOOSE CLAMP IN TAPE TO STOP RATTLE. NOW IN 11/99 WHILE WASHING CAR I NOTICED LOWER LEAF IS KICKED OUT CONSIDERABLY FARTHER, NOW MEASURING A FULL 1". I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CAC, AND THE DEALER WILL PROBABLY INSTALL A KIT PER SB99-6477. HOWEVER, I VIEW THIS AS A VERY BIG PROBLEM/SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE FORD TSB KIT ONLY REPLACES THE EXISTING CLAMP FOR THE TWO UPPOER LEAFS. THE LOWER LEAF IS "ADJUSTED" BACK INTO PLACE. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH SAME COMPAINT. THIS IS NOT A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION. IN MY CURRENT SITUATION THE LOWER LEAF, AT A 1" AFT KICKOUT, IS CONTACTING THE FWD INSIDE AND AFT OUTSIDE U-BOLT. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER OUTCOME TO THIS THAN FOR THE SPRING TO EXERT ENOUGH FORCE OVER TIME TO WEAKEN BOTH U-BOLTS TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. IN MY CASE I'LL BE WATCHING LIKE A HAWK. HOWEVER WERE IT NOT FOR THE INITIAL RATTLE I DOUBT THAT I WOULD HAVE EVER SEEN THE PROBLEM UNTIL AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WHEN MY AXLE FELL OFF. I'VE BEEN HAPPY WITH THE TRUCK AND FORD IN GENERAL UNTIL NOW, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO WAKE UP AND ADDRESS THIS. LOOKING AT CHEVROLET TRUCKS THEY HAVE WHAT SEEMS TO BE A BETTER DESIGN PHILOSOPHY; THE CHEVROLET TRUCK HAS "SQUARE" U-BOLTS, THREADS DOWN , WHICH STRADDLE TH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE'S FRAME FAILED CAUSING ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS AND NOISE. MJS

WATER POURS IN THROUGH REAR WINDOW WHEN IT RAINS; DEALER RESEALED WINDOW BUT IT STILL LEAKS; DEALER REPLACED WINDOW WITH A NEW DESIGN TO FIX PROBLEM; DEALER CHARGED ME $350.00; SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR A DESIGN FLAW?

I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN ASK WHAT PART FAILED. THEY WERE JUST CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY!!! WHILE DRIVING UP MY DRIVEWAY, THE TRUCK SUDDENLY SLAMMED INTO 4X4 LOW RANGE. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE RPM'S TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY AND BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO AN ALMOST SUDDEN STOP. THIS WAS A SUDDEN FAILURE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IF IT HAD OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

SEE PRIOR REPRT. SUDDEN FAILURE WHILE VEHICLE TRAVELING AT 35MPH CAUSED TRUCK TO SHIFT INTO "4X4 LOW RANGE" CAUSING INCREASED RPM'S AND RAPID DECELERATION OF TRUCK. COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY. $515.60 AMOUNT LISTED ON DAMAGES IS COST TO REPLACE MODULE. AT THIS TIME NO OTHER DAMAGE (TRANSMISSION ?) IS KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURED TO THE VEHICLE

REAR LEAF SPRING SNAPPED UNDER NORMAL USE, FRAME CAME DOWN ON THE AXLE DUE TO FAILURE. MJS

I'M NOT SURE WHEN THESE CRACKS STARTED, BUT LOOKING AT FORD WEB SITE I SEE THAT THIS COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS MODEL. AND ATHE SMALL CRACK JUST GETS BIGGER. CONTACTED A FORD DEALER THEY SAID THEY PRBEBLE WIIL NOT COVER UNDER WARRENTY. AND THIS CRACKING IS NORMAL? PAY 29000.00 FOR VEHICLE AND CRACKING BODY PARTS ARE NORMAL? *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTABLE TO HAVE THIS FIXED. IT IS A HAZARD BECAUSE MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK HALF THE TIME,AND WHEN THEY DO NOT WORK, THE WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN SO THEREFORE I CAN NOT SEE WHEN IT RAINS. THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE DEDUCTABLE.

WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE DASHBOARD, CAUSING WINDSHIELD WIPERS/INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND ELECTRICAL WINDOWS NOT TO WORK. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND OTHER MALFUNCTIONS OCCUR. THE POINT FROM WHERE THE WATER IS LEAKING HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS BOTH HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH CRACKS OR LARGER IN THE SHEET METAL AT THE LOWER REAR OF THE BELT MOLDING.

STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE OFF OF FRAME WHILE DRIVING TRUCK OUT OF DRIVEWAY AT HOME. UNABLE TO STEER TRUCK, VERY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION!! THE DEALER SAID THAT THE BOLTS JUST BROKE OFF NO SIGN OF WEAR ON BOLTS. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS HAPPENED.

NO SUMMARY

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE 3 DEFECTS LISTED.....FIRST, THE POWERTRAIN, WHEN FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE IS ENGAGED AT A STOP AND AN ENGAGEMENT TIME OF AT LEAST 30SEC. TO 1MIN. IS GIVEN, WHEN I RELEASE MY BRAKE TO PROCEED THE POWERTRAIN MAKES A LOUD THUMP, THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME....SECOND THE WASHER SPRAYERS ON THE HOOD DO NOT SPRAY THE WINDSHEILD. ONE SPRAYS WAY OFF AND THE OTHER SPRAYS NOTHING. AND THIRD THE HIGH BEAM LOW BEAM SWITCH IS DEFECTED. WHEN ENGAGED IN HIGH BEAM AND DRIVING A SHORT ACCURES AND THE LIGHTS WILL FLICKER FROM HIGH TO LOW AND COMPLETELY OFF WITH NO HEAD LIGHTS AT ALL......IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE DEFECTS PLEASE CONTACT SHANE E. MASS AT MY HOME NUMBER ((712)-322-5233) .... THANK YOU.

MY INSTRUMENTAL PANEL JUST STOP WORKING. NO GAS GUAGE, SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, OIL PRESSURE, TEMP GAUGE, CHARGE GAUGE, ETC. CHECKED FUSE BUT OK. BUT LIKE NO POWER DEALER KNOWS OF NO SUCH DEFECT. ALSO WIPERS COME ON AT ALL DIFFERENT TIMES WITHOUT ACTIVATION BY DRIVER . BEAT SEVERAL TIMES AT VERY HIGH SPEED THEN STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 20 TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS

DOOR PILLAR CRACK @ WINDOW BELT MOULDING. PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM, AND MOST TRUCKS ARE ALREADY OUT OF WARRANTY THAT HAVE IT.

THERE ARE CRACKS RIGHT NEXT TO THE WINDOWS ON BOTH DOORS. THEY APPEAR TO BE STRESS FRACTURES. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS NEWS REPORTS ON THIS PROBLEM.

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRINVING. YH

TIRE BROKE OFF FROM THE FRAME AXLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN RESULTING IN COLLISION. YH

NO SUMMARY

DOOR CRACK AT CURVE OF WINDOW ON RT & LEFT DOOR

WHILE TRYING TO PARK ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK ,CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP.CONSUMER WAS FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE HAD CRASHED INTO A FENCE. ANOTHER VECHICLE HAD CUT OFF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND HE RAN INTO A FENCE. NO INJURIES. REPORTED. *AK

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BLOWS FUSES, WHEN THIS HAPPENS SPEED IS NOT KNOWN AND BRAKE/ABS,TEMP.,FUEL,WARNING LIGHTS ARE ALL DEAD. CHECKING INTERNET CHAT GROUPS INDICATES THIS IS NOT UNCOMON AND IS CAUSED BY A BARE WIRE EXPOSED INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. REPLACING FUSE ONLY LAST TILL COLUMN IS MOVED IN THE POSITION TO CAUSE IT TO BLOW AGAIN.

NO SUMMARY.

NO SUMMARY.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE SKIDDED AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. *AK

A CRACK APPEARS IN THE DOOR SHEET METAL AT THE LOWER REAR OF THE BELT MOLDING ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHICH WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, PUT ON THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, AND WENT INSIDE TO CHANGE CLOTHES. CAME BACK OUTSIDE VEHICLE WAS ACROSS THE STREET, AND HIT A TREE. CONTACTED THE DEALER A THIRD TIME. THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENED TO SON TWICE. *AK

MANY OTHER TRUCKS HAVE THIS SAME CRACK, SOME ON BOTH DOORS

NO SUMMARY

EXTERIOR DOOR SHEET METAL IS CRACKING AT LOWER REAR EDGE OF WINDOW.

VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES WHILE DRIVING. THE ENTIRE REAR WAS MAKING HIGH PITCH NOISES. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED REAR END & ROTATED TIRES. *AK

WHILE IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND MAKING A TURN REAR WHEELS WOULD LOCK UP WITHOUT INDICATION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FUTHER INFORMATON. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH AND GOING AROUND A CORNER NOTICED SOME TYPE OF LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKE CALIPER BRAKE CALIPER SNAPPED IN HALF WHICH DAMAGED THE FRONT ROTORS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH @ APPROX 1500 RPM THE TRANSMISSION SHUTERS AND SHAKES BEFORE DOWN SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR. THIS PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS WHILE IN THIRD GEAR AT THIS LOW RPM WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS UNDER A LOAD, SUCH AS GOING UP HILL. DEALER CAN NOT FIX

WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30-45MPH VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. BEEN BACK & FORTH TO DEALER FOR 13 DAYS & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF VIBRATION. MECHANIC CHANGED MOTOR MOUNTS, ROTORS & BALANCED TIRES. VIBRATION STILL EXISTS.

DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 45 TO 50MPH, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BUT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID DEPLOY. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHY DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

THE DOORS (DRIVER & PASSENGER) HAVE STRESS CRACKS NEXT TO THE WINDOWS. WE HAVE SPOKE TO BISON FORD REGARDING THE MATTER. WE WERE INFORMED, BY BISON FORD, THAT SINCE WE ARE PASSED OUR WARRANT (3YEARS/36000) THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY AGREED TO PAY $500.00 AND BISON FORD AGREED TO PAY 10%, LEAVING THE REMAINDER TO THE CONSUMER. THE COST TO REPAIR JUST ONE DOOR IS $486.63. THUS LEAVING $375.93 THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY, IF BOTH DOOR WERE CRACKED LIKE OUR'S. THIS PRICE IS JUST TO WELD THE CRACKS AND REPAINT. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT AND THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED PROPERLY. I HAVE A REAL CONCERN FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR IF WE WERE INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION. I FEAR THAT THE DOOR/WINDOW WOULD NOT HOLD UP AND POSSIBLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. BOB HAS LOOKED AT 10 TO 15 (F150 1997 & 1998) AND HAS FOUND THAT ALL BUT ONE WAS HAD CRACK(S). WHILE WE WERE IN COLORADO RECENTLY WE WENT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THERE AND WERE SUPRISED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THESE STRESS CRACKS. THEY HAD 6 VEHICLES ON THEIR LOT AND ONLY ONE OF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CRACKS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER. HELEN MORIN

WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER WOULD OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN OFF MODE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE COLLISION . NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *AK

REAR SPRING LEAF BROKE AFTER RECALL REPAIR CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO SHRED . (98V-161) NLM