1997 Ford F-150 complaints

WHILE CROSSING A BRIDGE A BOAT HAD STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD. COSUMER HIT BOAT AT ABOUT 35 - 40 MPH, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE CROSSING A BRIDGE ANOTHER DRIVER'S BOAT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, CAUSING CONSUMER TO CRASH INTO THE BOAT, AT ABOUT 30-40MPH ,AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

THERE IS A SMALL CRACK DEVELOPING ON THE LEFT DRIVERS DOOR AT THE END OF THE BELT MOLDING NEXT TO THE WINDOW ABOVE THE DOOR HANDLE. I BELONG TO THE INTERNET DISSCUSSION LIST DEDICATED TO THE LATE MODEL FORD TRUCKS AND THIS SAME DEFECT HAS BEEN FOUND ABOUT BY OVER 100 PEOPLE ON THIS LIST. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THIS DEFECT PERSONALLY ON JUST ABOUT EVERY 1997 F150 THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT IN MY AREA.

THE SLIDING WINDOW HAS LEAKED MANY TIMES AND SEEMS IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE RIGHT REAR AXLE FELL OUT WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. EITHER CLIP THAT HOLDS AXLE IS FAULTY OR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. *AK

INTERIOR LIGHT AND DOOR AJAR LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN WITH DOOR CLOSED. OWNER HAS TO TAKE BULB OUT OF DOME LIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN LOAD IT IS MISFIRING ON THE 2ND AND 4TH CYLINDER. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE MOTOR, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

OIL LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AT ANYTIME WHEN DRIVING . THE OIL GAUGE WILL DROP DOWN TO LOW. *AK

THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL CRACKED, CAUSING A SLOW LEAK IN TIRE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF DEFROSTER. PULLED OVER AND THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE.FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND PUT OF THE FIRE. *AK

WHENEVER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN USE THEY WOULD GO ON & OFF ON THEIR OWN. SOMETIMES HAVE TO HIT WIPERS TO GET THEM GOING AGAIN. SOMETIMES NOT RAINING WHEN THIS HAPPENS. CAUSES HAVOC WITH DRIVING. *AK

ENGINE SPORADICALLY STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE WILL TURN OVER, BUT WILL NOT COME ON. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE AND CANNOT FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

BACK REAR WINDOW LEAKS AND THEY HAVE FAILED TO FIX THREE TIMES AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. THE FIRST DEALER FAILED TO TELL ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE WINDOW. THE SECOND DEALER FIXED IT UNDER SOME KIND OF RECALL AND NOW REFUSES TO FIX IT AGAIN. THE WINDOW IS STILL LEAKING.

THE EXHAUST PIPE IS POSITIONED/DESIGNED SO THAT THE EXHAUST FROM THE PIPE IS RUINING THE WHEEL AND TIRE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. TIRE HAS BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF SEPERATION DUE TO THE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST. DLR SAYS NEEDS A NEWLY POSITIONED EXHAUST PIPE.

A COUPLING BROKE ON THE STEERING ROD CAUSING A COLLISION ,WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MJS

AFTER PARKING VEHICLE DISENGAGED FROM PARK AND WENT INTO TO DRIVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL.. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

STEERING IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE NEEDS OIL EVERY MONTH. HAD BEEN TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE PROBLEMS REPAIRED. THEY STILL EXIST. *ML

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE REAR BRAKES WORK INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE ABS SYSTEM LOCK UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIDE. *AK

CRACK ON DOOR NEAR WINDOW, JUST ABOVE DOOR HANDLE MAY CAUSE METAL TO TEAR EASIER THAN IF IT WAS A SOLID PIECE. THIS CRACK CAN BE FOUND ON MOST 1997 F-150'S. WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND 95% OF TRUCKS ON USED CAR LOT TO HAVE THE SAME CRACK.

A CRACK HAS STARTED IN THE EXTERIOR SKIN OF THE DOOR AT THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE WINDOW OPENING (LOOKING AT IT FROM OUTSIDE THE TRUCK). THE CRACK IS CURRENTLY ABOUT 3/8" LONG AND FIRST APPEARED APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE LOOKED AT DOZENS OF '97 AND '98 F150'S AND ALMOST ALL HAVE HAD A CRACK IN EXACTLY THE SAME LOCATION AS MINE. SOME WERE MUCH LONGER. OTHERS ALSO HAD THIS CRACK IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AS WELL.

NO SUMMARY

WHEN DRIVING 30-35 MPH, DRIVER CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO A TREE, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP TO BE REPAIRED. *AK

I AM A MEMBER OF A MAILING LIST ON HTTP://WWW.F150ONLINE.COM & THERE ARE ABOUT 2000+ MEMBERS ON THIS LIST. I AM AN ACTIVE DAILY MEMBER & SO FAR I HAVE ABOUT 50 EMAILS/PEOPLE COMPILED THAT HAVE THESE CRACKS DEVELOPING. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MFG. DEFECT. I ALSO WAS AT COVER FORD IN AUSTIN TX. ON SAT. HAVING WARR. WORK DONE & 11 OF THE F-150'S ON THE USED LOT HAD CRACKED DOORS ALSO. FROM 97-99 MODELS ! THE SERVICE MGR. SAID WHAT I EXPECTED, "NEVER HEARD/SEEN THAT BEFORE". WE ARE GETTING "NO HELP FROM FORD" ON THIS. JUST THAT TYPICAL COMPUTER GENERATED REPLY. HERE IS THE ADDRESS OF A SITE THAT SHOWS THE EXACT CRACK THAT WE ALL ARE GETTING. THIS CAN BE A STRUCTURAL SAFETY ISSUE IF IT GETS ALOT WORSE. PLEASE HELP US... HTTP://ARROWARANCH.COM/TRUCK/CRACK.HTML THANK YOU, WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY. SEAN STEELE

DOORS HAVE FRACTURES IN DOOR FRAMES ABOVE&BEHIND DOOR HANDLES , UNDER THE THICKER WEATHER STRIPPING OF THE SIDE WINDOWS. THEY ARE STRESS FRACTURES THAT MAT HAVE COME FROM THE OPERATING OF THE GLASS GOING UP & DOWN. ANYWAY THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR SAFETY & METAL STRESS FAILURE THE METAL WILL COME APART IN A CRASH IN THE DOOR AREA. DESIGN FLAW AT BEST IS WHAT I SEE HERE, WHICH BE LOOKED INTO BY SOMEONE. THANK YOU TERRY E. THOMPSON

AS MY GIRLFRIEND WAS GETTING INTO MY TRUCK SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE HAND HOLD BAR ON THE PAX SIDE OF MY TRUCK TODAY. SHE FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK TO THE PAYMENT. IT WAS SEVERAL MINS BEFORE SHE COULD GET UP. SHE WAS HURT VERY BAD. I'VE ALSO HIT MY HEAD ON THIS HAND HOLD BAR. I WANT THIS REPORTED TO FORD TO PAD IT MORE OR REMOVE IT FROM ALL TRUCKS!

VIBRATION INVEHICLE WHEN TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR.

INITIAL FAILURE- ENGINE CRANKS, BUT WOULDN'T START. LOCAL DEALERSHJIP REPLACED PCM TWICE, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, TRANS SHIFT SOLENOID, TIMING COVER GASKET, RADIATOR.. WHEN VEHICLE RETURN TO CUSTOMER, IT STILL WAS NOT RUNNING PROPE

WHILE DECELERATING ENGINE RACE UP TO 5 TO 6 RPM, CAUSING REAR TIRE TO SMOKE .THE ONLY WAY TO STOP VEHICLE FROM GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION IS TO TURN THE IGINITION KEY OFF. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED STEERING PROBLEM AND WAS UNABLE TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPACE DUE TO STABILIZER FAILURE. NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 35-45 MPH CONSUMER HAD A FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.DEALER HAD NO RESPONSE . *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS DEVELOPING CRACKS AROUND THE WINDOW AREA OF THE DOOR, WHICH COULD COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR DURING SIDE IMPACT. DEALER SAYS WHOLE DOOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE USES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL (MORE THAN A QUART EVERY 3000 MILES). DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT PROBLEM UNTIL VEHICLE USE ONE QUART WITHIN 900 MILES. *YC

BRAKE ROTORS BECOME WARPED EVERY 4,000 TO 5,000 MILES. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL GETS HARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

ONE-HALF INCH STRESS CRACK ON DRIVER'S DOOR ON LOWER-REAR WINDOW AREA. PAINT IS PEELING AND RUST FORMING.

I RECENTLY SAW WERE THE NHTSA WAS LOOKING AT FORD'S WINDSHEILD WIPER CONTROL AS A POSSIBLE PROBLEM FOR THE EXPLORER & ANOTHER VEHICLE. I CAN VOUCH THAT THE F150 ALSO NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. MY 1997 F150'S TURN SIGNAL/WINDSHEILD WIPER CONTROL WILL COME ON AT ANY TIME & AFTER USING IT WILL STAY ON.

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN PARKING LOT. NO APPARENT CAUSE, AND NO PREVIOUS INDICATIONS OF COMPONENT FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS

I WAS TOLD OF A DOOR CRACKING PROBLEM, I ASKED THE LOCAL SERVICE REP ABOUT IT, HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A CRACKING PROBLEM AND THAT FORD WAS FIXING THOSE VEHICLES WITHIN WARRANTY, BUT THEY HAVEN'T DECIDED ON A FIX FOR OUT OF WARRANTY VEHICLES. IF THE DOORS ARE WEAK ENOUGH TO CRACK FORM ROUTINE DRIVING, ARE THEY STRONG ENOUGH FOR OCCUPANT PROTECTION? ESPECIALLY IF BOTH DOORS ARE CRACKED AND FORM THE EVIDENCE OF RUSTING, AT LEAST FOR SOME TIME..

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SHEETMETAL IS CRACKING FROM UNDER THE WINDOW TRIM NEAR THE LOWER CORNER OF THE WINDOW TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE DOOR. INITIALLY APPEARED TO BE A DEFECT IN THE PAINT, NOW APPEARS TO BE A CRACK IN THE SHEETMETAL

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COMMENCE OPERATING WITHOUT ANY ACTION BY THE DRIVER. *YC

MY GAS PEDAL STUCK. I HAD JUST QUIT USING MY CRUISE CONTROL AS I APPROACHED A JUNCTION AT THE FREEWAY. THEN ROUNDED THE BEND, MY TRUCK JUST SPED UP. I TAPPED THE BRAKES TO MAKE SURE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISINGAGED. THE TRUCK SURGED FORWARD AGAIN, ALTHOUGH THIS TIME IT REALLY TOOK OFF LIKE I HAD MASHED THE GAS PEDAL FULL FORCE. LUCKILY ENOUGH I WAS ON A FREEWAY AND NOT IN A NORMAL NEIGHBORHOOD. BY SHEER DETERMINATION, TWO GOOD LEGS, LOW TRAFFIC, AND GOD, I STOPPED THAT TRUCK. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY TRUCK. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT SHOULD BE FIXED.

ENGINE HAS EXPEREINCED A CLATTER ON STARTUP FOR SOME TIME. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER UNDER WARRNATY ONE YEAR AGO @ 27000 MILES. TOLD THIS NOISE WAS "NORMAL". NOISE HAS INCREASED. NOW DEALER REPORTS IT IS "A MAJOR LOWER -END PROBLEM. FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE VEHICLE IS OUT OF BASIC WARRANTY. I SAY 1) NOTHING WAS DONE WHEN IT WSAS UNDER WARRANTY. WORK SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED AND FIXED THEN 2) THE PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING IS THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. FORD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOUDL NOT SHOW UP AT THIS LOW A MILEAGE. THEY AMDE AN DEFECTIVE PRODUCT--THEY SHOUDL FIX IT!

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS/ SHAKES, AND THERE IS AN OIL LEAKAGE WITHIN VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE HAD THE BACK LIGHT RESEALED TWICE ALREADY, STILL LEAKS...HAVE HEARD IT IS A CRACKED WINDOW FRAME, A DESIGN FLAW AND SOME HAVE HAD THE DEALER REPLACE WITH A NEW WINDOW. MINE BECAUSE OUT OF WARRANTY IS MY PROBLEM. I HAD IT FIXED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND SIDNEY FORD DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT....POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WARRANTY SERVICE!!!

THE WINSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON INTERMITTENTLY EVEN WHEN OFF. ALSO, THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED (I HAVE A WITNESS), THE WASHER WAS ALSO CONTINOUSLY SPRAYING FLUID EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING WAS OFF.

NO SUMMARY

EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS LEAKING COOLANT. ALSO, WHEN HEATER IS ON TEMPERATURE RISES EXTREMELY HIGH.

REAR U-JOINT WENT OUT. ONE REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED DUE TO RUST; THERE WAS NOT LUBRICANT. *AK

FORD EXHAUST DESIGN IS ROUTED IN FRONT OF RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE EXHAUST GASES CAUSE THE LUG NUTS, STUDS, AND BRAKE DRUM TO CORRODE CAUSING POOR BRAKE RESPONSE AND POSSIBLY WHEEL FAILURE.

NO SUMMARY

UPON EMERGENCY STOP BRAKES BEGAN TO STOP NORMALY,THEN RELEASED WITH LITTLE BRAKING EFFECT. EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DOG OWNER'S FAMILY PET KILLED. DEALER SAID NORMAL FOR ANTI-LOCK. I DRIVE OTHER 1997 FORD F150 FOR COMPANY BUSINESS AND THEY DON'T REACT THIS WAY