1998 Ford F-150 complaints

I BOUGHT A 1998 F-150, 3 YEARS AGO. THE ENGINE BLEW UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. MY WIFE DROVE IT TO WORK, IT RAN FINE. SHE STARTS IT UP TO COME HOME, AND THE ENGINE WAS KNOCKING LOUD. SHE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. THE 4.2 ENGINE IS A LEMON, AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ FROM NUMEROUS PEOPLE, AND HEARD FROM MANY FRIENDS IS THAT THESE ENGINES ARE JUNK, AND FORD KNOWS THEY ARE. A FRIEND OF MINE WARNED ME ABOUT THESE ENGINES, HE HAD TO HAVE HIS REPLACED 3 TIMES WITHIN 3 YEARS. 3 TIMES HIS ENGINE BLEW UP.. THESE THINGS ARE JUNK!!!!I THINK FORD NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THESE ENGINES, OR REFUND US OUR MONEY BACK ON THE PURCHASE PRICE. I AM VERY UNSATISFIED. *LA

DOME LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF EVEN WITH ALL THREE DOORS FULLY CLOSED. *LA

STEERING COMPONENTS THAT BROKE SUDDENLY CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *LA

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP MY VEHICLE(1998 FORD F-150 4 X 4 6 CYL) I THOUGHT I WAS HUNG UP ON SOMETHING AS THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE IN DOING SO. WHEN I GOT OUT TO CHECK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE ROADWAY, I WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE THAT BOTH OF MY FRONT TIRES WERE FACING EACH OTHER (TOED IN). AFTER MUCH ADO, AND MANY MEN STOPPING TO SEE WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS, I LEARNED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD HAD LET GO WITHOUT ANY WARNING! WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK, EVERYONE TOLD ME TO INVESTIGATE WHY THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FORD USED TO HAVE A GREASED FITTING HOLDING THE TIERODS AND HAS SWITCHED TO A NYLON FITTING THAT IS NON-GREASABLE TO SAVE MONEY>.... I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS VERY SICK TO MY STOMACH TO THINK THAT MY TIE ROD COULD HAVE LET GO WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN FACING THE POSSIBILITY OF DISASTEROUS CONSEQUENCES. THAT DID NOT GIVE ME A WARM AND FUZZY FEELING. I BOUGHT THIS PICK-UP BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS SAFER DRIVING A BIG VEHICLE. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT SOME SMALL LITTLE NYLON PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS COMPROMISING MY ABILITY TO STEER MY VEHICLE. WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM?? MY GARAGE TELLS ME THEY HAVE SEEN PLENTY!*AK

CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF THE CAR PORT WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

INNER TIE-ROD JOINT BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE DROVE FINE UP TO THAT POINT. STEERING COMPONENT INSPECTION TWO MONTHS PRIOR DID NOT INDICATE ANY NEEDED REPAIRS. *LA

1998 FORD 150 LARIAT TRUCK OUTSIDE MIRRORS DISCOLORED RENDERING THEM USELESS. YOU CAN BARELY SEE IN THEM DURING THE DAY AND AT NIGHT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THEM. THE MIRROR TYPE HAS THE TURN SIGNAL BUILT IN BEHIND THE MIRROR. FORD REPLACED THEM ONCE AND NOW SAYS THAT THEY NO LONGER MAKE THAT TYPE BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE NATURE BUT WILL NOT OR HAS NOT OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE. THEIR NEWER VERSION HAS THE TURN SIGNAL BUILT ON THE OUTER PERIMETER OF THE MIRROR BODY INSTEAD OF BEHIND THE MIRROR GLASS. *LA

I HAVE A 1998 F150 I BOUGHT NEW. I HAVE BEEN A FORD PERSON FOR MANY YEARS BUT WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FORD UNTIL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSIONS ARE CORRECTED. AT 72,000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. ($2,200), AT 92,000 MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IDLING WAS ROUGH BUT DROVE FINE. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC HE SAID TUNE-UP WOULD CORRECT IT. $400 LATER, STILL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND IDLE ROUGH. IT JUST STOPPED AND WOULDN'T START BACK UP. I'M HAVING TO REPLACE THE BLOCK ECT.. HAVING TO CONTINUE TO PAY A NICE VEHICLE PAYMENT EACH MONTH AND INSURANCE AND STILL NOT HAVING A VEHICLE TO DRIVE IS RIDICULOUS. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH FORD!! KL. *LA

CONSUMER HEARD A BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND A PIECE OF METAL FELL OFF ONTO THE GROUND. CONSUMER PICKED IT UP, TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MECHANIC WHO STATED THE LEAF SPRING FAILED. *AK *TS *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE, CAUSING THE TIE RODS TO SHOOT THROUGH THE RIM. IMMEDIATELY THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. *AK

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE STARTER AND/OR IGNITION IN MY 1998 F-150 FORD TRUCK. BEACH FORD IN MYRTLE BEACH, SC HAS REPLACED THE STARTER ABOUT 7 TIMES AND TODAY THE TRUCK LEFT ME STRANDED. *LA

THE RIMS LEAKED AIR. CONSUMER PLACED THE WHEELS IN A CONTAINER OF WATER, AND WATCHED AS BUBBLES SEEPED FROM THE WELD SPOTS. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN INFORMED.*AK

WE HAVE A 1998 FORD F150 THAT WAS PURCHASED IN 2001 EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. YESTERDAY THEY LOCKED UP PREMATURELY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT STARTED WITH A BURNING METAL SMELL & STARTED TO SHAKE & VIBRATE. WE COULDN'T GO OVER 40 MPH. IT'S QUITE FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP ON A NEARBY CORNER WHERE WE STOPPED, AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BREAK PADS WERE FINE; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER SIDE CALIPER WAS LOCKED UP. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED LOWER BALL JOINT ON DRIVER'S SIDE FELL OFF. DEALER STATED NO RECALL, AND CALLED NHTSA.*AK

PAINT PEELING ON ROOF WHERE ROOFLINE JOINES WITH WINDSHIELD, ALSO AT TOP OF DOOR AROUND RUBBER SEALS

CRACKS IN DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. THEY BEGIN ON THE EDGE OF THE WINDOW AND EXTEND OUTWARDS INCREASING WITH TIME.

WHENEVER IT RAINS WATER LEAKS INTO THE BACK WINDOW OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND NO WARNING RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/70R16, DOT#UNKNOWN. MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.*AK THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE TIRE WASN'T FLAT. THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED ON THE TIRE LIKE A CAN OF PEELED BISCUITS. THERE WAS STILL SOME TREAD ON THE TIRE. *PH *JB

WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, MY FORD F150 BLEW THE #2 SPARKPLUG AND CYLINDER HEAD AT 25,000 MILES. IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE SAME CYLINDER HEAD 60,000 MILES LATER. THE REPAIRS WILL COST ME $3000.00. FORD MOTOR CO. AT THIS TIME IS UNWILLING TO COVER THE REPAIRS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE 1998 TRITON V-8 ENGINES AS I AM SEEING ALOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS BEING FILED.*AK

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS. IF THE VEHICLE IS OVERLOADED, THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS CAN BE OVERSTRESSED. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE SPRING CAN OCCUR. THE CENTER LEAF OF THE SPRING CAN FRACTURE AT THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE SPRING SEAT AND, IN SOME CASES, CONTACT THE FUEL TANK. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

ON MONDAY AUGUST 11, 2003 I NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE ON MY 1998 FORD F-150 PICKUP. I FOUND THAT GASOLINE WAS RUNNING ALONG THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME AND LEAKING RATHER HEAVILY ONTO THE PAYMENT. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO A NEARBY AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CENTER FOR EXAMINATION. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED THAT THE FUEL LINE HAD A CRACK AND WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE LEAKING FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE TECHNICAN THE CRACK APPEARED TO BE UNKNOWN INCLUDING ANY DAMAGE. I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY INSURANCE WITH GEICO FOR THE $277.87 REPLACEMENT LINE. SINCE I HAD A $250.00 DEDUCTIBLE, THE COST WAS MOSTLY BORNE BY ME. THE OWNER OF THE SERVICE CENTER, SAID HE NEVER HAD A CRACKED FUEL LINE IN ALL HIS YEARS OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE. I ALSO IN MY 50 YEARS OF OWNING VEHICLES HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A INCIDENT. MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE EXTRAORDINARY DANGER THIS TYPE OF LEAK COULD CAUSE A MOTORIST, WITH GASOLINE LEAKING ON TO THE PAYMENT. OBVIOUSLY A DISCARDED CIGARET OR OTHER IGNITION COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS FIRE AND PERHAPS INJURY OR DEATH.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE INTERESTED? I PLAN TO WRITE FORD, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE. SINCERELY, JOHN WATERS. *AK

THE SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT AT 30,000 MILES WHICH CAUSED GASOLINE TO SPRAY ONTO THE ENGINE. CONSUMER BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE. CURRENTLY, AT 40,000 MILES VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD NOISE WHILE MAKING TURNS COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE DUE TO BROKEN TIE ROD. *AK

DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED ,CAUSING FRONT LEFT CORNER OF VEHICLE TO DROP UNEXPECTEDLY POSSIBLY DAMAGING SWAY BAR, SHOCK ABSORBER AND RELATED BUSHINGS. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED THERE IS NO COVERAGE, RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS THAT COVER DAMAGE/DEFECT. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH EXPEDITION AND FORD MODELS. *AK

1998 F-150 WITH 75000 MILES. SPARK PLUG #2 BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 30 MILES/HOUR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IF YOU DO A SEARCH ON WWW.GOOGLE.COM FOR "BLOWN SPARK PLUG" THE NUMBER ONE HIT IS FOR WWW.F150ONLINE.COM A FORD ENTHUSIAST GROUP. THIS SITE, LINKS TO LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVIING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS AN APPARENT DESIGN FLAW IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. ONLY 6 THREADS ARE HOLDING THE SPARK PLUG IN PLACE. SINCE A BLOWN SPARK PLUG ALMOST ALWAYS RESULTS IN THE CYLINDER HEAD HAVING TO BE REPLACED. THE COST TO THE CONSUMER IS AROUND $2000 - $3000 DOLLARS. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AT A MINIMUM.

WHEN DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE. CONSUMER IS ABLE TO EASILY MOVE THE WHEEL SIDE TO SIDE AND PULL/PUSH BACKWARD AND FORWARD. DEALER DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN.*AK

IT STARTED WITH DOME LIGHT STAYING ON CONSTANTLY - SO WE GO WITHOUT A DOME LIGHT AND IT IS UNSAFE AND QUITE THE NUSANCE. NEXT THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYED ON CONSTANTLY - WEATHER SEEMS TO PLAY A FACTOR.*AK NEXT THE IGNITION SWITCH CHIME STARTED STAYING ON CONSTANTLY WHEN KEYS AREN'T EVEN IN THE IGNITION...AGAIN WEATHER SEEMS TO BE A FACTOR. INITIALLY WIGGLING THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD SOMETIMES GET THE CHIME TO STOP BUT NOW I HAD TO REMOVE THE GEM FUSE(15) AS IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CHIME TO QUIT. I HAVEN'T CHECKED YET WHAT ELSE THAT FUSE IS USED FOR. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR ALL F150 OWNERS - SO FORD NEEDS TO FIX IT!!!!

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE TIE ROD END DISINTEGRATED AND FELL OFF. WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *NLM *TT *TS *JB

MY ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. ACCORDING TO FORD TSB 99-20-7 THESE ENGINES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH OBSOLETE ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKETS AND/OR LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. WHEN THESE GASKETS FAIL, THE RESULTING DAMAGE WILL OFTEN CREATE THE NEED FOR AN ENTIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. DUE TO THIS FAILURE AN ENGINE IS NEEDING REPLACING. AFTER LOOKING AT CASES ON THE INTERNET. I FIND FORD NOT CORRECTING A MAJOR DEFECT IN THERE PRODUCT. *AK

A CRACK IN THE STEEL BY THE WINDOW TRIM ON THE DRIVERS DOOR. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON ALL FORD F-150'S FROM 1997 TO 2003. FORD IS DOING NOTHING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR SEVEN YEARS. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE'S ENGINE WIRES ARE BURNING UP. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

THE ANTI- THEFT ALARM GOES OFF FOR NO REASON AT ALL HOURS. THE WYNNE FORD DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT AFTER THEY CHECKED IT BUT IT STILL GOES OFF. ALSO THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON EVEN WHEN THE DOORS ARE SHUT.*AK

THE FRONT LEFT TIE ROD BROKE, WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK *TS. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL 4 TIE RODS. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *JB

BOTH TIE-ROD ENDS HAVE FELLEN OFF SINCE JULY 2002. LEFT SIDE WHEN PULLING OUT OF BANK PARKING LOT AND RECENTLY WHEN BACKING UP ON LEVEL GROUND.*AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER CAME ON AT RANDOM. THE INSIDE LIGHTS FAILED TO GO OFF ONCE THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. *JB *CB *NLM

CONSUMER NOTICED BUBBLES ON SIDEWALL OF BOTH REAR TIRES.*AK

1998 FORD F-150 XLT SUPER-CAB SHORT BED. STRUCTURAL DEFECT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. RIGHT LOWER EDGE OF WINDOW. DEFECT IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 IN LENGTH. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN VIEWED ON NUMEROUS F-150'S THAT I HAVE SEEN. THE SAME DEFECT IS ON ALL. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON DOES NOT WORK. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED HEAD-ON INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. NEITHER FRONT DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

1998 FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK WITH A 5.4 LITER TRITON ENGINE. WITHOUT ENGINE EVER OVERHEATING, A SPARK PLUG WAS EJECTED FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE PLUG'S THREADS WERE STRIPPED. ESTIMATE TO FIX IS ABOUT $2200.00 *JB

TREAD ON DRIVER RIGHT SIDE TIRE SEPARATE WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH . FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT SIZE# P235/70R16 DOT # UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ORIGINALLY NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE POWER WINDOW WAS SLOWING DOWN, THEN NOTICED CRACKING ON THE DRIVER-SIDE DOOR. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE #12071. DATE UNKNOWN, BUT WINDOW BEHAVIOR DATES TO FALL 2001. *NLM

AT 20 MPH TIE ROD BROKE AND TRUCK HIT A STREET CORNER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED FOR REPAIRS. A WEEK LATER AT 45 MPH TIRE ROD BROKE AGAIN AND CAUSED FRONT END TO FLIP AFTER HITTI NG STREET REFLECTOR. NO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO TRUCK, AND NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.*AK

WHEELS: RIM IS CRACKING STRAIGHT INTO THE BEAD. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DO NOT WORK. ACCORDING TO MANY WEBSITE POSTINGS THE TWO ARE RELATED. EVIDENTLY THERE IS A SO CALLED "SPRING CLIP" IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT NEEDS REPLACING- COST IS AROUND 300.00. THIS IS QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE F-SERIES PICKUPS. I CAN PUT A FUSE IN AND IT WILL SHORT WHEN I USE THE HORN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH AND NO WARNING THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHEN TURNING ON SIGNAL HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

LEAKING VALVE COVER GASKET AND GASKET AROUND SPARK PLUGS LEAKING ALLOWING OIL IN CYLINDER. REPAIRED LESS THAN ONE YEAR AGO AT 30,000 MILES. HAS REOCCURED AT 33000 MILES. DEFECTIVE PARTS? *TT

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *NLM. *AK