1998 Ford F-150 complaints

THE CONSUMER DETECTED AN UNUSUAL VIBRATION COMING FROM THE TRUCK. WHEN THE CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD HE NOTICED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER AND PULLEY ASSEMBLY WAS ROTATING ERRATICALLY. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT A BOLT SHEARED OFF THE HARMONIC BALANCER. AS A RESULT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE HARMONIC BALANCER, WATER PUMP PULLEY, BELT TENSIONER PULLEY AND DRIVE BELT. *JB *SCC *NLM

I OWN A 1998 FORD F150 PICKUP AND HAVE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE SHEET METAL OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR JUST BEHIND THE LOWER PART OF THE WINDOW. AN ARTICLE I WAS READING SUGGESTED CALLING A FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR, THE FORD DEALER STATED THAT FORD ONLY REPAIRS THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST 36,000 MILES. THE ARTICLE I READ STATED THAT FORD UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEM TO BE CAUSED BY OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR AND WINDOW, WHICH CAUSES THE SHEET METAL, IN THE LOCATION OF THE CRACK, TO FLEX, WHICH OVER TIME FAILS AND CRACKS. THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE WITH TIME AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE. MY CONCERN IS THE LOCATION OF THE CRACK AT A CORNER RADIUS AND COULD PROPAGATE TOWARD THE REAR OF THE DOOR. THE CRACK THAT HAS DEVELOPED, CAUSES TWO PROBLEMS, IT CREATES AN OPENING FOR WATER AND SALT TO CORRODE THE UNPROTECTED SHEET METAL ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND THE CRACK CREATES A PROBLEM, WERE THE VEHICLE TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND HIT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. SINCE THE CRACK HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED, IT WOULD TAKE LITTLE IMPACT FOR THE CRACK TO PROPAGATE ALLOWING THE DOOR PANEL TO BE SEVERED, REMOVING ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THE ARTICLE I READ STATED THAT FORD HAS FOUND THAT WELDING THE DOOR DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CORRECTION CAN ONLY BE MADE BY REPLACING THE DOOR. AS THESE CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ON FORD F150 TRUCKS AFTER 36,000 MILES, HOW ARE THEY BEING REPAIRED? MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT IF THEY ARE BEING REPAIRED IN ANY MANNER, THEY ARE MOS

ONE TIRE BECAME FLAT WHILE AWAITING FOR TWO OTHER TIRES TO BE REPLACED AND ALIGNED. MR WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE TREAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE TIRE AND CAUSED IT TO BLOWOUT. ANOTHER TIRE ON THE FRONT EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT ON AT THE SIDEWALL AND ONE WENT FLAT WHILE WAITING FOR REPLACEMENTS WHICH WERE ON BACKORDER. (MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN). *SCC *NLM

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, WHEN THE LEFT TORSION BAR FAILED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO CHANGE GEARS. *JB

FUEL LINE THAT RUNS FROM FIREWALL TO THROTTLE BODY SEEMS TO BE DETERIORATING NEAR DRIVER SIDE MANIFOLD. UNKNOWN CAUSE POSSIBLE HEAT. *JB

I WAS COMING FROM THE DOCTOR WITH MY WIFE WHEN MY TRUCK STARTS DOING A LAUD KNOCKING SOUND. I COULD NOT FIGURE WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE TEMPERATURE, BATTERY, OIL PRESSURE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME I HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET AND FOUND THAT IT DAMAGE A #1 CYL, BEND CONNECTING ROD, CRACK PISTON AND OF COURSE A BAD HEAD. TO FIX IT WAS OVER $2,500. I LIVE IN A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY WITH A FIX INCOME SINCE FEBRUARY AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY ALL THAT MONEY AND BARELY MAKE THE PAYMENTS. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT HAS BEEN LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE ENGINES AND HEAD GASKETS. I TOLD MY STEPDAUGHTER AND WE WENT ON-LINE SURPRISED TO SEE LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS SINCE 1998 ON THE 3.8-LITER V-6 HEAD GASKET USED BETWEEN 1988 AND 1995 ON THE TAURUS, SABLE AND CONTINENTAL, AS WELL AS THE 1995 WINDSTAR AND WE THINK THEY DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM NOT UNTIL WAY AFTER 1998 WHEN THEY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. NOW 1998'S F-150 GOT EXACLLY THE SAME PRABLEM. I DON''T KNOW WHAT TO DO !!! I HAVE NOT CALL FORD CREDIT TO TELL THEM YET. ANNY SUGESTIONS PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT [email protected]

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. *JB

STARTED VEHICLE, THEN COULD SMELL AN ODOR, ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER IT SMELLED LIKE A BELT BURNING. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD AND SEEING A FIRE ON THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP WHERE THE 4 WIRES PLUG IN. I S/O ENGINE AND PUT OUT FIRE WITH EXTINGUISHER. *NLM

RIGHT SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED IN TWO GOING ACROSS PARKING LOT.

WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CONTROL ARM FELL OFF. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM

DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE DRIVING 60 ON FREEWAY. MADE TRUCK VEER HARD TO LEFT ALMOST HITTING GUARD RAIL. THANK GOD MY SON DIDN'T HIT IT. BROUGHT THE TRUCK USED AND OF COURSE DEALER SAID IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY THAT WE HAD. ONLY THE 60 DAYS OR 2500 MILES FROM TIME OF PURCHASED. ONLY HAD IN 25 DAYS. *NLM

I OWN 1998 F150 TRUCK THAT HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE DOOR NEAR THE WINDOW MOLDING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM, BUT FORD WILL NOT FIX IT UNLESS MY WARRANTY 3/36 IS APPLICABLE. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT IT IS NO GOOD. THIS CRACK HAD LIKELY FORMED BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. I FEEL IT QUESTIONS THE DESIGN AND STRENGTH OF THE DOOR AND HOW SAFE IT WILL BE WITH CRACKS DEVELOPING WEAKENING IT.*JB

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *NLM

THE DOME LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

BROKEN TIE ROD DRIVERS SIDE. HAPPENED IN PARKING LOT WHEN BACKING OUT. JUST BEFORE 70000 MILES. *JB

THE SPARE TIRE WAS INOPERATIVE (WRANGLER R7/S, P265-70-R17). *NLM *NLM

THE VEHICLES DOOR AJAR LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON . *NLM

AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED ALSO THIS HAPPENED THREE SEPARATE TIMES. DEALER HAS NOT IDENTIFIED OR CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *JB

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL SEEMS TO JERK AND SLOW TO STOP. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THERE IS A TICKING NOISE, IT SEEM TO BE COMING FROM THE FIREWALL. THE ABS LIGHT HAS CAME ON SEVERAL OCCASION. I'VE HAD BOTH SET OF BRAKES SERVICED AND ROTORS TURNED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND STILL HAVE PROBLEM. *NLM

LEFT TIE ROD ON MY 1998 FORD F150 BROKE WHILE DRIVING. I BOUGHT TRUCK NEW IN 1999. MILEAGE ON TRUCK WAS 29900. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT RIGHT TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TOO ALONG WITH THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND IDLER ARM. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY JUST 20 MINUTES BEFORE. I WAS LUCKY. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE HAS NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM AFTER 15000. FROM THE FACTORY THERE ARE NO GREASE FITTING FOR LUBRICATION. ALSO NONE ON REPLACEMENTS. PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL WITH ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU. *NLM

WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED THE DOME LIGHT, DOOR AJAR LIGHT, AND EXTERIOR LIGHT ABOVE TRUCK BED REMAIN ON. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECURRING FOR THE LAST 3-4 YEARS. I HAVE ASKED DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS CONCERNING THE PROBLEM AND GET MANY REPLIES FROM BAD DOOR SWITCH, BAD RELAY SWITCH TO IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH 1998 FORD F-150'S AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. THE LIGHTS CAN STAY ON FOR 1 MINUTE OR 30 MINUTES, OCCASIONALLY I HAVE TO REMOVE THE FUSE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GOES FROM COLD TO WARMER WEATHER. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS AND THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHT REMAINING ON. I AM ALSO CONCERNED WITH WEAR ON THE BATTERY. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIR. *JB

THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED. *JB. ALSO, VEHICLE NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT. *AK

BOTH OF THE DOOR FRAMES ON MY 98 F-150 HAVE CRACKED AND CONTINUE TO GET BIGGER. I BELIEVE THEY WILL CRACK COMPLETELY THROUGH THE ENTIRE DOOR. I WAS TOLD BY MY DEALER THAT FORD WON'T PAY TO FIX IT UNTIL YOU MAKE THEM. PLEASE HELP THE THOUSANDS OF OWNERS THAT FORD HAS FRAUDULENTLY SOLD KNOWN DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. *JB

THE SPARE TIRE HAD GOUGES THAT DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE TIRE'S SIDEWALL. DEALER ADVISED THAT THIS TYPE OF TIRE WEAR, WHEN THE TIRE IS PLACED IN THE SPARE TIRE'S CRADLE WAS FAIRLY COMMON WITH FORD TRUCKS. CONSUMER REQUESTED ASSISTANCE IN REPLACING DEFECTIVE TIRE. *TT *JB

THE STEERING FAILED, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. DEALER DETERMINED THE ROD HAD COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF OF THE STEERING BOX.*JB

THE ENGINE FAILED WITH OUT WARNING. *JB

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 64,400 MILES WHILE ON EXPRESS WAY TRAVELING 60 MPH. DEALER RECOMMENDS FULL REPLACEMENT WITH RE-MANUFACTURED UNIT. INCIDENT OCCURED AFTER 60K EXTENDED MILEAGE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR EXCEED $2,000 ON A VEHICLE WHICH IS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD.*JB

THE FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE. *JB THE TORSION BAR HAD EXPERIENCED A BRITTLE FRACTURE AT THE HEXAGON TO CYLINDER INTERFACE. *SCC

WE HAVE A FORD F150 CLUBCAB PICKUP. IT WAS PERFORMING FINE AND I CAME TO WORK AND WENT TO START IT AND IT WOULD NOT START. MY HUSBAND CAME TO HELP ME AND IT FINALLY STARTED BUT IT HAD A SEVERE KNOCK IN IT. HE TOOK IT TO THE GARGAE FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ENGINE. NO WARNING PF ANY SORT. IT HAD GREAT OIL PRESSURE , CHNAGED FREQUENTLY, COOLANT WAS FINE ETC. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT HAS A BULLETIN OUT ON IT FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL. WE NOW HAVE HEARD OF 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM AROUND OUR SMALL COMMUNITY. FORD SAYS THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT AS IT IS JUST A BULLETIN NOT A RECALL PROBLEM. THE GARAGES AROUND HERE HAVE TOLD US THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. IF FORDS WOULD EVEN PAY HALF OF THE $3600 REPAIR WE WOULD BE SATISIFED BUT THEY TELL US NO.

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED.*JB

PASSENGER SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE PARKED IN PARKING GARAGE. DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OCCURED AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS. SCARY DRIVE HOME AS TRUCK WAS LAYING DOWN ON RIGHT FRONT SEVERLY. TOOK TO GARAGE THIS MORNING. FIVE MINUTES LATER, WOMAN COMES IN AND SAYS SHE HAS A BROKEN TORSION BAR. YOU GUESSED IT, ANOTHER 1998 FORD F150 4X4. LOOKED AT HERS, WAS ON DRIVERS SIDE, SIMILAR SHAPED FAILURE AS MINE, SAID HERS WAS JUST PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN FAILED. I AM AFRAID TO LET WIFE DRIVE MY TRUCK NOW.

TORSION BAR SNAPPED CAUSING TRUCK TO LEAN TO ONE SIDE. I WAS TOLD I WAS FORTUNATE I WASNT DRIVING IT AT THE TIME THEY HAD MANY ( OVER 50) BREAK SOME WHILE DRIVING. DEALER SHOULD REPLACE AT NO COST TO OWNER ONLY HAD 21,552 , 1998 F-150 DEALER WANTED 500.00 AT FIRST THEN CLAIMED PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY LABOR( JACK DEMMERS IN WAYNE,MI.48185) PLEASE HELP THIS ISNT FAIR.

TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD. PH

THE TORSION BAR HAD BROKEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. PH THE TORSION BAR WAS REPLACED AND THE FRONT END WAS ALIGNED. SCC

HEATER CORE WENT OUT AT 58,000 MILES. WHEN TURNING ON H HEAT IT WOULD PRODUCE A GRAY WHITESH MIST COMING FROM THE VENT. HE TOOK TRUCK TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE HIM $50.00 FOR THE PART, BUT ONLY $500.00 FOR LABOR.*AK

CONSUMER STATES INTERMITTENTLY DOOR LIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE, ALSO THE DOME LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

RE 1998 FORD F150 SUPER CAB DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS ARE DEVELOPING CRACKS FORD HAS REPAIRED THIS SAME PROBLEM 2 TIMES BEFORE NOW THAT THE CRACKES ARE APPERAING FOR THE 3RD TIME THEY SAY THAT MY TRUCK IS OUT OF WARENTEE BUT BUT OFFERED TO FIX IT FOR 400.00 DOLLARS I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME I ALSO THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL NOT JUST A BULLETIN FIRST REPAIR WAS ON 9/1/99 SECOND REPAIR WAS ON 2/1/2001 AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT TIME INTERMITTENTLY HEAD LIGHT SWITCH BECOMES INOPERABLE OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED. *TT

CRACKS HAVE FORMED IN THE BOTH DOORS OF MY 1998 F150 XLT AT THE BASE OF THE WINDOW. MY CONCERN IS FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR AND THE RESULTANT RUSTING THAT MAY OCCUR. ALSO, BOTH WINDOWS DON'T OPERATE PROPERLY....AS THEY DON'T MOVE UP AND DOWN FREELY. I HAVE SEEN THE SAME CRACKS ON SEVERAL OTHER F150S IN RECENT MONTHS.

THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT IN MY 1998 FORD F-150

I HAVE READ THROUGH THE INTERNET THAT MANY OF THESE 4.2L FORD ENGINES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS AS MINE HAS. *PH **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**770816

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH , VEHICLE WAS IN FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE BUMPER WAS PUSHED INTO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE, BUT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

1998 FORD F-150 SUPER CAB WITH THIRD DOOR. INTERIOR LAMPS AND 'DOOR AJAR' INDICATOR LAMP STAY ON WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, RUNNING LAMPS OFF, WHETHER VEHICLE IS ON OR OFF, AND ALL DOORS A SECURELY CLOSED. THIS PROBLEM GOES AWAY ON VERY HOT DAYS.

FORD DENIES THAT THE CYLINDERS HEAD ARE DEFECTIVE, YET I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. DT

NO SUMMARY. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 20MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH A SPARK PLUG (CYLINDER #2) BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD CRACKING COIL PACK. DEALER ESTIMATE FOR REPLACEMENT OF CYLINDER HEAD IS $3400. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT IS VERY COMMON IN F150'S PARTICULARLY WITH THE 5.4 V8 ENGINE. THIS IS A STOCK ENGINE, WITH FACTORY INSTALLED SPARK PLUGS THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED UNTIL 100K MILES. PLUGS SHOULD NOT BLOW OUT OF CYLINDER FOR NO REASON. THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY DUE TO PROJECTILE OR RISK OF FIRE. BASED ON MY INVESTIGATION, FORD DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. MORE INFO AT: HTTP://WWW.F150ONLINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=4ABD0A2337942B5D2ED89C308E5C3975&THREADID=88853 DT *TR

TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING NEITHER ARE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE REPLACED BULBS RELAYS AND SOCKETS HAVE TRACED WIRING ALL TO NO AVAIL. DT

CONSUMER ADVISED THAT THE NORMAL OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS RESULTING IN THE METAL DOOR FRAME BREAKING DUE TO LACK OF REINFORCEMENT BETWEEN THE DOOR AND FRAME. TS