Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1318609/01/19996090542Information regarding front cover & water pump bolts-torque valve revision/3.8-4.2l. *mjs03/21/2000
9920710/04/19996089651Subject on engine coolant leaking into the engine oil on some vehicles. *tt02/11/2000
9913106/28/1999606484Concerns with engine coolant leaking into engine oil on some vehicles. *tt08/25/1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
1272005/01/19996091697Some vehicles may develop a coolant leak at the worm gear clamp located at the joint between the metal intake coolant tube and the flexible rubber coolant hose. *tt11/09/2000
BC019797020101/02/199751067Engine overheating- water pump concern due to free spinning water pump impeller. *jd06/27/1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
03140408/23/20040416110011162Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. to include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04.01/06/2005
1641611/01/200210008345No/hard start in cold ambients / new two-piece block heater cord released. *mj07/28/2004
1744812/01/200310008301Remote oil filter adaptor replacement - new service part. *tt07/27/2004
0222111/11/200210008304Engine-gear driven synchronizers-incorrect installation-camshaft position synchronizer (cmp) installation tool correct application. *mj07/27/2004
0320610/13/200310004889Some dedicated cng vehicles may exhibit various driveability conditions due to a loss of injector performance, resulting from fuel quality. loss of power at heavy load, diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) for lean fuel, rough idle, hard start,01/14/2004
0314407/21/200310003744Engine misfire or rough running condition with coil on plug (cop) ignition systems may be more accurately diagnosed using the optional worldwide diagnostic system (wds) coil on plug (cop) kit. 2003 super duty f series included. *tt10/29/2003
0310305/26/200310002767Vehicles without the coolant lock-off may exhibit a no start condition. *tt09/16/2003
87019710/22/200210000592Incorrectly installed gear driven camshaft position (cmp) sensor synchronizer assemblies causing surge, lost of power, malfunction indicator lamp on and diagnostic trouble codes p1336, p1309 and p0340. *tt03/25/2003
699609/01/19996090309Information regarding a change in the torque values of the engine front cover water pump bolts. *tt03/14/2000
98330102/04/1998607462This bulletin provides procedures on neutralizing the exhaust, transmission and engine mounts. *tt09/23/1999
98B3305/01/1999607294Owner notification for replacement of engine cylinder heads. *tt09/17/1999
97600707/01/1997605786Brief information regarding cylinder head temperature (cht) and fail safe cooling. *tt07/26/1999
98232511/23/1998603931The malfucntion indicator lamp ( mil ) may illuminate and diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0455 may be stored in memory. *yc03/11/1999
BC309097022502/25/199751690Vehicles with a rough running/miss symptom with a misfire dtc on a particular cylinder where normal diagnosis does not pinpoint a cause - check for damage to camshaft. *tw06/27/1997
BC032597230101/23/199751435Some 5.4l front end serpetntine belts may make some noise between temperatures fo 30 f-50 f. *jd06/27/1997
BC031597020101/02/199751114Fead belt squeal, cold only. revised belt released. *jd06/27/1997
BC099096102110/21/199650442Information on engine oil leak at the oil pan, front cover &/or the front & rear crankshaft oil seal. *tt04/24/1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
1575803/01/2002636406Snow packing of the air filter when driving in severe snow conditions may exhibit loss of power and / or the malfunction indicator lamp illuminating. *tt11/08/2002
0210505/27/2002636076Some bi-fuel cang and lpg vehicles may exhibit a no start condition. *tt11/05/2002
0124612/10/2001630515Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure. *tt04/18/2002
021401/21/2002630001Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant and/or oil from the cylinder head gasket area. *tt04/11/2002
0120110/15/2001627914Some vehicles may exhibit high idle and/or pcv system icing after steady state driving in extreme cold ambient temperatures on vehicles equipped with 4.2l engine built thorugh 1/24/2000. *tt02/26/2002
0120510/15/2001627927Some vehicles may exhibit vacuum or air leaks in the intake manifold and / or engine system causing diagnostic trouble codes p0171 and or p0174. *tt02/26/2002
0121810/29/2001627766Some vehicles may exhibit a no crank, no start condition due to corrosion of the starter cable b+ terminal at the starter solenoid. *tt02/22/2002
014703/05/2001619424Subject regarding engine oil recommendations for use in 2001 vehicles - sae 5w-20 motor oil. *tt05/30/2001
0023811/13/2000616519Some vehicles may exhibit a no crank / no start condition in temperatures below 12 degrees c (10 degrees f). *tt03/01/2001
98518511/01/1998613316Cold start engine noise01/29/2001
498112/01/1998615321Some vehicles equipped with 5.4l engines may exhibit a cold start engine knock concern until warmed up. *tt01/13/2001
463808/01/1998615176Malfunction indicator lamp on, with p0300 - p0308 misfire diagnostic trouble codes with a 4.6l engine. *tt01/03/2001
98-473809/01/1998607152Cold engine knock 5.4l action. *ak11/03/2000
9918809/06/19996090068Vehicles with 4.2l engine (canadian) may backfire on acceleration at all ambient temperature. *tt03/06/2000
98357001/01/1998607838Some engines may exhibit oil leakage. *tt10/13/1999
99603405/01/1999606947Experiencing a engine knock at cold start-up. *tt09/08/1999
9981605/03/1999606420Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt08/19/1999
98251212/21/1998603650Some vehicles with higher odometer readings may experience a hesitation on acceleration just off idle and misfire complaints with malfunction indicator lalmp ( mil ) on. *yc03/01/1999
98211011/01/1998603673During high idle speeds throttle sticks after steady state driving in cold ambient temperatures. *yc03/01/1999
98031704/01/1998603510Symptoms regarding p0300-p0308 misfire dtcs with 4.6l engines. *yc02/23/1999
9861103/30/1998601322Concerns with reduced power, stalling, hesitation, and surge. *yc07/22/1998
BC078296101410/14/199650408Concerns of check engine light 'on'. *tt04/24/1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
1436509/01/2000618636This bulletin addresses concerns a noise at intial engine startup when cold from the accessory drive belt. *jb04/18/2001
BC005697230101/23/199751407Some vehicles with air conditioning can exhibit a cold start accessory drive belt noise (chirp) concern. *jd06/27/1997
BC032596112911/29/199650733Some front end serpentine belts may make noise when between 30 and 50 degrees fahrenheit. *tw06/17/1997
BC031596110111/01/199650723Fead belt squeal, cold only. *tw06/17/1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
98201010/12/1998603695Experiencing a buzzing or rattling noise from the exhaust system. *yc03/02/1999
986403/30/1998601312Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt07/21/1998
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
98151208/03/1998609551A direct replacement part for the evaporative emission canister and bracket assembly. ak04/03/2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
0541703/07/200510014666Intermittent rough idle - non-commanded egr (exhaust gas recirculation valve) flow. *tt05/05/2005
BC351097230101/23/199751494Check engine light on with dtc p0455 in continuous memory on 1997 5.4l vehicle applications. *jd06/27/1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
055403/21/200510014685Use of stainless steel exhaust studs in service for 5.4l 2v engine. *tt05/05/2005
1732011/01/200310008169Broken exhaust manifold studs. *tt07/22/2004
BC088396100410/04/199650440Vehicles may exhibit an exhaust leak &/or noise due to warped exhaust manifolds. *tt04/24/1997

Investigations

NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DP05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY09/22/200501/04/2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
 On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
DP05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY09/22/200501/04/2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
 On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
DP05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY09/22/200501/04/2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
 On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
06/26/20091
 After driving about 2 miles and parking the vehicle, an engine compartment fire started about 15 minutes after leaving the vehicle. *tr
08/15/200785000107/27/1997
 On or about dec 2006, i began noticing the engine in my truck behaving strangely. it had around 85,000 miles at the time. i wasn't able to have the truck repaired due to financial reasons, and i rarely drive it anyway, so the truck sat in my garage until i was brave enough to face the problem. i knew by the way it was acting that it was going to cost alot. last fall, aug 2007, i took the truck to the local ford dealer and was told that the 4.2l engine that had been installed in my truck was faulty but there was nothing i could do but pay to replace the engine. the mechanic told me that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. *tr
11/28/2007116000404/15/1999
 Coolant leaking into cylinders causing engine to lock up at startup. *tr
09/03/200780000111/14/2005
 1997 f150 4.2l engine failure. *jb. updated 01/11/08. *lj the engine main bearings, lower engine gasket and timing belt gasket cover were replaced. updated *jb
01/01/20074
 I had my spark plugs replaced twice at $541 dollars at a ford dealership because they were corroded. upon taking it some place else goodyear to be specific they pulled up a factory recall on ford f150 from 97 because a gasket leaks coolant onto the spark plugs causing corrosion. empire ford never even gave me a reason for this, just kept cashing the checks, now they are saying my vin number was never included, but i have the same problem as those recalled, coincidence, impossible. *jb
08/01/2007108/05/2004
 At 1:50a.m. on 8/1/2007 our 1997 ford f150, which was under recall, burned in our driveway. damage was also done to 2 other vehicles, our home, driveway, and basketball goal. *tr
04/01/20071010001
 Purchased a 1997 ford f-150 in early spring of 2006. vehicle had less than or close to 100,000 miles. drove the vehicle between 1,000 and 2,000 miles over the next year. in late march or early april of this year the vehicle's engine, a 4.2 l 6 cylinder motor self destructs. on the morning in question, i went out and attempted to start the vehicle. the motor turned over very sluggishly as if the battery was low. when the motor started, it made a terrible racket and blew a chunk of the engine block out approximately the size of my thumb. after this happened, i researched the problem on the internet only to find that 1997 4.2 l ford motors have a defective gasket which allows water to flow into the cylinders. the gasket had failed and allowed water to leak into the cylinder(s) overnight causing the vehicle to hydrolock and blow up. ford has been aware of this problem for many years, and even sent out numerous technical service bulletins regarding the problem. i have even found evidence that they may sent out a few recall notices, but not to every owner. hundreds of '97 f-150 owners have had this same problem, and they, like me, cannot afford to pay the approximately $5,000 to repair their mistake. i currently owe about $5,000 on this vehicle, which at this time is only an expensive lawn ornament. fortunately, there was not fire or injuries when this occurred, but they could have. i'm certain that ford never replaced the gasket on this vehicle, as the only recall sticker is one for the engine computer. as for being too old to be recalled, several months after i purchased the vehicle, i received a recall notice for a wiring problem on it. certainly ford should issue a recall, or at least pay to have the problem fixed. the incident date is only approximate, as i cannot recall the exact day that it happened. *tr
12/10/2006980003
 Low on coolant- oil pressure started to drop, coolant in oil. after reading considerably about this on internet found out about tsp #99b29 and the resulting onp do not believe this was ever fixed i am second owner and the onp expired in 2001. ford should have to correct this problem leaking gasket. many many complaints on websites regarding this. i have small children and cannot afford a $4000 motor because ford did not get it right and will not fix the problem with a recall. someone needs to make ford responsible for their errors. *nm
08/26/2005125000111/05/1997
 This is short. my 5.4 blew a spark plug out of the head. ford heads only have .250 in. of threaded depth in head not enough. *jb
06/12/200684000107/16/2000
 Head gasket failed on my 1997 ford f-150 with 4.2 liter (v6) engine. it leaked into crankcase and the engine locked up. it is a total loss of the engine and i can't afford to buy another engine. i have found out that this has happened to many other people. *jb
05/07/2006145000102/15/1998
 My 1997 4.2l v6 f150 would not start, replaced starter motor, pulled plugs found coolant in #1 cylinder. i'm currently digging into the engine to replace the head gasket. *nm
03/18/2006160000102/14/2005
 Own a 1997 f150 with 4.2 for about a year now. never seen the smoke coming. hyrdolocked on me with 150,000 kms which i have heard is kinda low kms for that to happen. looking at getting a rebuilt but will see what happens with this. *nm
12/05/200483000108/09/1997
 Coolant leaking from a faulty head gasket into the motor causing major damage. resulting in ford motor company replacing the entire motor for well over $4,000. this is not only a problem with my vehicle but many more. just do a web search for faulty gaskets in 97 4.2l engines. go to http://forums.treemedia.com/fb/showthread.php?t=224&page=10&pp=15 for more info. *jb
10/15/2005185000104/01/2005
 Intake gasket went out causing antifreeze to leak into piston and when truck was cranked up it bent rod broke piston repair bill was $1685.00 something needs to be down about this. many others have had the same problem just look up 1997 f150 intake forum thanks. *jb
10/30/200188000107/31/1996
 I have a 1997 ford f-150 with a v-6 4.2l engine. this engine ran rough after being driven at highway speeds and was then slowed to normal city speeds. this was investigated at least three times while under the warranty period with no trouble found each time. at about 70,000 miles this truck began to run rough and the shop which serviced it told me that there was insufficient spark in the right half of the engine, but came up with no satisfactory resolutions. i notice that i was loosing coolant and the check engine light would come on and blink occasionally. this continued for several months until one day when i turned on the engine there was a loud bang and an obnoxious clattering. the truck was towed into a dealer at which point i was told i needed a new engine which cost $4200. after 55,000 more miles i started losing fluid again and experiencing similar problems and took the truck into a dealer which found no trouble. the symptoms were a fluctuating temperature gauge and no heat when the heater was turned on. also, loosing fluid with white smoke from the exhaust. from other postings on various online forums i found out this was a classic failure for the 4.2l v6 with a blown head gasket. i seem to be on the verge of another blown engine. when i called a dealer to schedule a return visit i was informed that this the same engine as the taurus 3.8l with a long stroke hence making the displacement 4.2 liters. also, i was informed that engine had the same trouble and many have to be replaced. *jb
11/12/20041350001
 Fire started in engine compartment of 1997 ford f150. *ts *jb
11/09/20051
 97 ford f150 4.2 l engine, no gasket recall notification, thrown rod during startup just like the large number of other people complaining about the same failure on http://forums.treemedia.com *jb
01/01/200570000107/01/2000
 Dt: the contact stated vehicle was making a loud noise. he took it to a local mechanic, who informed him that all 1997 ford f150 engines had to be replaced. he contacted ford, and they told him there was no recall involving noise. the mechanic stated the water pump was defective which resulted in water leaking into the engine. the mechanic predicted that the engine might function for three more miles. *ak
10/24/2005550005006/29/1996
 1997 ford f-150 pickup with 4.2 liter v6. over the last couple of years i have noticed that i have to continually add coolant to the radiator. after researching the problem on the internet i came across ford onp 99b29 which states ford will replace the engine front cover gasket to prevent serious damage to the engine. (hydrolock leading to broken or bent connecting rods). i never received this notice as i understand it was only sent to corporate customers. i now have oily residue throughout the engine coolant, hard starting, etc. all consistent with defective intake manifold/front cover gasket leading to internal engine coolant leakage. the ford dealer refuses to fix the problem because he said i had to report it to him prior to march 31, 2001. i now have 70,600 miles on the truck. i would like ford to fix this problem before i have a catostrophic engine failure from a broken rod on cylinder #1. *nm
10/10/20051300001
 Blown gasket- *nm
09/17/2005735001
 Defective engine. 1997 f150 v6 4.2 l, 73000 miles and a rod is knocking. this is a known defect at ford. *jb
04/14/200516000004/14/2001
 I have the same complaint about my 97 f150 a lot of people do. i have 4.2 v6 that locked up on me a few months ago. i heard there was a recall on the motor for a coolant gasket but i never received one. from what i understand even the ones that got change went bad anyway. please help make ford own up to this engineering defect and replace these motors. thank you. *jb
05/02/200570788206/10/2001
 1997 ford f150 4.2 l v-6 leaking lower intake manifold gasket destroys engine!
07/20/200595000103/15/2004
 I have a 97 ford f150. they are known to have gasket failure. i am on my 3rd motor in it. they dont make it 100,000 mile. you just start them @ they will blow. *nm
06/01/2005460001
 I have a 1997 f150 with a 4.2l v6 engine. i had a leaking intake manifold gasket replaced a year ago which i never received a recall from ford motor on. i am the original owner and have the same address as to when i purchased this truck. since the gasket was replaced, several months later i started having oil pressure problems. now i am starting to hear a knock. talking to my mechanic, he said it was a rod and bearings. i pulled up the recall # 99-20-7 which explains this problem. i feel like ford should have to pay for the damages that this has caused. by the way this truck only has 46,000 original miles on it!! have talked to numerous people in forums that have the same problem. they say no luck out of ford. what will it take to get this resolved? had a mechanic at my local ford dealership look at it and said same thing. how could we go about getting a lawyer to start a class action lawsuit? your help would be greatly appreciated. by the way, i did get a recall for the cruise control problem that would cause it to catch fire. why didn't i get the other ones? *nm
07/05/200598000111/01/1997
 1) no events leading to failure. original owner, well maintained vehicle with 98,000 miles. 2) engine siezed during start (4.2 liter with apparent history of manifold gasket flaw leading to failure) 3) vehicle not repaired due to high cost of engine rebuild or replacement
06/24/200543880106/24/2005
 Egine failure due to defective gasket leak on 1997 ford f150 v6 2.4 engine at 43,000 miles
06/14/20057500002/01/1999
 Engine failure due to faulty gasket
05/23/20055600003/06/1997
 I have 1997 ford f150 4.2l pick-up that has the famos anti freeze internal leak that has ruined my motor. i have 56,000mi on it, and feel ford has sold millions of these lemons and are doing nothing about it! is there any hope for us who got screwed?
05/09/200587000106/30/1999
 I have a 1997 ford f-150 with 87,000 miles on it. the motor is a 4.2l v6. it all began when i noticed the anitfreeze level seemed to keep going down even after i would fill the coolant jug to the proper level. last week i noticed that the motor seemed harder to start and thought the battery was going dead. the next day i went to start my truck and when i turned the ignition the motor made a loud pop and wouldn't do anything. i had to have the truck towed to my local garage and the mechanic told me that either the intake manifold gasket, the head gasket, or the timing chain cover gasket had failed allowing coolant to enter my motor. this caused my motor to completely seize up. the end result is that i now need a new motor that is going to cost me over $3,000. i contacted ford customer service and they told me that they had no record of this happening to anyone else and since no warranty or recall was in effect i would receive no reinbursement. i thought this was odd since i have found several web sites saying this has happened to several 4.2l v6 motors. i hope that you will look into this and make ford pay if the gaskets are found to be of poor quality.
10/15/200349000209/15/1999
 Dt: in october of 2003, the check engine light came on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times and they said the problem was fixed. the dealer also mentioned that the problem was something near the carburetor. *tt
05/07/200570899106/10/2001
 Defective intake manifold gasket in 1997 ford f150 4.2l v6 engine 70899 miles. antifreeze leaks into number 4 cylinder. when engine starts resulting hydro-lock shears off conecting rod and destroys engine.
11/20/200456300
 Was never notified of a recall99b29 for a timing cover/water pump gasket on my 1997 ford f-150 vin1ftdf1725vnb44053. in november 2004 i was losing coolant and took it to my local ford dealer and he gave me an est. of $1500.00. at that time i couldn't afford it. i had it repaired at a reliable repair shop for $800.00. i had just found out about the recall from a co-worker who also has a vehicle mentioned in the recall. i feel that should be due reburstment of the repairs for that fact i did not receive the re-call.their records will show that other recalls i have had it in for the repairs. this vehicle only has 58,000 miles on it!
04/22/200566713101/31/2000
 1. purchased ford f-150, vin 2ftdx1720vca54859, with 4.2 l six at 15,000 miles at sun state ford of orlando fl. 2. in 2004, noticed unexplained coolant leaks. 3. engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29, but this information was not known at that time; ford does not include this truck, built 03/97, in recall campaign 99b29, indicating the original recall has been inadequate. 4. on 4/22/05 at 66,713 miles, lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into a cylinder, leading to a thrown rod and engine failure. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7. 5. dealer refused to help except to offer a rebuilt engine for $4500; ford customer relationship call center related that the recall covered up to 12/31/96, and this truck was made 3/97. no offer of help nor appeal there, either.
03/18/200593746105/05/2003
 Went to start truck began knocking from motor upon starting.motor thrown rod had to be replaced.this 1997 f-150 only had 93000 miles not even mech.limit what a lemon ford built here .*ak
03/01/20017990010007/31/1997
 Truck would sutter at stops and hesitate when accelerating with loss of coolant.*ak
02/03/20041
 Ford f150 1997 defect gaskets and cooling system leaked. *bf the consumer was aware of another vehicle with the same make/model that had the same problem. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc the ball joints were replaced. *jb
03/08/2005100000109/08/1998
 My truck is a 1997 ford f-150 with 140000 miles last week i took my truck to the auto shop because i couldnt find out were the antifreeze was going i was told that 4.2liter have a problem with a head gasket was thin and-antifreeze leak in motor and washing out bearing. *ak
01/04/2005105000112/28/1998
 I have a 97 ford f150 xl with a 4.2l 6cyl engine. there has always been a small loss of coolant and neither ford service techs nor private machanics could ever find the leak. well in jan 2005 after the truck sat in the driveway for about 4 days and i started the truck and the engine blew. towed it to a local shop and mechanic said the coolant was leaking into the engine and caused the damage. $4000 plus to fix it. after serching the internet i find that this is a very wide spread problem. i am trying to sell the truck to get a little money to help buy another vehicle. help!*ak
02/04/2005127000108/15/1999
 The vehicle with 4.2l engine commenced to run rough at any speed. vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and mechanic determined that the engine had a blown head gasket. consumer contacted the dealer, who informed the consumer that the vehicle was not covered under a recall. *ak
05/20/20003
 Loss of anti-freeze or coolant both doors starting to crack rear sliding window leaking. *jb
12/25/200466137103/14/2003
 Ford 1997 f150 engine failure - could become vapor locked causing engine to seize at highway speeds. *jb
11/17/2004950001
 Vehicle was parked in the driveway and it was engulfed in flames. the fire report listed the cause as a mechanical failure which started in the engine. *ak
12/24/200485000308/26/2004
 Coolant leak in #4 cylinder. white smoke from buring coolant in engine. rough idle and hard start up. possible engine damage. currently at ford dealership to replace gaskets.*ak
08/01/2004109/10/2002
 Gasket failure caused water to leak into the engine. this caused the cylinder rod to knock and the engine to fail. must replace the engine as a result. *ak
04/01/200271000401/20/1999
 I am sending in a full letter to explain the failures. it centers around tsb 99b29 and lack of owner notification of a bad front cover design that can lead to engine failure, which occurred in this case. additionally, i had a tie rod failure that was not addressed under warranty, but later broke while driving. also, my crank shaft pulley / dampener assembly fell off while highway driving (70 mph). there are other issues including door lock / key sticking.*ak campaign id number : 03v196000 component: steering:gear box:shaft sector. the engine cover gasket failed. *tc the serpentine failed, the transmission had an akward shift, the wipers operated periodically by themselves on high speed, there was little heat coming from the vents through the floor. *jb
10/29/20041000001
 I own a 1997 ford f150 and just had a spark plug blow out the head. i have done a simple internet search and it appears this is a common problem with fords 5.4 which needs to be addressed. *jb
08/14/2003705/18/2002
 Ford f 150 safety issue. *bf the motor was replaced on 08/14/03 and died by 03/01/04. two months after the vehicle was purchased, the odometer stopped at 69k miles, the engine locked up, the brakes went out due to caliper pin falling out and the engine was replaced. six months later the fly wheel consumed three starters and the engine locked up again. *sc *jb
04/01/200499000103/03/2004
 The truck has a rod knocking sound coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken to the mechanic who stated that the front cover gasket and manifold side gasket failed allowing coolant to leak into the cylinder. at cold start, the coolant in the cylinder caused the piston rod to break. he also stated that the engine would need to be replaced at a cost of approximately $5000. *nm
06/20/2003
 Vehicle was parked in garage for about 3 hours when a fire started in the engine compartment
02/05/200477749
 While at ford dealer having state inspection done, the speed control deactivation switch causght on fire.
06/04/2002
 Under hood fire after sitting for 3 hours with the keys out of the ignition. the fire started at midnight. the fire investigator says the origin was at the master cylinder.
02/11/2004164123
 Under hood fire after vehicle parked for 6.5 hours. cruise control stopped working on 11/27/03 and was not repaired.
05/21/2004103000102/07/1997
 I have a 1997 ford 150 4.2 l v6 truck . do to ford using a falty gaskets to build the engine i have experianced engine failure. ford is not wiling to take any responsibility for the problem although they recalled the engine for this problem.*ak
08/13/20041
 While driving at any speed consumer heard a noise coming from the engine. also, engine steamed a white mist. dealer had not been notified. *ak
08/07/2004100000104/01/2000
 The pick up engine compartment caught on fire within 5 minutes of being parked and turned off. the pick up was totaled. the insurance adjuster will inspect the pick up to determine the cause of the fire.*ak the truck was a total loss. *nm
06/12/2004526501
 When trying to start the vehicle the consumer heard a loud banging noise in the engine. the consumer drained the oil pan and found a half a cup of water before the oil came out. the consumer found on a web sight that this vehicle had a problem with two gaskets on the engine. the dealer is not claiming responsibility for the problem. *la
05/22/200499000103/15/2000
 I own a 1997 ford f-150 with a v6 4.2 liter motor. last week to my surprise my truck started knocking. i found the reason for this problem was a faulty head gasket design by ford. i had checked for recalls on my truck many times before, and as early as january, 2000 (when i still had my warranty) i checked for a possible recall, but i was never informed of this problem like many other 1997-1998 4.2 liter owners. today this leaves me with a useless truck that needs and $4000 engine replacement. i just feel that i should of been notified of this design flaw before it happened, and my truck should not have a problem like this with under 100,000 miles. thank you for your help. *la
04/05/200470000108/20/1997
 I have a ford f150 truck with the 4.2l engine. vin # ftdx1725vka71538 my left lower intake manifold side gasket failed. this allowed coolant to leak into a cylinder and damage the engine. the damage is described in ford's tsb article # 99-20-7.*ak
02/18/2004800001
 Upon leaving the vehicle consumer smelled a strong coolant odor. consumer examined the vehicle to trace from where the odor was coming. consumer, who was a mechanic, determined that engine head gasket blew out. dealer was notified, but refused to repair vehicle without a recall or payment.*ak
01/29/20041
 Front engine gasket leaking called dealership any tell me that my truck wasnt a recall . but seems to me that other ford truck owners are having the same problem whit the front engine gasket leaking. it will cost me about $700.00 to repair. hope the ford company does someting about this problem. *ak
10/16/200354000110/31/1996
 On a cold start my ford f-150 broke a rod due to engine coolant leaking into engine. this is a known ford defect in which ford sent out a technical bulletin but who will not cover the $4,000 dollar repair.*ak
12/27/20005400010/22/1999
 Cylinder #2 piston of 97 f150 truck blew a spark plug out of aluminium head. this has apparently been a problem of ford veh. now on 2004 ford trucks they use cast iron heads. i repaired my truck myself with a heli coil but it should have been fords responsibility. please put this in the pile of complaints about this issue........ i will never purchase another ford again.........this incident occured in dec 2000 with only 54,000 miles. my wife and daughter were on there way back home to dallas from amarillo, tx. (changed consumer info per 10/25/05 consumer call - c. rose)
09/13/200397807203/20/2003
 Engine failure, transmission failure
06/20/199877998203/17/2002
 The vehicle was overheating and the mechanic determined that the vehicle had a coolant leak. the pipe which lead to the radiator rusted and caused the coolant to leak. the vehicle overheated intermittently since 1998. *nlm *cb
06/16/20028128112/09/2001
 Coolant leaking at front cover gasket and lower intake manifold. 1997 ford f-150 4wd. vin#1ftdf1827vna94030. i purchased vehicle used. have recalls and service bulletins been maintained on this vehicle? i will be taking the vehicle to jacob george ford, houtzdale, pa for full inspection tomorrow. any information on the maintenance would be useful for us to correct this problem. thank you. *nlm
11/28/200063250107/01/1998
 Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no 99-20-7. dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis--------770763. *ak *nlm
01/03/2003738522
 The engine head gasket blew twice and caused coolant to leak. this problem was recalled for some 1997 f150's but not the consumers vehicle due to vin. *nlm *nlm
11/01/2001
 Upon starting the vehicle, consumer states' turn key heard a loud banging coming from engine, turn off vehicle. vehicle was towed to dealer, dealer looked at motor removed engine cover, it checked out fine. mechanic stated coolant is getting into engine fluid this will destroy engine. please provide any further information. mr
 Defective electrical and engine system
06/18/1998106/09/1996
 Coolant leaked due to worn out gasket on water pump front cylinder. yh
102/05/1997
 Check engine light comes on sometimes. yh
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
10/21/20092730001
 I have a 1997 f-150 4.6 v8 with approx 270,xxx miles on it. around three years ago i replaced the original radiator at around 190,xxx miles, seemed fair that's a decent life i thought for a radiator. i took it to my local ford dealer for replacement. since then i am now need of my fourth radiator, the last radiator was replaced in jan 2008. my local ford dealer and ford customer care folks are saying that the part is out of their 12 month/12,000 mile warranty and that there is nothing they can do. all repairs for this vehicle have been completed at this dealer for the past five or so years. my contention is that clearly these parts are suspect and the repair and failure history seems to support this. *tr
12/21/2006144000106/12/1997
 1997 ford 150, 144,000 miles. engine knocks and is loosing coolant. after doing research just found out this was a common problem with the 4.2l v6 engine. i never received a recall from ford stating a problem with the manifold gasket. i am the original owner. *nm
01/05/200602/02/1999
 Loss of coolant in 4.2 l. v-6 engine. ford f-150 pick-up truck.
12/20/2005117000103/31/2001
 Recall on ford truck that i did not recieve, which my have saved me from getting a new engine. recall#99b29. *nm
06/24/2005933001
 (1)ford 1997 4.2 l v6, slow coolant leak/gasket leak resulting in internal terminal damage to the engine. (2) replacing lost coolant every so often is not unheard of for a common high mile engine but by doing so, the problem is gradualy getting worse until the engine locks up! (3)the fix is thousands of upset consumers spending hard earned dollars replacing a factory defective motor with another factory defective motor at the owners expense! thanks ford! found the problem is very common after researching the web. please help! sincerly, ex-ford fan
04/17/2005180148103/22/2005
 My '97 ford f150 4.2l v6 failed in my driveway upon starting three weeks after purchasing it. after turning the ignition, i heard loud knocking and banging coming from the engine and i shut it down. i found oil pouring from under the engine. upon inspection found that the # 2 connecting rod was shattered which took out the oil pan, the oil pick up tube, and bent the crank shaft. removed upper intake manifold, and found coolant in the rear port of the lower intake manifold.
11/20/200456300
 Was never notified of a recall99b29 for a timing cover/water pump gasket on my 1997 ford f-150 vin1ftdf1725vnb44053. in november 2004 i was losing coolant and took it to my local ford dealer and he gave me an est. of $1500.00. at that time i couldn't afford it. i had it repaired at a reliable repair shop for $800.00. i had just found out about the recall from a co-worker who also has a vehicle mentioned in the recall. i feel that should be due reburstment of the repairs for that fact i did not receive the re-call.their records will show that other recalls i have had it in for the repairs. this vehicle only has 58,000 miles on it!
02/25/20041
 I own a 1997 ford f150. i recently had to replace the engine. i replaced it with an engine from a 2000 model. one year later i'm haveing the same issues with the new engine. while resovling the problems i was having i learned several people had this same issue. it seems that tsb #99-20-7 was issued by ford. it describes my problems in detail. i caught it much earlier this time and was able to replace the lower intake manifold gasket before any significant damage was done to my 2000 engine. ford needs to take resonsibility and fix the issues related to their tsb #99-20-7. one of the biggest problems is the information regarding this issue is not wide spread. the issue is often mis-diagnosed as a blown head gasket, which is twice the cost to fix. so consumers are paying the price for fords cover-up. a web site is setup with a plethora of information regading this issue. www.leakingfords.com. *ak
12/30/2003800001
 While driving the vehicle overheated due to a faulty intake manifold that caused coolant to leak inside the engine. the dealer was notified and determined that the engine needs to be replaced. please provide any additional information. *nm
1
 Coolant was added to the vehicle, and within twenty minutes the coolant level was low, and the vehicle started to drive roughly. driver shut off the vehicle and would not restart it. dealer found that cause of the problem was a faulty head gasket. *ak
05/17/2003910001
 My 1997 ford f150 with 4.2l v-6 manifold gasket failed which caused coolant to leak into cylinders. without any warning, at cold start the coolant in the cylinders caused pistons/rod to break and engine suddenly began loud knocking and pouring white smoke out of exhaust. this truck has been meticulously maintained and has never been driven hard. local repair shop says the local machine shop they use for rebuilds has seen at least 24 of these engines since january 1st, 2003! estimates to rebuild or replace this engine range from $2,000 to $4,000. we have not yet decided what to do - scared to get new engine from ford because same problem may still be present.*ak
02/02/2003740001
 The vehicle experienced the same defect with the water pump as stated in recall 00 v 094 000, however the vehicle identification and model was not included in the recall. *jb
1
 A tie rod fell off while driving. the front engine seal and intake manifold gasket failed resulting in and antifreeze leak. some of the vehicles lights (dome light and dash light) stayed on although the vehicle was turned off. *ak *nlm
12/06/200107/01/2097
 No summary. dt
10/30/200207/01/2097
 This leak has possibly damaged my engine it was a ford design flaw what can i do? i attempted to send you this report on 12/07/02 but it was not complete was the message that was sent back to my e-mail. therefore, i am sending this to you again i understand that a recall number 99b29 has been placed by ford but it does not cover this problem. what can i do? please contact me if you would and let me know what i should do here! dt
04/13/2002108/01/2097
 This truck should have been included in the ford recall 99b29. after contacting ford. they refuse to extend the recall. it is my belief, that the recall was too narrow in scope and should be extended to all 1997 ford f-150 trucks. many other ford owners have experienced this same problem (leaking gasket which in turn permits the coolant to leak antifreeze into the engine, thereby damaging the engine). the 1997 ford f-150 was the first year of the new model design and apparently ford is not stepping up to help their customers. my research has indicated that this problem occurs with the 1997 f-150 when the truck has reached 60,000-70,000 miles and after the warranty has expired. the ford dealers as well as corporate has knowledge of this problem and are refusing to acknowledge that this recall was not broad enough to cover the many trucks that have encountered this problem. had my vehicle been included in this recall, i would have taken my truck immediately to my dealer to have the work performed, thereby avoiding any potential damage to my truck's engine. instead, i was not the recipient of a recall letter and ford tells me my truck is not included. it seems clear that my truck experienced the same identical problems which the recall specifically states: 1997 ford f-series 150, equipped with 4.2 l engine; vehicle my experience engine coolant leak at engine front cover gasket; thereby causing severe engine damage is not immediately corrected. this is exactly what happened to my truck and how ford can not claim liability is unconscionable. i would ask that you please launch an investigation into this defect and try to get the recall broadened in scope. thank you very much. dt
02/07/2001204/01/2000
 2/01 vehicle was brought to lithia ford in concord to diagnose over heating. cooling system was checked and stated c.s. was holding at that time, tore down motor, found bad bearings, oil pan milky, head gasket bad. replaced w/4.2 engine which was covered under an ext warranty, other recommended fix clutch disc throw out bearings. 11/2000, pwr steering hose bad, replaced,10/01 ck eng lit one,, idle air cntrol valve replaced,6/02 overhearing, new thermo,coolnt flsh, oil change, new brakes recommended, done.9/4/02, overheating again, recommended new radiator/water pump, inqired on pcv modification recall, they will replace.*ak
04/27/2001106/01/1996
 Timing gasket failure followed by engine failure. good running truck brought to firestone shop for diagnosis & repair of water leak. timing gasket and water pump replaced. water pump was not leaking, but had 100k miles. after leak repair severe hesitation noted on acceleration from stop. while returning to firestone oil pressure drop at red light after passing other vehicle. cam shaft sensor now bad and changed; hesitation fixed, pressure ok. drove < 5 miles; accelerated onto interstate & drove 4 mi. at 1st stop after exiting interstate oil pressure drop. returned to firestone. now i need a new engine--$3000!
01/20/2001104/01/1999
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
02/01/20010
 Vehicle was parked in front off of house and coolant fluid was leaking from engine. dealership was aware of problem. *ak
10/12/2000202/01/1997
 No summary
05/01/199907/01/1997
 Coolant leaks through timing chain cover; wipers come on unexpectantly while in off position.
08/20/2000105/01/1997
 First noticed that the truck was hesitating and could not accelerate easily. took to a friend of ours who opened up a new auto shop and he changed the oil and noticed that it was contaminated with coolant. he then pulled up tsb from the internet regarding engine contamination, article no. 99-20-7. he encouraged us to take it to a ford dealer where they could further diagnose and hook up to their diagnostic machines, as our check engine light was on and he wasn't set up to read the computer. we drove the truck, with brand new oil, 4 miles to our house, parked and called a tow truck to come and take it to the dealer where we had purched the vehicle. we also saved a sample of the contaminated oil in an old windex bottle and sent it to the dealer. it sat for three days with no one looking at it until i finally drove there myself and asked what the heck was going on. i was informed that the person that was supposed to look at the car did not come into work and he had someone else looking into the problem. i then had to call back when i got home, 5 hours later, and was told that the whole engine had to be replaced or taken apart to see just how much damage had been done. they said it was excessively driven with the contaminated oil. we never even knew that the oil was contaminated, nor were we ever notified of the recall notice. we have the oil changed every 3,000 miles, always! then he proceeds to tell me that our vehicle is not part of the recall. that is all we know for now and am waiting for more information from the dealer after he talks with his manager and ford. hoping for the best.
08/01/19970
 When on the highway vehicle runs hot. when pouring coolant in to it, vehicle leaks. to vehicle dealer, and they could not remedy the problem.*ak
06/23/2000
 Due to a design flaw fuel filler tube cracked, causing fuel to leak. also, engine check light came on, and vehicle overheated. please provide further information. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN
01/25/200010/01/1996
 Brought vehicle in to comply with recall. no problems previous to recall, after receiving vehicle back all problems started. recall work was not done properly. screws were not reattached to covering over fan belt, oil change and new filter were not done according to recall. knocking started to occur in engine after vehicle was returned to me. called dealership back to report the 2 screws missing anda knocking sound coming from engine. was told to stop in on sat. to have someone put in the missing screws. returned to shop noone was around to do the work. while driving the truck sat. the engine oil lights up. had to find a store to buy oil and add to crankcase. had to do this twice that night. the vehicle is now at the dealeship. i have been told i need a new engine. they will put in a rebuilt engine. i am not satisfied with this solution. i feel that they have ruined my truck and i won't feel safe and secure in it anymore. please contact me so i can explain further.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
09/02/20021309559
 I purchased a 1997 ford f-150 june 11, 2001 from two rivers cheverolet on 2/04/02 a hole was patched in the radiator of the vehicle. on 9/02/02 the radiator had another hole in it and this time had to be replaced. on 9/27/02 the heater core began leaking and had to be replaced. at that time i had taken the vehical back to the radiator specialist and he sugguested that the vehical might have electryolisis, said take the vehicale to the ford . i did they replaced the heater core and i had suggested to the service technian that it could have electroylisis. the service tech. said that, that was not very possible. on 12/03/02 i took the vehicle back to the same ford garage for leaking of antifreeze, they said that they could not find any leaks and sent me on my way. on 3/10/03 i was on the other side of the country and the heater core went again i took it to a local ford garage in the area that i was in and they replace the heater core again. on 5/21/03 the heater core went again at this time i was in a different part of the country and at every ford garage i went to i told the story to the service advisor. the heater core was replaced. on 10/29/03 the heater core again failed and i took it back the same ford garage that i last had it at. again they replaced the heater core and this time told me that there was electryolisis in the vehicale. they replace heater core. on7/12/04 the heater core went again i took the vehicle back to the same ford garage and they said that they could replace the heater core and this time the radiator had a hole in it again. they also said that the problem would proably not go away and there was nothing else that they could do for me. i took it to a radiator specialist and they told me if they had had the vehicale when the problem first started that they would have been able to fix it. but now its been going on took long and there was a slim chance that they would be able to fix problem. now with no help from the (ford).*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
10/30/2010101000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1997 ford f150 xlt. the vehicle was parked for over 18 hours and caught on fire. the fire department was called where they put the fire out. the origin of the fire was unknown. the fire started under the hood of the vehicle and the vehicle was total. no one was injured. the manufacturer was call and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 101,000....mw
11/05/2009219000
 Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford f150. the frontal head gaskets were leaking. also he hears knocking in the engine caused by a defective connection rod. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. he was refused service because he purchased a vehicle from a different dealer. the manufacturer was notified and he was advised that there was a class action law suit for the failure. he was then advised to file a complaint with nhtsa. the failure mileage 219,000. the vehicle identification number was unavailable.
12/01/200760500410/31/2000
 My 1997 ford f-150 4.2 l 6 cylinder engine has been consuming antifreeze at a low but steady rate for a couple years....i did not know why. now i do the gasket has a leak into a cylinder and the truck has a major engine problem, that will require overhaul or replacement. for some time i have had very hard starts where the engine will not roll over without difficulty this is an ongoing problem among others with this engine. *tr
11/15/2007123000103/12/1998
 Truck running great,turned on next day loud rattling water out the exhaust oil pressure gone, intake manifold leak, possible bent rod and motor needs to be replaced. 4.2l motor has a know defect that ford did not let the public know. *tr
11/11/2006110000106/02/2005
 Complaint: ford motor company, poor design of lower intake plenum/manifold gasket in the essex 4.2l v-6. 1: events leading up to this failure originally there were no obvious signs of impending failure. the indications of failure are loss of engine coolant with no visible external leak, and coolant in the combustion chamber. 2: failure and it's consequences this defect allows coolant leakage into the combustion chamber, causing a hydraulic locking condition which will break/bend one or more connecting rods. this renders the engine unusable, and it must be pulled, repaired if possible (some are not), and re-installed. 3: failure correction. in most cases the engine can be repaired by replacing a connecting rod, piston, and crankshaft, and all the other associated parts that are involved with this level of disassembly. in some cases the connecting rod will break and damage the block beyond repair. this happened in my case. the replacement engine was over $2000, not to mention the labor involved in it's replacement. ford motor company is aware of this design flaw, and has issued a technical service bulletin regarding it. however, to this day they will still not offer any aid, in any form, for damages incurred due to this design flaw. *nm
12/03/2006120000102/25/1998
 I own a 1997 ford f150 4.2l. my truck has been losing coolant for a while! i have replaced the water pump, replaced hoses, replaced thermostats,etc. my truck is now having a ticking sound when i start it in cold weather. i have come to find that ford motor company had previously issued a recall on this trucks engine for a faulty intake manifold gasket. i was never informed of this recall!!! i was informed of other recalls like lug nut failure, cruise control cables,etc, but never about the most expensive, most vital part of the truck the engine. the information of the recall was discover as i was on the web trying to find out how to fix the knocking sound. the web site had over 350 messages of people with the same problem!!! please help!! *jb
02/01/200280000107/01/1997
 My 1997 ford f-150 4.2 l 6 cylinder mysteriously through a rod at 80k miles resulting in the replacement of the entire engine. from what i have read this has been a common problem plaguing many ford customers, yet ford has provided no relief. an expensive $4000 repair! *jb
07/03/2006117263108/06/1997
 1997 ford f150 4.2 motor failure. i have had to add coolant a few times over the past few years and could not find any leak, kept the oil changed every 3 thousand miles. the motor threw a rod and all the oil leaked out of the back of the engine. i found out on the internet that this is an ongoing problem with ford, and they will not fix the problem. *jb
05/16/200690450111/15/2002
 I own a 1997 f-150 . i purchased this truck from a private party when it had 52,000 miles. the truck now has about 90k miles. on may 16 i started the vehicle and heard a raucous noise from the engine compartment. on may 17th i had the truck towed to auto specialties, an independent repair shop. they identified the noise as a bent connecting rod. they discovered steam coming from the tailpipe and believe coolant seeped into the cylinder through a blown head gasket. i asked how this could have happened. they said probably overheating. yet, in the entire time i owned it, the temperature gauge has never registered high, no steam arose from the engine area. i have always changed the oil every 3k miles. i have always maintained correct fluid levels. i have never towed anything with this truck and never carried anything more than a half-ton load. i always let it warm up and drive it gently while it is warming up. in addition, the truck speed control device was replaced by the local ford dealer on sept. 14, 2005. in their inspection of the vehicle they uncovered no problems with cooling or overheating. this is the first ford i have owned, the first american car. i have owned 1 mitsubishi and 2 toyota pickups which i bought second hand. i owned them until they had over 125k miles and they needed no repairs other than normal maintenance. i have driven a pre-owned integra to over 140k miles without problems and a honda civic which i drove from 60k-120k without the slightest problem. a truck with 90k miles should not need a new engine. by just about any maker standards the engine should last over 200k miles. i have contacted ford customer service and spoke with charles who said ford was not responsible for the problem, since this problem was not part of a recall. shouldn't ford be concerned about a lemon, even if it is not a common problem? i believe ford should replace the engine, since its failure is premature. *jb
05/03/200665813102/07/2002
 I have a 1997 f150 v-6 4.2l pick up truck. i have been loosing engine coolant and my engine oil leaks out. i have found that the lower intake gasket problem is very common with this engine type and truck. i found out that ford had a recall on this gasket but they did not send me any information about it. the recall on the gasket expired in 2005 ( i was told by ford). i only have 66,000 miles on this truck. can you guys help me? *nm
04/11/200679000102/17/2004
 1997 ford f150 4.2l v 6 engine. went to start the truck and it ran very rough. cut it off and had it towed to the local ford dealer, they said it had a bent rod and would need a rebuilt engine at a cost of $5,000. i did some research on the internet and found 100's of complaints about this engine all with the same symptoms. now i'm stuck shopping around for a better deal on rebuilt engines than the ford dealer provided. *nm
04/11/2006101225112/24/1999
 My 1997 ford f-150 has a loud tapping sound in the engine. it either broke a rod or a piston. *nm
03/16/2006138300606/30/1997
 My truck was taken in for a brake repair the week of march 6- 10, 2006. we got the truck back drove it a 100 miles on the weekend with no problems. on monday, 3/13/06, i noticed it missing after 40 miles an hour. my husband drove it to work the next day to see what i was talking about. he had the same problem. i took my son to work on thursday and it was still missing. when on the freeway, i got it up to 65/70 mph when it just started slowly down. i could no longer give it any gas. i was able to pull onto a large shoulder where i had it towed into a transmission shop i trusted. on inspection, the transmission was flooded with water and coolant as well as the engine due to a faulty radiator. i had replaced the radiator april 11, 2005. this was not the first radiator replaced. this was the 4th radiator. i had the truck towed to the dealership that installed the radiator and was told that my engine and transmission had failed. i'm waiting for a call back with an explanation as to why. i was told that i would have to have an engine breakdown which would cost me, to find out why it failed. we have had numerous problems with the whole cooling system in general since 1999. ranging from changed head gaskets, heater cores, radiators, etc. it has become apparent from reading on the fight back site: [http://forums.treemedia.com/fb/showthread.php?p=836&page=2&pp=15] that this a common unresolved issue with the ford company. apparently this is a common complaint that has yet to be taken seriously. i counted out 226 complaints on the nhtsa site under engine and engine: cooling through e/e:c:exsys:manifold/header/muffler/tailpipe. i've always trusted the ford company as my father-in-law retired from there. we always had great service until his particular dealership closed. i am not complaining about any one dealer as i've been to many different people to service my car when they closed. this seems to be a manufacture responsibility *nm
08/09/2005106000106/01/1999
 Engine failure bad gaskets leaked colant into engine threw a rod. *nm
12/03/2005110000106/10/1999
 Engine failure 4.2 f150 1997. 110,000 miles front gasket replaced recall. no lost of coolant until now. morning engine missed for 15-20 seconds for several days prior to failure. day of failure engine turned a small amount and would not move by starter. allowed to set and started later and when started it sounded like it was coming apart. all lubricants changed regular with synthetics. apparently a rod broke when coolant ran into cylinder and starting cause the rod to bend and starting later caused the bend to break. *jb
10/30/20052
 Spark plug has blown out of my 1997 ford f150 for the second time. first fix was using a helicoil. second fix will have to be the same. according to information gathered from the www, this is a common problem fixed only by replacing the entire cylinder head ($3,000+) this is poor quality manufacturing and corporate america turning its back, once again, on the consumers that keep them going. *jb
10/21/20051600007
 There was no significant event that lead up to the failure. the failure is that the spark plugs are popping out of the heads. this happened on a 1997 ford f150 5.4 supercab pickup, it has also happened to a few other of our pickups and to a couple of our service vans. we had to have the spark plug holes tapped and re-drilled and install a new plug. it is quite and expensive procedure not only for the repairs but the down time of our vehicles. this seems to be happening a lot. could you please get back to me if you have had similar complaints. or let me know if i am complaining to the wrong place. thank you.*jb
10/12/2003682531
 Vehicle started rough and ran poorly. parked overnight, next morning engine was locked up. would not turn over and felt like it was jammed. finally got it to start, running poorly and white smoke poured out of the exhaust. had vehicle taken to mechanic, who found out that the head gasket was the problem when he found the plugs were gunked up and white like vanilla pudding. engine had to be sent out and rebuilt. *nm
04/18/200477134102/09/1999
 El cajon ford replaced plugs. never warned me about plug blowout. heard ticking for 2 weeks but thought it was minor exhaust leak. plug blew out driving home at 30 mph. towed truck to el cajon ford and service writer said ford would only replace the head at $3500 with the same defective head. i asked about the dependability of the other head and he said that this problem was very rare and usually only happened with the lightning and only 1 plug was ever bad in each motor. i refused repair at ford and had the truck towed to an independent mechanic. *nm
08/05/200560801109/25/1997
 My 97 ford 4.2l, which is paid for and has 60,000 miles has thrown a rod. according to research, this is a problem that ford has been aware of and has chosen to do nothing about. i have faithfully taken the truck in for regular maintenance and all factory recalls. i have a truck that is going to cost me $4,000 to repair because of ford's negligent. ford needs to step up to the plate and do what is right for their faithful customers. *jb
07/18/2005108/01/2000
 Dt: consumer owned a 1997 ford f150. it had a blown gasket. when the truck was turned on there was an extreme knocking. vehicle was taken to a ford dealership; they stated that the rod was bent. the engine needed to be replaced. the truck had less than 87,000 miles. *ak
06/14/20057500002/01/1999
 Engine failure due to faulty gasket
10/16/20041
 I have spoken with several people here in tucson and read on the internet, many people that have a 1997 f150 pickup have had the head gasket go bad causing radiator fluid to flow into the engine. i had this same problem and was wondering if this is a complaint worthy of investigation or something that is coincidental. i had to have my engine rebuilt and it was under 100,000 miles. i called the ford dealership and they told me that there has not been an issue with the gasket.
04/17/2005180148103/22/2005
 My '97 ford f150 4.2l v6 failed in my driveway upon starting three weeks after purchasing it. after turning the ignition, i heard loud knocking and banging coming from the engine and i shut it down. i found oil pouring from under the engine. upon inspection found that the # 2 connecting rod was shattered which took out the oil pan, the oil pick up tube, and bent the crank shaft. removed upper intake manifold, and found coolant in the rear port of the lower intake manifold.
05/28/20050
 Low amounts of coolant loss, knocking in engine, and the engine runs poorly. had the engine looked at by three mechanics, including castrucci ford in milford, and they all informed me that the rods in the engine are bad because coolant is getting into the engine. diagnosis: new engine required.
07/01/200167000207/15/1997
 Driving along at 40 mph, severe rod knocking on the driver side of 4.2 motor. anti freeze in oil per timing chain cover, acid etched crank to rod bearing. ford refused to fix-3000 miles over warranty. i paid $1000 for xtended warranty to fix. dealer put in new rebuilt 4.2, 35,000 miles on 2nd engine when rod knocking on driver side of engine. anti freeze in oil, acid etched crank to rod bearing again! truck sits in back yard, excellent condition. $4000 to put in new engine. ford claims no responsibility for terrible craftsmanship on 4.2 engine.
05/01/2005111/01/2001
 1997 ford f150 suffered from premature failure of the engine's gaskets.*mr this caused the engine to lockup either from coolant in cylinder bores or crank bearing failure. at high speeds this could cause skid and loss of control. also coolant leaks out front of engine on ground and tires when going forward. *bf *nm
04/21/200562200103/01/1996
 Dt: the consumer stated that one of his spark plugs blew out of the engine while driving. . the consumer stated maybe it was a design defect because he heard the same problem from other people about the same vehicle. the consumer called the ford motor company and they said there was no recall on the vehicle. the manufacturer said they would have to replace the engine head to fix the vehicle. the estimated cost of repair is 3300 dollars. *jb *jb
03/12/20051240001
 1. ticking noise similar to valve train noise. engine seemed difficult to start last usage day prior to failure. 2. engine wouldn't turn over. engine determined to be hydro-locked. won't turn over. 3. engine replaced with rebuilt engine. (good description of problem is available from jasper engines at http://www.jasperengines.com/pdf/38_42_tb.pdf). a bunch of people with this problem can be found here: http://forums.treemedia.com/fb/archive/index.php/t-224.html
03/17/20051300001
 Engine motor caught on fire at the dealership. the neutral safety switch shorted out, flames appeared and burnt the brake booster.*ak
10/20/20031003521
 While parked for 30 minutes vehicle caught on fire.the fire department stated the fire started in the engine compartment. as a result, the vehicle was considered a total loss.*ak
01/15/2005440001
 Engine head gasket cracked. as a result, the engine needed to be replaced. *ak
10/08/2003600004/02/1999
 In fall of 2003, had coolant leak at 60,000 miles. coolant was pooring out of front of motor. ford dealer said it needed new front engine gasket. they split the $500 cost with me. about 3 months later, the truck began knocking loudly. had new headers put in . . . did not fix the problem. no help from ford. very good care is given my vehicles. the truck was always maintained on schedule, never used off road or for towing. very disappointed that a truck treated like a car would have such problems.
01/10/200575000311/10/2002
 Defective gaskets caused coollent to leak into my engine - bent the rod and damaged the valve - rebuilt engine -
01/13/2005111000207/01/2001
 Have owned a 1997 ford f-150 pickup truck for approximately 3 years and have just been told that it has a thrown rod (second time in the last 2 years). *jb
01/15/20051060001
 Engine coolant leaking through the engine's front gasket. leaking a jug of coolant every two to three hours. will cost me over $700 to fix. can't afford to fix, so i am without a vehicle. the mechanic provided me with a document from ford advising dealerships they knew the problem existed, but didn't recall the vehicle. got stuck on the side of the road for over an hour in 20 degree weather. lucky my 3 year old was not with me. if they knew there was a problem, then they should have recalled the vehicle. *nm
01/02/2005103400106/25/1997
 My engine front cover gasket has failed in line with ford's recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck in this recall campaign. my truck is currently leaking a great deal of coolant through the failed front cover gasket. this could lead to a catastrophic engine failure. i have contacted ford about this problem several times with no success. they have indicated that they have no intentions of helping me or fixing my truck. *jb
11/23/200494000112/01/1996
 I was driving home when i heard a loud pop from the engine. i turned off the engine, and popped hood to investigate. the backfire continued upon starting engine. brought car to dealership to find out that the spark plug had blown out of the engine head. ford had issued a service bulletin stating the entire engine head should be replaced. $3400. further, i saw the same report on kare 11 news by jane shortal. check out kare11.com for complete article. apparently, this is a known problem, but ford refuses to recognize it.*ak
04/01/200271000401/20/1999
 I am sending in a full letter to explain the failures. it centers around tsb 99b29 and lack of owner notification of a bad front cover design that can lead to engine failure, which occurred in this case. additionally, i had a tie rod failure that was not addressed under warranty, but later broke while driving. also, my crank shaft pulley / dampener assembly fell off while highway driving (70 mph). there are other issues including door lock / key sticking.*ak campaign id number : 03v196000 component: steering:gear box:shaft sector. the engine cover gasket failed. *tc the serpentine failed, the transmission had an akward shift, the wipers operated periodically by themselves on high speed, there was little heat coming from the vents through the floor. *jb
10/22/20041
 Coolant leaking in to crank case due to defective gaskets, please see http://www.leakingfords.com/ for details.*ak
08/19/2004720001
 While driving, the consumer heard knocking noise coming from the engine. the engine then seized up. *jb
01/01/19011
 Nar 6-03-2003 *mr defective head gaskets ruining the engine. *cb
05/19/200468000101/11/1997
 Ford has engine problems and will not take responsibility for the gasket problem. i have documentation that proves of this existing problem with 1997 f-150 series truck. my truck has been at norris ford for 3 months, the bill is 4600.00 to date. *ak
07/16/2004102000106/15/1997
 I own a 97 ford f-150 with a 4.2l, v6. on july 16, 2004, the engine began making a knocking sound. took the vehicle to 2 mechanics and both confirmed that the head gasket had failed, which allowed coolant to leak into the cylinder. at cold start, the coolant in the cylinder caused the piston rod to bend. mechanics stated that new engine would cost $3,000 - 3,500 to replace. *la
01/12/20041
 Vehicle's engine has severe motor damage.*mr while driving, the engine began to make a ticking sound which developed into a loud knocking noise. the gauges showed a rapid lost of oil and a rising temperature, but not to a critical level. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic where it was determined that the damage was caused by a broken piston rod that had exited the motor through the oil pan. *jb
06/16/20041300001
 When attempting to clean the positive battery terminal engine started. *ak
07/05/20011
 Tune up. see odi no 562415. nar 12/04/2002. *mr the consumers vehicle was taken to ford service department to get a tune up. 4 hours later the engine sounded as if it was going to blow apart. the consumer requested a meeting with the service attendant to get an explanation as to why the vehicle is now malfunctioning. the consumer would reimbursement for damages done to the vehicle. *cb *jb
05/06/200499000105/01/2002
 Consumer stated the battery seemed to be dead. the next day the driver attempted to start vehicle again. the driver could hear a loud banging noise coming from the engine. the mechanic stated water had seeped down into the cylinders. *jb
03/02/200442870110/10/1998
 After starting the vehicle, the engine blew out. *ak the dealer replaced the engine. ford would not pay restitution for the engine. the consumer had been driving the vehicle and the parked it. when the vehicle was started later on, it exploded. the manifold was defective. *sc *jb
04/17/20041070001
 My 1997 ford f-150, which has been primarily driven on the highway, and has been well-maintained throughout it's lifespan, just threw a rod at 107,000 miles. this is ridiculous that this should have happened at this low mileage. i would like to find out if there are any complaints on record regarding this and the best way to handle it with ford. *jb
03/03/200469600108/26/1996
 Ford f-150 complaint on 4.2l /v6 engine. engine had total failure at 69k due to engine coolant leak into motor. i never received any recall notices for gasket problem noted in owner notification bulletins and technical service bulletins issued by ford. this is a major problem due to poorly engineered faulty parts used by ford in this motor. this is a major problem and all v6 f-150 owners should be compensated for damages by ford. i need to pay four thousand dollars to replace the engine. *jb
02/16/200455590111/19/1996
 I have a 1997 ford f150 with 55000 miles. on the highway going 60 mph i heard a load pop the truck then began popping and making alot of noise. lost power imediately was able to get to side of the road. had the truck towed to dealer which found the sparkplug blown out and replaced the cyl head and numerous other parts to the tune of $4000.oo. after searching the forums on the internet i found this is not an isolated insident this has happened to many different vehicles with the 5.4 engine. i called ford to see if they are planning to do anything about this obvious engine defect and they were uninterested in my problem. i have owned a few vehicles and most i have kept till well past 100,000 miles and have never had a sparkplug blow out of the cylinder head.*ak
02/13/2004112/15/2003
 Notice engine coolant extremly low added 1+gallons noticed still loosing coolant. took 1997 ford f150 with 4.2l v6 and only 75,700 miles on engine to ford dealer ford dealer stated no external leak found and can not find any possable internal leak. but need to replace intake set part#f652-9433-c, egr gasket part#f6az-90476-b, timming gasket part#yf2z-6020-aa, f. crank seal part#f18z-6701-a, w/p gasket part#f65z-8507-ba, intake bolts part#n606526.5100 and n605894.5309, t-body gasket f75z-9e936-aa, and imrc bushingf5rz-9f955-ab aparently ford has and has had a gasket problem that needs to be delt with.*ak
01/01/20041000001
 Recently my 1997 ford 150 4.2l started clatter.. from what i understand from conversations with other 4.2l efi owners from 1997-2001 this particular engine has a significant problem of sorts.. i was wander if there are any other specific complaints? it is going to cost me between 4,000 and 5,000 to replace the engine.. while my truck had a bit over 100,000 miles i've met and spoke with several owners who have had significantly less mileage with identical problems. i've maintained the truck within factory specifications.. during the normal course of event, is was using 1quart of oil per 2,000 miles which seemed a bit distressing. are there any pending class actions against ford motor for this particular condition and if so where can i be informed of the process? *la
01/16/2004127000109/01/2000
 1997 ford f150 w/ 4.2l engine. the gaskets failed and coolant leaked into the engine causing a blown engine. recall for front cover gasket was completed and i still had the engine failure. terrible. 5000 dollars for a replacement engine. *cb
12/30/2003103000108/05/2003
 I started up my 1997 ford f-150 xl with a 4.2l v-6 after work one day to hear a loud knocking. i observed that my coolant level was low however there was no milky look to the engine oil. i ran a compression test on my engine to find that there was no compression on cylinder 1 indicating the connecting rod had broken. i am aware that ford has issued a tsb for a gasket failure however it has expired. *cb
12/07/200353000109/02/2001
 Failure of front engine cover gasket on 4.2l engine in 1997 ford f150 pickup truck.*ak
11/30/200381000112/12/1996
 I have a 1997 ford f-150 with a 4.2 l engine, which just turned over 81,000 miles. i have followed the maintenance schedule to a t, changing the oil every 3000 miles, (which i have receipts for) trying to make it last as long as posible. in about two weeks the truck will be 7 years old and still looks as good as it did the day i drove it of the lot. yesterday morning, i started up my truck and it sounded like the engine was coming apart. i had it towed to my mechanic who informed me that the engine was not firing on two of the cylinders, that one of them was only firing at around 40%, and that a valve was knocking. technically, the engine was blown. i contacted ford about the problem and they denied any existing problems with this paticular engine . i read several other complaints that were consistant with mine and wish that someone would explain why ford is not taking responsibility for this obvious manufacturer defect. i had all the recall work performed on schedule by ford dealerships. i am so distraught about this that i will never purchase another ford product and will advise all friends and family of the same.*ak
11/03/20031
 Email fm joey gansz (ar) inquiring if there is enough information & complaints to require ford to recall the engine gasket on the 1997 ford f150 pickup truck. *mr the consumer experienced engine problems due to a faulty gasket which allowed coolant to leak into the cylinders. the manufacturer was contacted but refused to admit there was a problem even though a service bulletin (sb 99-20-7) was issued. *nlm *jb
1020001
 Upon starting vehicle consumer heard a tapping noise. then the noise became louder. engine head gasket developed a leak which caused water to get into the engine. as a result, after a period of time, the piston connecting rod snapped. dealership indicated this was a common problem with this engine. to correct the problem the engine has to be replaced.*ak
661391
 Problems with engine on 1997 ford f150. *mr there was a loud tapping noise which had come from the engine. the consumer received a recall letter which described the same problems as the consumers vehicle. the recall service was performed, but less than 25k miles later, the consumer was told that a new engine was needed. *scc *jb
01/14/2003698001
 Vehicle had coolant leak into cylinder #3 causing rings to collapse and loss of compression in cylinder. this is going to require a rebuild on the engine that has only 70,000 miles on it. *la
10/09/20031
 Consistent problem with the engine light. engine needed to be replaced. dealer inspected vehicle for several years and couldn't fix the engine light. *ak
10/05/2003800001
 I own a 1997 ford f-150, and i believe that the truck's mileage is approximately 80,000. my truck has been maintained the entire time since i had it. my truck has never been abused nor has it ever pulled a trailer or been used for hauling. we have put thousands of dollars into my truck over the past years. the truck has had numerous problems. it has run poorly, and the check engine light has come on many times. we have brought the truck to ford for service, and we have permitted all of the repairs that ford has recommended. in april, i brought the truck in to woody anderson for service... $1100 later, the truck still faltered when starting, and continued to run rough. the service tech at woody anderson told me that trucks run rough. i took the truck to sears, and they said her battery was bad, so we had it replaced. the truck still ran rough and did not start properly. last friday (3 october 2003) the check engine light came on again! on sunday, i attempted to start my truck ... and the engine made a horrific sound. i turned the engine off immediately, and had it towed to woody anderson on monday morning. now i'm being told that the engine has fallen apart, and woody anderson wants $4000 to put in a new engine! i feel that replacing the engine is ford's responsibility. our records show that we have done our part in keeping the truck's maintenance current. it was our expectation and belief that ford would do their part and service our vehicle properly. the fact that the check engine light continued to come on after numerous service attempts to fix the problem(s), indicates to me that the service the truck received was not sufficient to maintain the engine properly. the check engine light came on again two days before the engine's failure. whether or not the check engine light is related to the engine's failure i do not know, but it does support the fact that problems with the engine were never resolved. *la
09/05/200399560104/04/2003
 Lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7.
05/11/2003107400111/12/1998
 Engine failure due to coolant leakage into cylinders.*ak
08/03/20031
 While driving at any speed and without warning engine would die out, causing the consumer to pull over. dealer has been notified. *ak
03/07/200273432105/13/2000
 Complete engine failure by blown head gasket which could result in loss of control of vehical. common among 1997 & 1998 ford f-150s with the new v6 4.2 engines.*ak
07/07/200383000101/20/1997
 Engine failure on ford 4.2l v6. *ak
04/07/2003103000106/06/2001
 I drove to work that morning and everything was fine. i went to my truck to leave work that evening and when i cranked my vehicle it made a loud pop like a back fire in the engine compartment and started rattling immediately. i shut my truck off and opened the hood to see if i noticed anything out of the ordinary and found nothing out of place. i had my truck towed to a local dealership and was told i had suffered internal engine damage at start up and would need a new engine. the cost would be almost $4000.00. i got a second opinion from another mechanic who worked at another ford dealership in my area and was told that these particular engines (the 4.2l in the 1997 model year) had a problem with the gaskets allowing water to leak into the cylinder (water cannot be compressed so it kicked back and bent the rod) causing internal engine damage. i was told by the mechanic that there was a recall that addressed this problem and that ford has since corrected it in subsequent model years. it is apparent that ford knows of this problem, but chooses not to do anything to help the affected customers. i did call ford's customer service hotline and was told that the recall did not include my vehicle even though it had the same problem because it was not manufactured at the plant that the recall covered. i asked why the recall was not broadened to include all 4.2l engines since this is evidently a widespread problem. i also wanted to know if i had any recourse at all and was told that i could have the engine replaced at my expense and if ford decided to broaden the scope of the recall i may be eligible for a refund in the future. if the recall would have included my vehicle i would not be lodging this complaint now. if you know there is a manufacturing defect the right thing to do is to correct it and keep your customer base. do you know of any recourse that i may have in trying to get this problem corrected? any help would be greatly appreciated. *jb
15000306/01/1996
 The truck was built with the exhaust exiting in front of the right rear tire, which caused excessive heat to the tire and a burning smell. the hub caps and wheels were discolored, and the rear axle seal leaked, all these problems were caused by the defective exhaust system which was due to the extreme heat. the rear oil seal leaked oil. *mr *ph *jb
760001
 Engine motor was making a knocking noise, and has no oil pressure. this could result in the engine blowing up. cause unknown.*ak
05/28/2003155000105/07/1997
 After 2 days of rain i went out to start my 1997 ford, f150. rain water had leaked in from firewall area on to the intake manifold area and leaked in through a fuel injector fitting and found its way to a piston . the first attempt to start the starter engaged and abruptly stop after 3 more attempts at starting the engine it turned and started.the engine had severe banging noise(about 100 decibels ).i was told i had a bent piston rod from water being on top of piston and the engine was ruined!*ak
1
 Engine check light illuminated. there were repairs done to the vehicle, but the light still illuminated. please provide details.*ak
10/25/2000105000105/01/1997
 Engine front cover gasket leaked coolant into the engine block destroying engine and the transmission, engine would not idle down so that it could be down shifted. it is a manual transmission and the truck needed to be turned off so that the truck while off could be shifted from 5th back into first gear. once the truck was turned on, the transmission could be shifted up from first to second, and second to third etc. *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****739923
05/13/2003105396102/01/1998
 While driving the vehicle shut down and would not restart. it was later determined that the head gasket failed which leaked anti freeze and caused the engine to seize. *nlm *cb *nlm
04/25/20031
 While the vehicle was parked in the driveway, it caught on fire. *jb
12/28/2001120000103/01/1999
 The engine developed a severe knock when started one morning. the problem was a complete failure at the main crankshaft, severe wear at valve assembly, and corrosion throughout cooling chambers. ford did a recall on the head gasket the year before, changing head gasket, hoses, & coolant. the truck is uses by house wife driving the children to school. even though others have reported of same engine failure on 4.2l, ford denies any problem. 5 months later while the truck while the truck was sitting in the driveway, the engine wiring caught on fire, melting the plastic master cylinder, fueling the flames to melt all circuities and plastic. the abs lamp had lit earlier in the week, added brake fluid to reservoir, and the lamp went out. independent fire investigator says evidence points to a defect in the abs/master cylinder wiring in the engine compartment. *ts *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis***762417
110000106/01/2001
 The head gasket on my 97 ford f150 failed while my wife was driving filling #4 cylinder with coolant and bending a rod. no warning, no overheating, water in the oil, etc. only a flickering check engine light. my mechanic says it was simply a factory defective gasket and should not have blown considering mileage and up keep and maintenance done to this vehicle. after a little research on the internet i am finding this is not an isolated incident and that ford has had more than a few gasket failures with this engine. *ph **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**770846
104000105/01/2002
 Front engine cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built in 1997. recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall was inadequate. ph **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**770847
82000112/01/2001
 Left and right head gaskets failed allowing coolant to leak into cylinders. ****dimms 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis******770825. *ak *jb
12/22/202098685101/01/2000
 Lower intake manifold gasket failure resulting in bent connecting rod requiring major engine repair. *****dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis *******770801. *ak *jb
04/24/2003103000111/01/2002
 The timing chain failed which caused coolant to leak onto the lower intake manifold. *jb ph
03/13/20039350008/08/1999
 Engine front cover gasket leaked-replacement at 350.00 in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck in this recall. after reairing the engine, the engine failed and is now being replaced at 3500.00 dollars. ford's recall is inadequate.
850001
 The engine was replaced because of a knocking noise.*jb
02/07/200362000102/09/2000
 Refer to tsb 99207 lower intake manifold failure. coolant will get into either the intake or exhaust ports, with potential to cause engine failure. most failures are occuring between 60 and 80k miles. just past most ford warranties. they installed a high failure gasket in the 1997 f150 with the 4.2l v6 for approximately a year, and now people are reaping the benefits of the repair cost to correct. if you refer to www.f150online.com and see the message boards, the problems are beginning to pour in as these trucks reach this mileage. ford did not notify any owners and should have done so, so that the owner may have taken the appropriate and corrective actions with the dealer.
09/02/2002
 Head gasket has gone out, causing a rod in engine to break. and engine has blowen. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything. please provide further information*ak
09/02/2002
 Head on the vehicle that meets engine has cracked, and is leaking water. in doing so engine is able to overheat. contacted dealer ,and the dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak
02/07/2001204/01/2000
 2/01 vehicle was brought to lithia ford in concord to diagnose over heating. cooling system was checked and stated c.s. was holding at that time, tore down motor, found bad bearings, oil pan milky, head gasket bad. replaced w/4.2 engine which was covered under an ext warranty, other recommended fix clutch disc throw out bearings. 11/2000, pwr steering hose bad, replaced,10/01 ck eng lit one,, idle air cntrol valve replaced,6/02 overhearing, new thermo,coolnt flsh, oil change, new brakes recommended, done.9/4/02, overheating again, recommended new radiator/water pump, inqired on pcv modification recall, they will replace.*ak
08/15/20021
 Consumer states while driving the engine light comes and stays on. had vehicle check, the evaporative system gross leak was detected code po455.contacted dealer.*jb
08/26/2002204/01/2098
 Truck and been parked the previous day with no problem, upon cranking the next day motor started knocking. inspection shows bent piston rod on # 3 cylinder which allowde the piston to strike the crank shaft. this was caused fron the head gasket allowing fluid to seep into the cylinder.*ak
06/01/2002
 While traveling on highway there is a noise coming from rear of vehicle. oil was leaking from underneath of vehicle.*ak
06/25/2002104/01/2097
 The vehicle has a faulty front cover gasket on the engine, which caused coolant leak in turn causing an overheat situation which lead to an intake manifold gasket failure, which may also lead to an engine failure. i took the vehicle to the t&w ford dealership in williamstown, ky where they told me that the front cover would need to be replaced along with the gaskets and also o2 sensors at a cost of 1500.00, i did the work of gasket replacement at a cost of 60.00. *ak
05/05/2002102/01/2099
 Rod bearing failure at only 73000 miles. *ak
04/01/2002103/01/1996
 Engine check light illuminated, indicating that head gasket needed to be replaced.*ak *slc
03/02/2002106/01/1997
 Front engine cover gasket failed allowing coolant to leak is this problem covered under recall tsb# 99b29 dec. 1999 what do i do ? i never got a recall from ford or dealer.*ak
10/30/2001108/01/2000
 Gasket failed caused piston rod to bend, engine rebuild cost over $1500. i contacted ford, they said there were no recalls and they never had that problem before.
 While traveling heard a knocking noise coming from engine. vehicle was serviced, and technician stated that engine head gasket needed to be replaced. please provide further information. *ak
12/28/20011
 Front housing seal for engine , located behind motor pump, is leaking anti-freeze. consumer is concerned anti-freeze could contaminate oil supply, and cause damage to engine. dealership has not examined vehicle. please provide any additional information / documentation.*ak
11/19/2001101/01/1997
 Engine failed at 46,900 miles due to water in the engine from a leaking gasket. the same gasket was replaced a year earlier by ford under recall 99b29. given that there are numerous postings on this type of failure, how many reported failures are required to mandate a vehicle recall?*ak
109/21/1996
 Whenever vehicle has been started it would it smoke badly. after driving for awhile, blue smoke disappeared. taken to mechanic., and smelled burning oil. checked under hood, and found head gaskets had blown, causing damage to motor. motor had to be replaced.*ak *jb
09/01/2001106/01/1997
 Ford motor company issued technical service bulletin ppb29 in december 1999 regarding failure of engine front cover gasket. i was not notified of the recall.in march 2001 ford motor company cancelled the recall. if the gasket was faulty in december 1999 how can it not be faulty today. what is my recourse for this problem. my local ford dealer estimated it would cost approximately $800.00. *ak
10/10/2001112/01/1999
 Vehicle was parked, and would not start up at all. there was water coming from inside of vehicle. dealership was aware of problem. *ak *slc
1
 #1 0r #2 piston rod knocked a hole through oil pan during a major engine failure. this should not happen to an engine at 51000 miles. i feel this engine had a defect at manufacture or a design flaw as i find i am not alone in having this engine fail.*ak
01/01/1997107/05/2000
 The front cover gasket failed , the consumer is requesting reimbursement per recall 99b29. nlm *tt
11/30/2000
 After vehicle was examined for a manufacturer service program on ingition,vehicle did not operate properly. when dealership examined vehicle, a hole in engine head was discovered. dealer informed consumer that component needed to repair was no longer available, which required that entire engine be replaced at consumer's expense. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
03/20/200104/01/1997
 With only 1200 miles over warranties engine should have been replaced by ford motror .head gasket and front cover seal should not of leaked /100,000 miles or more. *ak
05/07/2001207/01/2000
 I purchased a used 1997 f-150 (4.2l v-6) in july of 2000. just after i had purchased it a bearing in the motor went out. there was 68,000 miles on the vehicle at that time. there was an extended warranty on the vehicle but ford covered it 100%. they installed a new long block engine free of charge. the new engine had a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. i recently brought the vehicle in for a check engine light and they found out that the #4 cylinder was burning radiator fluid. the dealership disassembled the motor and said the only cause for the water could be pinholes in the cylinder head. which was caused during the casting process. now the engine is 8 months old with 24,000 miles on it. ford will not cover any of the work. the probable cause of the first engine going out was a leaky water seal gasket that was replaced. now engine number two is going bad because of water. the vehicle now has 92,000 miles on it, but it took two engines to get it there. knowing that the first scheduled service is set for 100,000 miles. i think ford should stand behind this second engine and cover the cost. this wasnt caused by any abuse, it was caused from a faulty part from the factory. this engine was bad from the start. i just find it difficult to pay the 1,500 dollars to replace a faulty part on a brand new engine. this is a problem ford is aware of, they just won't admit it.*ak
04/27/2001106/01/1996
 Timing gasket failure followed by engine failure. good running truck brought to firestone shop for diagnosis & repair of water leak. timing gasket and water pump replaced. water pump was not leaking, but had 100k miles. after leak repair severe hesitation noted on acceleration from stop. while returning to firestone oil pressure drop at red light after passing other vehicle. cam shaft sensor now bad and changed; hesitation fixed, pressure ok. drove < 5 miles; accelerated onto interstate & drove 4 mi. at 1st stop after exiting interstate oil pressure drop. returned to firestone. now i need a new engine--$3000!
04/07/2001
 When consumer went out to warm up vehicle in the morning, vehicle started up fine. however, then piston in engine shattered. no determination was given for the cause of this defect. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
02/14/2001
 Consumer took vehicle in to be examined because of a loss in coolant. a private mechanic noticed that timing cover was cracked, and it needed to be replaced. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
04/27/2001
 Comsumer was turning into a parking lot and heard something click. consumer took a look and went to a nearby garage. nearest ford dealer was 15 miles away. 3 bolts had sheared completely off. manufacturer stated they hadn't seen a problem like this, but warranty was expired.*ak
03/31/2001
 Consumer received notification from ford , in service program #99b29, that engine gasket front cover was defective and would be replaced with a redesigned model. consumer complained that there was an expiration date of march 31, 2001 for this service program, and ford was not going to replace this defective component for free when this defect could cause engine coolant leaks. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
05/01/20002
 The original and replacement engine block components failed. nlm
03/29/2001108/01/2000
 We purchased this ford vehicle from a ford dealer eight months ago. we just learned it has a blown engine probably resulting from coolant leaking into the engine. we've learned ford has replaced other '97 f150 engines with this defect. our dealer indicates there have been no such service bulletins. we paid $12,000 eight months ago. *ak
04/01/2001
 After recall work was performed for the timing cover, when driving vehicle and going to apply brakes, oil light would come on. oil pressure would drop, and engine would operate erratically. consumer formed by another dealership stated that if engine coolant was entered into oil system and/or oil pan, and vehicle has been driven for approximately 250 miles, engine will become damaged, and needed to be replaced. dealership that performed recall work stated the engine was running normally when turned over to consumer, and they were not responsible because regular oil changes were not performed on vehicle. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
03/14/2001105/01/1999
 Engine would be making loud knocking noises. took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that engine pistons were knocking within cylinders. they were wobbling.*ak the defective engine was replaced. *yh
03/24/2001101/10/1998
 Upon start up engine was making a knocking sound. problem was diagnosed as a bent rod for the number one piston. *ak blown intake gasket caused a leak. *slc
 Timing cover gasket is leaking which can cause anti-freeze to leak onto engine and seize up. *ak
108/01/1999
 Vehicle was leaking anti-freeze. prior to leakage, vehicle was overheating. took to mechanic, and informed consumer that could not locate where leakage was located after checking pressure. drove vehicle second time, and problem was discovered in timing chain cover gasket. mechanic finally repaired problem. *ak consumer was informed by a parts manager that this was a recall, however this vehicle was not included because it was built at the end of the year. *slc
1
 Seal failed on timing gear cover and allowed anti freeeze to mix with engine oil, crankshaft and rod bearings had to be replaced. cj
 Engine idles high and then drops down low. mechanic stated that engine was getting ready to throw a rod. *ak
01/26/2001103/01/1997
 Timing cover gasket is leaking. i have seen dozens of posts on the internet that ford fixed this for free as a recall, but ford denies any recall. this is a premature failure that is happening often enough for a full recall of all 97 f150 with the 4.2liter engine.*ak
11/14/2000108/01/1999
 Consumer was traveling about 40 mph on highway and heat level line stayed in red zone. he added coolant into engine. vehicle was okay. *ak the vehicle was leaking due to timing chain cover failure. *yh
11/27/2000104/01/1999
 I have spent over $1,000 on miss-fire problems in 1.5 years and it was finally found that one of the cylinder heads had a factory defect that caused a coolant leak. even though the warranty has expired, i have a hard time paying $2,000 to fix a problem that existed the day the vehicle was made. *ak
07/10/2000205/01/1997
 Complete loss of coolant.head gasket was originally replaced under tsb#99131,relating to coolant leaking through the head into the oil.the problem however has continued with a complete loss of coolant through the head gasket approx every 6-8 months.*ak
09/01/2000105/01/1997
 Apparent engine failure due to timing cover gasket recall 'fix'-coolant in oil?
03/14/2000103/22/1997
 The front cover seals and intake gaskets failed causing anti freeze to leak into the oil. *mjs
03/09/2000106/01/1997
 Vehicle was leaking fluid & overheating. consumer had to pay $600 for repairs. consumer found out vehicle was not recalled due to vin. manufacturer would not make an exception although this vehicle had the same exact problem. *ak water pump failed. the customer requests the manufacturer to pay the cost of timing cover gasket replacement and the cost of new water pump installed. *yh
1
 Owner was notified of recall 99b29 of the leaky front cover gasket therefore paid for repair. nlm
04/12/2000108/01/1999
 While driving at approx 30mph heard a noise coming from engine compartment i then heard a loud bang, when i looked out rearview mirror i seen a engine part rolling down road. veh lost power steering ability. veh towed to dealership (roy o'brien ford) dealer stated crankshaft pulley &dampner snapped off engine damaging belt tension bar and fan. dealer and ford motor refusing to assist!!! total bill approx 600.00.
01/26/20001
 Consumer is not happy with dealership, as they will not repair recall during time specified on the recall letter repair incomplete. (99b29) yh
09/17/1998111/18/1998
 Head gasket failed (cracked) causing other component failures. yh
06/20/1998106/09/1996
 Oil pump failed. yh
10/31/1997110/10/1997
 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
04/01/19991
 Engine crank wore out at 35000 mi service rep would not replace engine . only rebuilt lower engine. now the upper part of engine going bad had to pay 1000.00 for extended warrenty because when you rebuild the one part of an engine the other tends go bad within a few months . i offered to pay extra for the new engine they would no let me get one now my truck will be back in the shop once more for a upper rebuild befor long.
110/01/1996
 Timing chain cover broke, resulting in water leakage. *yc
09/01/1998
 While driving windshield wipers malfunctioned, causing the wipers to operate unexpectedly which may cause an accident. also, problem with the oil stick. it seems to be cracking or falling apart, which may cause by some type of metal rubbing against the oil stick. causes unknown. *ak
08/01/19981
 Oil pan is rusting through.
11/25/1996
 Transmission jerks very hard from gear to gear. also, engine check light comes on, and vehicle experiences exceesive gas consumption.
09/21/1996105/01/1996
 Engine vapor management valve failed.
09/01/1996102/01/1996
 Engine piston rusted.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - DIESEL
12/01/1997
 Rear window has a leak on the passenger side of the sliding window that has been sent back to the shop several time for repairs. its on oing ! the window has been replaced w/ frame three times , but the truck has been in shop several times prior to and after the windows have been replaced. it would last a short time and would then start leaking all over again. ** presently still leaking **. # 2 . engine has a knock during start up. sounds more like a diesel ! both issues have been present since 14,000 miles or so. this truck has had several problems. to mention a few ; rear bumper rusting out, door & shift nobs breaking , body paint peeling, rattle in floor gear shift ( still present ), ** now the air conditioning is not working **. i like the truck, but would rather have one with out all the problems !
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
10/06/20061246481
 1997 ford f150 4.2l engine - thrown rod/ cruise control fire possibilites. *tr
02/25/200660750101/20/1997
 I have a 1997 ford f-150 with 60,800 miles on it and the motor started knocking. i took it to the dealership and they told me i needed a new engine. the cost was more than the truck was worth. i had the truck in the shop 3 years ago for a water leak that was coming from the front of the motor. the truck had 36,000 miles on it and the dealership ask me if the mileage was right on the truck. i told them when i bought the truck and the couldn't believe i was having this problem. *jb
02/04/200662250108/12/1997
 Bent or broken connecting rod, due to coolant leak. *jb
01/02/2006111257110/31/2005
 I'll have a 1997 ford f150 for no reason my motor blew a rod i'll read in the internet about a lot of people having the same problem the motor are defect, isn't ford dealer during anything about it. this is not right i'll went to work in my truck came home from work, 3-hours later started my truck the engine knock continues to bang, i turn it off i was told that the truck blew a rod. this is very on fair i can't afford a another car. please advise. thanks you. *nm
11/24/200560000107/25/1997
 1997 ford f-150 4.2l v-6 truck starting knocking this morning when i went to start the motor. 60,000 miles and the engine has lost all oil pressure and is knocking terribly. i used it 2 days ago and this morning it's broken. happened while sitting under the carport over night. probably the all familiar leaking gaskets that has plagued every 4.2l v-6 ford owner. *jb
08/04/20051030001
 I have a 97 ford 150 with a 4.2 v6 that has hydro locked. i am still making payments on this truck. i have not yet fixed it i am trying to find a good price on a new motor. *jb
07/03/2005107321103/15/2004
 4.2 l engine busting rods.
06/07/200384442305/25/2000
 1.) engine failure on 1997 ford f150 4.2 v6 with only 84442 miles replaced motor at personal expense $4019.00 2.) engine died on 10-02-1003 had towed back to dealer and they said it was not related to the replaced motor and it was electrical - personal expense $300 3.) enigne begins running rough on 6-6-2005 - diagnosis faulty coil assembly, plus and plug wires not covered under the rebuilt engine 36,000 mile warranty - personal cost: $600
05/30/200596449111/30/1996
 I've noticed that coolant is leaking into my engine (burning from the exhaust) and that ford issued a recall for the intake manifold gaskets, but i was never notified. had i been notified, i could have had this problem corrected in 2001.
01/24/200596000106/10/2004
 Started the truck one morning it had a rough idle but seemed to smooth out. drove it out to a jobsite and parked it for a couple hours. started it and white smoke came out and there was a banging and knocking sound. turned it off and had it towed to a repair shop. they told me i had thrown a rod.
02/11/200573387301/04/1997
 I purchased a ford f-150 in jan 97 with 4.2l v-6 engine, i have followed the services religiously, on or around jan 2000 i tooked the vehicle to local dealer in puerto rico because there was a recall for the front gaskets to be replaced, i contacted the dealer and ascheduled an appmt. i tooked the vehicle in the dealerd 4 days later they call me and said that the vehicle was done. i went to pick the vehicle up and notice that there was no work done to the vehicle. the attendant told me that they did not replaced the gaskets because the vehicle was not leaking so it did not needed the gaskets replaced. came to united states since i am in the military in fort leonard wood. i started to notice a loss in coolant this concerned me and replaced the water pump then it started leaking from the timing chain cover gasket so i replaced the cover the gasket and the water pump gasket once more costing me around $900.00. then this past winter one morning i went to start the vehicle and started to make this knoking knoice very loud knoice so i turned off and called the local ford dealer here in st robert mo, dealer seller sexton they told me to bring the vehicle and then is when i found that the engine has broken a piston rod because coolant had gotten in the oil. they told me that it was going to cost me around $4,500.00 i told them that i had no money to pay for those type of expences. then i found out that the engines were manufactured with defective gaskets. i contacted ford for assistance and they said that they can not help me because the warranty in the vehicle is expired. to this should make no difference because this was a manufacturing problem not the owners fault my truck only around 73,500. ford needs to be held liable for this they claimed that this vehicles spark plugs are to be changed at 100,000. miles how is this if the engines are only lasting 73,500 miles. please need your help on ensuring ford is held liable for this. thank you.
03/25/2005149645103/17/2000
 Engine failure of the 4.2l v6 in a 1997 ford f150 truck. broken rod on number 6 piston. this is an apparently known problem and is effecting many vehicles. engine replacement is equal to the value of the vehicle. ($4000.00)*jb
10/01/200489194103/28/1996
 1997 ford f-150 4.2l engine loss of engine performance and leaking engine coolant, loss of oil pressure. driving at highway speed, 70 mph oil pump failed at 89200 miles causing engine to throw a rod and spin bearings. this resulted in engine failure. *ak i purchased a remanufactured 4.2l engine from ford to replace the failed engine. ld engine core was turned in for credit. *ak
03/17/2005480002
 '97 ford f150 v6 4x4 4.2l, 2000 recall to replace motor. replaced by ford. replaced with same problematic engine. ford knowing the problem with this engine had not been solved. only 48,000 ml on recalled engine that was replaced. with only 48,000 ml on new engine, leads to manafold gasket leakage, head leaking and throwing a rod. which allowed water in the oil. dealership refuses to assist in correctiong this problem. ford motor co. at fault replacing a recalled engine with same engine knowing the problem would arise again. *ak
10/27/200482000106/20/2000
 I have a 1997 ford f-150, with a 4.2 liter engine, and 82,000 miles on the vehicle. for the past few years i noticed a gradual decrease in the coolant level, however, i could not determine where the leak was occurring. also, for the last three weeks leading up to the occurrence, i noticed the engine would knock when i would start it up. in october of 2004, after starting the truck, i saw white exhaust smoke and heard the #1 piston rattling. i have since found out that this is a common occurrence with owners of '96 thru '98 model ford cars and trucks, with 3.8l and 4.2l engines. i have also seen ford tsb's that prove they have known for about six years, that the front cover gaskets have a high incidence of failure, causing coolant to leak into the crankcase. also, that the intake manifold gaskets can fail, which causes coolant to leak into the #1 cylinder. when an engine is started with water in the cylinder, the piston rod is likely to bed or break. the manifold gasket failure is responsible for my problem, as well as that of many other ford owners. the remedy for the problem is an engine replacement, costing about $4,000. ford motor company is not taking responsibility for this engineering defect, leaving many unsatisfied customers to pay for their faulty engines. i have not had my engine replaced yet. *jb
01/28/200586000106/16/1997
 1997 ford f-150 front engine gasket is causing coolant to leak into the oil pan which has damaged the bearings. i now need a new engine. ford had a recall issued for this problem in 1999 but i was never notified of the recall. they are not willing to honor the recall now. they state the recall time frame has expired. *ak
01/20/2005120000105/01/1997
 120k miles, adding a little coolant occasionally, ford dealer and local mechanic can find no reason, cranked car one morning and it threw a rod through the oil pan... engine was running smooth up to this point... ford replaced a gasket for me out of warrenty when the truck stranded me 1500 miles from home...coolant had leaked all over parking lot at that time...now i face a $4,000 repair...i changed the oil every 3-4000 miles. *ak
10/19/2004106726101/03/2000
 An engine rod went through the oil pan upon start-up.*ak
01/02/200568200104/14/1999
 Gasket leaked water into crankcase of my 97 ford f150 with a 4.2 engine. had to replace the engine for a little more than $4000.00. ford knows of problem but will not compensate cost. there are a lot of angry ford owners out there with the same problem. my ford truck had only 68000 miles on it.*ak
04/14/200482000103/05/1999
 Failed lower intake manifold gaskets in ford 4.2 liter engines. i think enough of these have failed to require ford motor company to issue a recall to repair or reimburse those of us who have already had the repair completed or had to replace our engines due to the failure.*ak
01/16/2004127000109/01/1999
 Lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7. *cb
10/30/200206/01/2096
 Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 05/97 in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7. dt
12/11/2002112/01/2001
 Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 04/97 in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. dt
12/04/2002105/01/2097
 1- lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil and cylinders, causing engine hydrolock. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7. 2- engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 03/1996, in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. dt
05/01/2002107/01/2096
 Engine front cover failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built in 1996 in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. dt
05/01/200207/01/2096
 Lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7. dt
05/03/200207/01/2096
 No summary. dt
10/20/2002108/01/2096
 Head gasket failure coolant in cylinder. dt
04/04/2000303/01/2000
 I know i am not the only one with these failures. when i contacted ford they told me to bad. dt
10/25/2002411/01/2098
 A tapping noise has occured in the engine. a ford mechanic stated that it was a spun rod bearing. ford claims that there is nothing they can do to help me for a malfucntion caused by a bad front cover gasket leak. this caused the coolant to leak into the oil, mixing water wtih oil. i know i'm not the first to report this. i was informed by other owners to file a complaint as well. dt
10/10/2002108/01/2002
 Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 06/97 in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. dt
10/28/2002106/01/2099
 Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 05/97 in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall was inadequate. dt
10/15/2002108/01/2099
 Engine front cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 05/97 in recall campaign 99b29 indicating the original recall has been inadequate. lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7. dt
08/20/2002107/01/2099
 I went out to start the vehicle and the motor locked up. i have been informed of several cases of this same engine failing and i am having trouble finding someone willing to rebuild it. dt
10/01/2002106/01/2097
 Engine front cover gasket failed, creating coolant leak. ford recall 99b29 affected 141,800 1997 ford f-150 4.2l engines. ford did not include my truck in this recall but it has suffered the same gasket failure. dt
04/13/2002108/01/2097
 This truck should have been included in the ford recall 99b29. after contacting ford. they refuse to extend the recall. it is my belief, that the recall was too narrow in scope and should be extended to all 1997 ford f-150 trucks. many other ford owners have experienced this same problem (leaking gasket which in turn permits the coolant to leak antifreeze into the engine, thereby damaging the engine). the 1997 ford f-150 was the first year of the new model design and apparently ford is not stepping up to help their customers. my research has indicated that this problem occurs with the 1997 f-150 when the truck has reached 60,000-70,000 miles and after the warranty has expired. the ford dealers as well as corporate has knowledge of this problem and are refusing to acknowledge that this recall was not broad enough to cover the many trucks that have encountered this problem. had my vehicle been included in this recall, i would have taken my truck immediately to my dealer to have the work performed, thereby avoiding any potential damage to my truck's engine. instead, i was not the recipient of a recall letter and ford tells me my truck is not included. it seems clear that my truck experienced the same identical problems which the recall specifically states: 1997 ford f-series 150, equipped with 4.2 l engine; vehicle my experience engine coolant leak at engine front cover gasket; thereby causing severe engine damage is not immediately corrected. this is exactly what happened to my truck and how ford can not claim liability is unconscionable. i would ask that you please launch an investigation into this defect and try to get the recall broadened in scope. thank you very much. dt
10/01/2002106/01/2097
 Front engine cover gasket failed in line with recall 99b29. ford does not include my truck, built 05/97 in recall campaign 99b29, proving the original recall has been inadequate. dt
05/01/2001109/01/2098
 No summary. dt
 Consumer states that after taking off the key from the ignition the engine still running. dealer was notified. mr
09/02/2002
 Head gasket has gone out, causing a rod in engine to break. and engine has blowen. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything. please provide further information*ak
04/12/2002207/01/2098
 I contacted courtesy ford and they said there was no recall,so i replaced the engine with aused engine because i couldn't aford a new engine. as a result the same thing happened. the engine didn't run hot, but there was fluid found in the 1st cylinder, the cranksaft was twisted, the connecting rod was broke, and there was a chunk taken out of the block. on the second engin i found fluid in the first cyinder and the engin will not run. i have recently spoke with some machanics(that work for ford)and they said thatabout 90% of the 4.2 l v6 from 1997 have been returned.*ak
03/20/20021
 Consumer stated vehicle began experiencing mechanical problems, upon inpspection of the problem, the mechanic diagnosed the issue as a misfire on cylinders number 1 and 3 and there was also water on them.*jb
05/31/2002108/01/2001
 There was no accident. we turned the key on to start the engine and the rod went through the engine and oil pan. there were no lights indicating any problems. the veh did not use any oil. it recieved its oil changes regularly. it had been running just fine. they put a new engine in it and now it vibrates makes a popping noise and runs loud. they told us this is all within ford specs. this should not have happened. we paid over $13000 for a veh that took a dump after 10 months. we could not even get this dealers sale manager to return a call. everyone else at the dealer said well it worked good for 10000 miles. i called ford and they gave me a case number and that is it. they also did nothing for us. i am getting no where with anyone. i finally went over there and cornered the manager and he says he doesn't remember and i should call him on monday. which i will. also they tried to stick us with an extra $1100 bill for something that was not the problem with the shifting gear. we ended up putting a new clutch in also at this time. we had this problem when we bought it and they told us that there was nothing wrong that it ground going into 2nd gear becasue we were going to fast. actually the clutch cleared that problem. they tryed to say it was the syncronation gears and they needed to be repalced. which was not true. the clutch fixed this problem. they also at this time are not paying for this even though we bought it that way and i brought that up at the time we test drove it. i feel they need to be checked out and also i am wondering if this falls under the lemon law. we would be willing to give the vehicle back if they are not willing to stand behind there defective engine. i was unsure of what you were talking about with the 2 pt belt , 3 point belt or manufacture belt so i did not check anything. thank you chris pauley. *ak
06/01/2002102/01/2098
 Upon cold start, engine threw a rod. entire engine needs to be replaced.*ak
06/01/2002107/01/2099
 Seal failed on timing gear very similer to all the other complaints listed. *ak
05/03/2002101/01/2096
 On 5/3/02 engine check light came on and we took it to the dealership. they checked it and replaced the dpf sensor, updated computer and cleaned fuel injectors. the following week, i had trouble starting 3 times after work. the following wednesday, my wife drove it to work and when she tried to start it after work there was a loud bang and it took another 1/2 hr to get it going. when she got it going again there was a loud tapping from the engine. we called the dealer and towed it in. they checked and said the coolant was leaking into the oil and the engine could not be rebuilt. it was going to cost us $4000 plus labor to have another engine put in. this vehicle has been very well maintained. on doing some research we found that this is a common problem with this particular engine, and there was a recall (#99b29) related to this problem that we never received. we ordered the truck in jan 1996, and took delivery in march 96 which falls within all of the date ranges specified on f150.com. we have since contacted our salesman, he checked out the problem and called us back telling us to bring it in. this will involve another towing and i'm not sure it will solve anything we do not already know. we do not feel that we should have to pay $4000 for an engine on a truck that has been well maintained. where do we go from here?*ak
05/14/2002110/01/2097
 4.2 litre v-6 engine failed after engine seized. ford agreed to pay 1/3 of costs to maintain customer loyalty. showed them defect report from nhtsa website.*ak
107/10/1997
 Vehicle skips, misses, backfires and has very little power. no check engine light illuminated. *jg
03/01/200207/01/2001
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
08/11/2001111/05/2000
 Engine failed. yd
107/10/1997
 Vehicle skips, misses, backfires and has very little power. no check engine light illuminated. *jg
12/01/199809/01/1998
 Engine knock at start up. i brought the problem to the attention of ford when the truck was still underwarranty. they knew it was a problem and did not have a fix. so therfore they did nothing. now that the problem is worsing, ford has a solution but will do nothing as it is out of warranty. i feel they avoided finding a solution and fixing until the vast majority of engines were out of warranty and now will not own up to the fix. *ak
03/10/20021
 Vehicle stalled right before consumer started to drive. contacted dealer and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak *tt
09/01/200105/01/1999
 The engine is knocking; we park it and we feel that it is a defect in the motor we had it put on the machine and the person whom checked it. said it was not something that could hve been helped. we took it to a ford place and had it checked there . we have done regular maintenance on it . when we got it we had to take it in for leaking oil and they said they replaced the seal on it it went in twice for this i feel this problem may have resulted in the leaking, and i feel i should not have to replace it if it is a possible defect in the motor thank you for taking the time to read this. please let me know what i need to do in this matter thank you again for your time and trouble *ak. sincerely selma telena chappell. *ak
08/11/2001111/05/2000
 Engine failed. yd
12/01/19985
 Vehicle will stall at slow speeds during long trips, 5 times so far. taken to dealer 3 times, cannot remedy problem. *ak
05/01/20000
 While driving theres a skip in engine. took to dealer, and they stated that engine is knocking and going bad. please provide any further information.*ak
07/01/20010
 While driving at any speed vehicle started to choke/ sputter, and run rough. then, it dies. once while going down a hill engine stalled/ it became very hard to steer, and consumer almost lost control.please provide any further information.*ak
08/28/2001109/01/2000
 We have had over 5 , now 6 recall's within the last year.there is no modifications to this truck, and had been getting vibration's in the rear,but ford said they saw no problem with this,now the engine has blown and they cannot give me an explanation for this.. luckily i was not driving at the time.*ak
07/31/2001107/01/1997
 Started the motor in the morning to go to work, knocking noise from either back of motor or front of transmission. took vehicle to dealer where i purchased it from. was told by technician that he also heard nkocking noise. technician put stethoscope on motor says oil pump might be bad. his sugesstion on the work order was to pull the oil pan and inspect bearings. this was not performed due to the fact that i was never informed of there recomendation. technicians final recomendation was for me to purchase a brand new motor from the dealer and allow them to put it in for a low low price of $3000.00 out the door. this seems to me to be very deceitful due to the fact that not hardly anything was done to find the source of the knock but yet there final decision is for me to pay $3000.00 for a new motor and installation. when they do not even know if this is the problem. cost me $35.00 for there deceitful recomendation. i have been searching the internet for other 1997 ford f-150 motor problems that include knocking noises and they are every where on the web. all motor problems with the same symptoms as mine are all low mileage motors. mine only has 67951 miles on it. i have religously maintained all aspects of my vehicle. ford sells low qaulity products and there dealers are deceitful!*ak
06/16/2001106/18/1997
 While driving down the road, another vehcile hit consumer's bumper. consumer proceeded to drive and was nformed by another consumer that fire was coming from bottom of vehicle. while walking awayfrom the vehicle, it blew up. dealer has not been contacted. *ak one person was injured. *slc
06/29/2001
 Accelerator pedal locked up with speed control engaged while driving at highway speed of 68-70 mph, could not deactivate speed control by applying brakes or disengaging it by the on/off switch. disengaged by shifting into neutral and turning vehicle off. this caused engine problem. vehicle was taken to dealer, and informed consumer that engine was blown, and needed replacement. provide any further information on this matter. *ak neede replacement. provide any further information on this matter.
11/30/2000
 After vehicle was examined for a manufacturer service program on ingition,vehicle did not operate properly. when dealership examined vehicle, a hole in engine head was discovered. dealer informed consumer that component needed to repair was no longer available, which required that entire engine be replaced at consumer's expense. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
03/20/200104/01/1997
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
05/06/200110/01/1999
 I did not cause the engine to fail. the defective parts did, however cause me to have the engine completly overhauled. there was a chewed up rod. i have the manifold gasket and the bad rod in my possession and would be glad to show any representative interested.*ak
50003/01/1999
 I have contacted ford motor co. by phone & email and they say they will get back w/me and never do. there is no follow up on their part. no customer service and no satisfaction. the customer service ended at the signing of the bill of sale. no safety defect. *ak
11/20/200009/01/1996
 Noticed in early 11/2000 that engine made a ticking sound on startup. started using higher octane gas and used an oil treatment. tick went away. drove home on the evening of 11/17/2000 and parked the truck. got in the truck on the morning of 11/20/2000 and the engine would not turn. i had the battery checked out - it was good. i had the truck towed to a repair shop (non-dealer) and was told that the engine had locked up. the truck in currently in the process of have the engine replaced.*ak
1
 Engine failed, there was a recall on the this particular engine but only on the cars. nlm
07/01/2000
 After several recalls were repaired there was no oil pressure in engine. dealership has informed consumer that vehicle needed a new engine. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
06/21/19992
 Vehicle has had two engines replaced.*ak consumer stated vehicle overheated, water pouring out and vehicle stalled and would not restart.*jb
11/14/2000108/01/1999
 Consumer was traveling about 40 mph on highway and heat level line stayed in red zone. he added coolant into engine. vehicle was okay. *ak the vehicle was leaking due to timing chain cover failure. *yh
01/22/2001103/01/1999
 Tick noticed at startup. towed to delaership, diagnosed as bent rod. total engine replacement under warranty. there was no symptoms until total failure. why did this happen and more importantly, is it going to happen again. engine replacement estimated at over $4000. please provide info on similar failures via email. *ak
11/01/2000706/01/1997
 This vehicle was purchased new in june, 1997. beginning in november, 2000 i have experienced numerous problems, mainly with the engine and electrical system. the vehicle has been out of my possession for almost 3 months now and i am out of pocket over $3,000 in repair work. i have contacted ford motor co. both in writing and calling their customer service department, and they have offered no assistance and basically have told me the problems are not their concern. i have had a front timing cover gasket replaced, major engine repair work, spark plugs changed, electrical wires replaced, and now a computer brain was bad in the vehicle. the truck's check engine light remains on and the truck still hesitates, stalls and lurches while driving, which is not safe. i have no where to turn and obviously no money left to put in to this vehicle. i don't understand how a 3 year old truck, purchased brand new can have so many problems, i can't seem to get an answer from anybody, including ford. *ak
01/15/200107/01/1997
 Truck was taken to dealer on 11/22/2000 due to owner detection of water in oil. dealer found no problems with any foreign substance in the oil and engine checked ok. on 01/15/2001 the engine check light came on. several miles later , engine attempted to stall at 50 mph with all dashboard lights activated. clutch was depressed and raced to prevent stall. engine recovered after a few yards and was driven home. truck was taken back to dealer and was told that the crankshaft bearings were the cause of the failure and that ford would replace the engine if owner agreed to pay $500 of the cost.*ak
08/25/2000
 Motor was inproperly installed from factory, per ford dealership, causing damage to vehicle. dealer has repaired vehicle.*ak
11/12/1998108/22/1997
 Engine runs rough after a cold start. *slc
10/18/19991
 Engine was replaced due to damage in the lower block, rough running, backfire, stalling, and knocking at cold start up, after the replacement there was again excessive vibration at idle, consumer requests reimbursement. *slc
09/19/20001304/01/1997
 Purchased vehicle new in april 1997. from the third week of owning vehicle, engine shakes, sputters, and stalls when driving. ford has attempted 13 times to fix problem. they replaced the engine long block on 7/24/00. engine exhibited the same problem less then 1000 miles later. ford once again replaced only (bad parts) in long block this time. till this date engine still exhibits same problem. ford's position is their representatives made the decision my vehicle is fine, so i'm stuck with it. today, oct 22, i have another appoitment because of a loud rattle and engine problems. if requested, i can submit all invoices.*ak
04/01/2000104/05/1996
 Consumer received ford recall #99b29 (replacement of the pitted timing gear cover which caused coolant leakage), however after repair the engine required repair due to spun bearings which was directly caused by the coolant leakage. *mjs
105/01/1998
 While driving the engine seized, check engine light did not illuminate. nlm
02/01/19985004/17/1997
 While driving vehicle stalls unexpectedly when coming to a stop, which may cause a crash. also, problems with defective braking system which causes extended stopping distance. dealer cannot determine any cause. *ak when you begin to drive and try to stop, the brakes lock up. *yh
04/07/200004/01/1997
 Engine blew in 3 year old, 60,000 mile well kept ford f150 truck - out of warranty. *ak
03/14/20000
 While driving heared a clicking noise that gradually got louder and louder. took vehicle to dealer , and they said it may be the motor. consumer had just taken car in a couple of days before for recall repairs. 2 days later, this clicking noise started. *ak
12/08/199812/01/1999
 While backing out of driveway onto a street engine stalled out and almost caused a collision with oncoming vehicles. dealer/manufacturer notified. *ak
15
 Engine knock at cold start up--ford to replace engine.-a/c has a musty smell at start up, dealer has sprayed it 4 times, and still has the same smell. *ak
03/01/1999103/01/1997
 No summary
08/01/1998106/09/1996
 Engine failed. yh
102/05/1997
 Engine makes a noise. yh
402/05/1997
 Engine stalls while drinving. yh
102/05/1997
 Engine makes a noise. yh
102/05/1997
 Check engine light comes on sometimes. yh
402/05/1997
 Engine stalls while drinving. yh
102/05/1997
 Engine makes a noise. yh
112/01/1997
 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
 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
 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
08/26/1999110/01/1997
 Vehicle caught fire while parked in parking lot. no apparent cause, and no previous indications of component failure. vehicle was a total loss
07/01/1998508/01/1997
 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!
06/01/1999
 When driving at high speed the vehicle stalls/ shakes, and there is an oil leakage within vehicle. *ak
07/27/199808/01/1997
 The engine always made a lot of noise during initial startup. contacted several dealers during the warranty period who declared this as normal. now that the vehicle is out of standard warranty, the local dealer says there is major lower end problems that can only be estimated by an engine tear down. ford refuses to do anything in spite of a) this being reported during the warranty period and the dealers not doing anything and b) this problem not normal for avehicle with these few miles. a engine should last several times this long with normal maintenance.
01/01/1998107/01/1996
 Engine failed, possible recall on component that led to failure. mjs
104/09/1996
 After trveling at 60 to 70 mhp all day for a long period of time, vehicle will suddenly stall when slowing down to make a turn or in traffic. dealer has been contacted. *ak *sb
309/13/1997
 Engine failed causing knocking.
 In order for the vehicle to be started the gas had to be applied for a long time until the engine revved at a normal level. once while starting the vehicle, the engine just blew up. dealer has vehicle now. *ak
309/13/1997
 Engine failed causing knocking.
05/14/1999205/01/1998
 Have had this problem in the past...for no reason the engine will act as though it has a miss. if trying to pull out, truck will shutter and sometimes die. this problem has occured once before and the dealer replaced the #8 spark plug. 10,000 miles ahve passed and the engine is starting to show signs of doing it again. *ak
02/01/199810006/01/1996
 No summary
09/05/19964
 On highway driver needs two hands to steer the vehicle. steering is hard to handle, sometimes oversteering occurs, dealer contacted three times. dealer has aligned the front end and adjusted the toe, camber and caster, however consumer still complains of steering wheel stiffness, dealer can not remedy. check engine light illuminated. *slc
11/08/199801/14/1997
 While parked vehicle caught on fire.
01/07/1999
 Vehicle caught fire in the engine while driving. the cause of the fire has not been found. vehicle was totaled. *ak
07/01/1997
 I really don't know the extent of my problems. however, my truck has a rough idle and hesitation and has stalled a couple of times. i have changed grades of gasoline and brands of gasoline. i have also tried injector cleaner. i have had it to two different dealers. i have had it to commonwealth ford in richmond ky 40475 twice and performance ford where the truck was purchased once. neither place found anything wrong. my truck is almost out of warranty and i am afraid that something major may be wrong and i don't want to be stuck with a huge repair bill. i have also contacted ford customer assistance and recieved no help their either. i don't know what else to do. i would appreciate any information that you can provide. thanks brian elsea.
09/01/1996103/17/1996
 Engine failed.
02/10/1996
 Vibarations with resonating noise at 1100 to 2000rpm. taken back to several dealers with no answer/
03/15/1997
 Engine stops automatically intermittently.
04/01/1996
 Vehicle stalls at take-off.
1
 Fuel leak in engine compartment.
106/01/1996
 Excessive smoke from engine.
104/22/1997
 Vehicle is governed at 87 mph (the motor shuts down), this design is very unsafe.
103/19/1997
 Engine won't speed up to pass other vehicles safely.
01/20/1997
 Whenever consumer exits the vehicle, if ever touching any metal parts, it will then exert sparks of fire. consumer says if standing close enough one can hear the sizzling. consumer also has measured the distance of these sparks which he measured at three inches away. consumer thought it would go away, but it is actually getting bigger. consumer does not own truck, he's leasing it from ford. *ak
01/16/19971
 Vehicle stalling.
04/05/1996104/05/1996
 Intermittent stalling.
 The pickup truck misfires constantly which osage ford kept for several weeks. not able to correct problem, osage ford requested that driver purchase another new truck. please describe details.*ak
04/18/1995
 Every one and a half mile vehilce smells hot. could cause vehicle to overheat or catch on fire. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
 Power steering bracket broke which threw main belt off, causing failure of brakes and power steering. consumer feels that there should not be only 1 belt that operates brakes and steering. *ak
11/10/19971006/26/1996
 Consumer had taken the vehicle to dealer for repairs of the lugs: nuts:bolts, but dealer did not had the parts to repair vehicle for the first time, and now the vehicle has the same problem. dealer has been contacted. *ak consumer has became aware of recall 98s14, regarding the lugs/nuts/bolts. steering not operating properly, it locks up when it rains. transmission does not operate properly, consumer was informed of recall 97s86, however dealer stated that consumer would have to work with their schedule for repairs. windshield wipers start by themselves. turn signals worked too fast, dealer found a loose wire. brakes did not work efficiently, takes a longer distance to stop. a/c was not cold enough. serpentine belt was replaced. door was out of adjustment, making it hard to open from the inside. *slc
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
05/17/2003910001
 My 1997 ford f150 with 4.2l v-6 manifold gasket failed which caused coolant to leak into cylinders. without any warning, at cold start the coolant in the cylinders caused pistons/rod to break and engine suddenly began loud knocking and pouring white smoke out of exhaust. this truck has been meticulously maintained and has never been driven hard. local repair shop says the local machine shop they use for rebuilds has seen at least 24 of these engines since january 1st, 2003! estimates to rebuild or replace this engine range from $2,000 to $4,000. we have not yet decided what to do - scared to get new engine from ford because same problem may still be present.*ak
06/20/200381000
 Consumer states the exhaust is located at the right side, causing the tires to overheat and blow up. in july firestone wilderness ht size 23570r16 dot w2081pt were replaced by goodyear ,and problem still recurring. dealer stated nothing was wrong with the exhaust pipe. consumer indicated that firestone diagnosis was that tire blew up due to overheating. *ak
15000306/01/1996
 The truck was built with the exhaust exiting in front of the right rear tire, which caused excessive heat to the tire and a burning smell. the hub caps and wheels were discolored, and the rear axle seal leaked, all these problems were caused by the defective exhaust system which was due to the extreme heat. the rear oil seal leaked oil. *mr *ph *jb
1
 Goodyear tire had low pressure, causing them to blowout. in addition, consumer replaced wheels:cap/cover/hub, and exhaust system.*ak
01/21/2003128000311/30/1996
 With no previous indications that anything was wrong, upon starting engine heard loud clacking sound, shut off and towed to mechanic. who said it was an internal problem that could only be fixed by ford dealership or a machine shop. it was a holiday so we took it to a machine shop who verified his previous encounter with the same model engine before that a rod was bent which cracked the piston, caused from a defect in ford's intake head gasket, which leaked water into the engine. he also stated one more crank or run a little longer the piston would have shattered and gone through the crank shaft which could have endangered anyone in it's range (hwy, etc.). the engine is now being repaired and when ford was contacted they denied any problem with the gasket and any responsibility. the machine shop has a service notification that the gasket has been replaced with one that will not leak. this is a very costly defect that could have been prevented if ford had sent notice to owner's. i feel ford should own up to their defective part and pay for costs owner's like myself have encountered. i have a notice of recall for a different gasket leaking coolant which was replaced by the ford dealership, #99b29.
101/01/1998
 Exhaust on rear rim which has caused the rim to start pitting and may cause failure. *ak
07/25/1999100005/01/1999
 Doors have stress cracks at the lower right sides dealer repaired once, but cracked before i picked it up,exhaust fumes entering car and discoloring r-rr wheel. *ak
08/13/1999208/01/1996
 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
03/01/1997
 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.
04/07/1999
 While driving vehicle, fire came up from between the cab and bed of truck. fire investigators came to the conclusion that there is a design flaw in this model truck which allows debris to accumulate under the shield which then ignited, and then ignited the silicone sealer on the shield which allowed the fire to ignite the back seat.
5
 Grass and weeds get caught in cross over brace under exhaust system, as they pack in they dry out, causing fire. (qcaw)
11/01/1996
 Weeds pack up in and around cross member of cross over exhaust system, which leads to a drying out of weeds, resulting in fires. (qcaw)
12/10/19965
 Location of exhaust system in front of passenger's side causes the abs brakes to freeze up in winter. have not taken to dealer as of yet. *ak
02/02/1998
 Consumer took vehicle to dealership to replace right rear wheel/right hub cap/bumper and exhaust system. all parts replacment was due to exhaust system being in the way, which caused corrosion to all above parts. consumer confronted the servicemen about condition reoccurring. his reply was that after the warranty expired, it became consumer's problems. dealer notified *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
07/02/20051370001
 Dt: on july 2 2005 while driving down the road the throttle cable broke. the owner was coming down a two lane highway. the consumer noticed that the accelerator wasn't being pushed, the cruise control wasn't on, and the vehicle was speeding on its own. the consumer engaged the parking brake, while going 50-55 mph. after engaging the parking brake, the truck took about 3/4 of a mile to come a stop. the vehicle finally hit an oak tree and stopped and no air bags deployed. the owner's wife was injured with upper neck and back. injuries. the owner''s daughter was bruised on the face. the vehicle didn't come in contact with any other vehicles. there was no other problems with the vehicle accelerator sticking before. ford reported that there was no recalls about this. the owner has contacted the dealership. the vehicle has not been deemed a total loss. the owner has to replace the brakes and throttle cable. insurance will pay for repairs to the body. about a week before the crash, the consumer had to replace the oxygen sensor. that warning light stayed on about a week before repair. at this time owner is waiting for the repair work to be completed. owner stated that dealership said that the problem could have been caused by a throttle cable housing. *jb
06/25/2002104/01/2097
 The vehicle has a faulty front cover gasket on the engine, which caused coolant leak in turn causing an overheat situation which lead to an intake manifold gasket failure, which may also lead to an engine failure. i took the vehicle to the t&w ford dealership in williamstown, ky where they told me that the front cover would need to be replaced along with the gaskets and also o2 sensors at a cost of 1500.00, i did the work of gasket replacement at a cost of 60.00. *ak
03/20/1997101/17/1997
 Vapor tube pinched by frame of truck.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
10/12/200350469203/29/1996
 Heat shields loose on the catalytic converter. two clamps were replaced again. i had this fixed 2 years, previously. i was charged $70.50 for this to be corrected again. it seems that there is a problem with the quality of the clamps that are being used by ford. *la
1
 Design of the catalytic converter and shield allows for accumulation of grass and other debris, fire resulted from grass burning.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CRANKCASE (PCV)
08/08/200464000109/11/2001
 I own a 1997 ford f-150 truck, 4.2l v-6. my wife was driving the truck and with no warning the engine started knocking very badly, she was frightened and drove the truck home very slowly, which almost got her into an accident. after doing research with ford mechanics and private mechanics, i found out the engine is a defective engine the years were 1997 and 1998. i contacted ford and they will not stand behind their product. there customer service in detroit was no help at all. i bought the truck with 36,000 miles on it, took very good care of it, and it now has 64,000 miles on it and cannot be driven. i recently received a recall for the cruise control saying it could catch on fire. unfortunately the truck can't be moved until i replace the engine, and it is in my garage. if this truck catches on fire and burns my house down ford will be sued. there was no warning when the engine went, failure was total loss of engine, again ford has done nothing. *nm
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
12/20/200211/11/1996
 Consumer called complaining about having problems with the head gaskets. also stated that went out to turn on the vehicle and white smoke came off the vehicle. dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle ha a blown head gasket. ts
06/04/1999
 Consumer contacted dealer in reference to manufacturer's recall 98r04, concerning pcv system. however, this vehicle was not included in recall due to location. recall only involved vehicles in cold climate states. consumer uncelar about recall manufacturer sent for his vehicle. dealer reused to replace parts. ford admits vehicle may not stop in colder climates. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
10/30/20052
 Spark plug has blown out of my 1997 ford f150 for the second time. first fix was using a helicoil. second fix will have to be the same. according to information gathered from the www, this is a common problem fixed only by replacing the entire cylinder head ($3,000+) this is poor quality manufacturing and corporate america turning its back, once again, on the consumers that keep them going. *jb
07/22/20051
 Dt: a couple of months ago consumer noticed that vehicle had an intake manifold gasket, which allowed water i to leaking into the engine rods, causing the motor to fail and have to be replaced. the repair cost to fix it before the problem began wa s $800. consumer's boss had problems with his fleet of vehicles, and notified consumer of the problem. consumer was not certain whether or not it was a fabricated defect or a design flaw. at this time there was no recall, but owner didn't understand why they won't recall vehicle since they were aware of the problem with the intake manifold gasket.*ak
11/21/2004115000103/21/1999
 I own a 1997 ford f-150 with the 4.2l v-6 engine that is notorious for hydrolocking due to a faulty lower intake manifold gasket. this has been a well documented issue among many customers who have purchased this model and many of us have been forced to pay large amounts of money in order to replace a blown engine due to poor engineering.
03/21/2005110000108/22/2002
 Ford f150 4.2 v6 w/110k miles failed in my driveway upon starting two days ago. after turninig the ignition i heard loud knocking and banging cominig from the engine and shut it down. i never got a recall i hear there were two of them. i called the dealer but received no help. the failure is prevalent and consistent with no official admittance yet from ford that i've found. the dealership even explained to me they understood it as an engineering defect of expectation. what else does it take? so i ask nhtsa for your help please!!!!
01/04/2004890000107/22/2003
 Intake manifold gasket leaked antifreeze into motor and ruiened motor. had to have motor replaced.*ak
05/19/200468000101/11/1997
 Ford has engine problems and will not take responsibility for the gasket problem. i have documentation that proves of this existing problem with 1997 f-150 series truck. my truck has been at norris ford for 3 months, the bill is 4600.00 to date. *ak
06/01/2004107/01/1997
 Location of exhaust pipe is affecting brake equipment. *mr due to the exhaust pipe being placed in front of the rear tire, the heat deteriorates the rear brake backing panel affecting the brakes and shattering the center wheel hub. the dealer advised the consumer of having the muffler tail pipe re-routed to the rear of the tire as subsequent models of the vehicle. *sc *jb
02/09/2004145000112/07/1997
 Lower intalke manifold leak on 1997 f-150 4.2l caused me to have to spemd 3000.00 on a new motor.*ak
10/06/200372175107/04/1999
 Exhaust manifolds and studs are corrodeing and warping. 1997 4.6 engine. ford f-150. shop where i had service done reports that they have seen several similar situations within a weeks time. could there be a problem here? manifolds are not supposed to corrode like this. *la
08/24/200368000102/15/2001
 My 1997 ford f150 with 4.2l v-6 manifold gasket failed at 68,000 (original) miles which caused coolant to leak into the cylinders. without any warning, at cold start the coolant in the cylinders caused pistons/rod to break and engine suddenly began loud knocking and pouring white smoke out of exhaust. this truck has been maintained and has never been driven hard. the cost to rebuild the motor (from ford) was $3500.00. when my mechanic called to order the rebuilt engine from ford, he was told they had just placed an order for 50 identical engines. they also told him they have to replace these engines all the time. it's a shame that ford will not take any responsibility in fixing this problem and try to help their customers. i will never buy a ford product again and i will tell everyone that i come in contact with about this very unfortunate problem that ford will do nothing about. *la
09/05/200399560104/04/2003
 Lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. issue is addressed by ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7.
08/10/2003115207110/31/1999
 The intake manifold gasket fails causing water to leak into the engine.so in the morning when you start your car the engine has blown.the engine has to be replaced,can not be rebuilt.*ak
04/25/2002112/19/1996
 Renee borstad on behalf of consumer. consumer incurred a major expense for repairs to a defective manifold gasket. after learning in the process of the repairs that ford had knowledge of this defect and issued two technical service bulletins regarding the defect, the company has refused reimbursement of monies paid. *jg
07/20/2000850001
 Exhaust pipe is located too close to tires. the heat from exhaust pipe causes the tires to melt and rim to corrode. ak scc
01/01/20022
 Consumer states that the vehicle has caught on fire twice, the fire starts underneath the vehicle where the muffler is. contacted dealer and the dealer is not willing to do anything.*jb *mj
08/01/2001306/01/1997
 Tail pipe will heat up to point where rear right tire shredded. consumer has contacted dealer.*ak while driving, firestone wilderness ht ii tire blewout, causing consumer to lose control of vehicle and crash, dot number w2031pt166, tire size p235/70r16, consumer was injured in accident. *slc
102/01/1999
 The tail pipe is located in front of the rear wheel by design, it heats the lugs, nuts and bolts making it difficult to remove them. nlm
03/15/19981
 Tail pipe designed too closely to the right rear tire. heat and fumes caused damages to right rear wheels. asking nhtsa to look into this matter. *ak the dealer replaced tail pipes for some trucks but refused this customer's based on milage. *yh
01/02/20001
 Consumer's son was traveling about 70mph on the highway there was a blowout, and felt vehicle was jerking. consumer was facing the opposite side of the highway. got out of vehicle and saw rear on passenger's side was damaged, and rubber tread had come off the tire. also, muffler pipe was hanging from the vehicle. there was front end damage. *ak *ml
109/01/1998
 The right rear tire freezes with ice form the exhaust which is placed in front of the tire causing slippage, longer stopping distance and loss of traction, consumer request exhaust be moved to rear. nlm
11/12/19991006/01/1999
 Brake line freezing due to exhaust pipe being in front of wheels (alongside brakeline). i bought a 97 f-150 7 months ago. i recently noticed that it's increasingly difficult to get out of my driveway some days, the truck smells terrible (like something burnt) & my gas mileage is awful. i have been releasing the brake, the light is off, the pedal is up, but the brake apparently is still on. the tires & rims are icing up, the brake shoes on that side are crumbling. this causes poor braking conditions. i called the dealership, i had been told to watch for this problem, & had wanted it fixed. ( i would rather not find out how bad this is by something or someone. ) in fact, that is the reason that i was given when i was told that ford would fix it, until they saw the milage on the vehicle, then they told me, nope we wont fix it, youll have to pay us $700 (cdn) as a good will gesture from ford. (this seems a little steep!) & also they thought i should bring the truck in so they can make sure that theres no damage to the wheels or brakes. if the brakes can freeze on,... what stops them from freezing when they are not on?? i'm told there is a great deal of hydraulic pressure that stops this from being an issue, but the system is only as good as it is weakest part, & when using brute force to break them free, i would think something somewhere has got to give. if there were safety concerns that were the reason that ford was making the modifications whilst the vehicle was still under its original warranty, i should think these safety concerns do not go away once the truck is not on warranty. i would think that this would be a recall situation, not just a bulletin. they have admitted that it is a problem, & were even fixing it if it was under the original warranty, but i believe that this problem goes much further, & ford should be liable for the repairs, since it is a flaw in the design of the vehicle. i have contacted ford canada, & got no result. *ak
 Windshield wipers come on by themselves, causing a distraction to driver. dealer claims switch and module need to be replaced. 2. tailpipe located to in front of passenger's rear wheel causing exhaust to corrode wheel and lugs: nuts. dealer will not change location of exhaust. *ak
 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.
 Exhaust manifold is leaking coolant. also, when heater is on temperature rises extremely high.
 The location of of tailpipe in front of wheel is causing strong gas fumes to get inside of the vehicle. *ak
01/12/1999
 Tail pipe is in front of the back wheel exhaust system which is making the wheels hot. *ak
04/04/199608/01/1996
 The exhaust pipe blows directly on the passenger's side rear wheel. in winter weather this causes ice to form on the wheel, which makes the brakes inoperative. the manufacturer/dealer are aware of the problem. the problem has not been corrected. *ak
03/01/1998
 Right rear wheel is discolored because of exhaust pipe coming out the right side of the vehicle.
111/01/1997
 Design of exhaust pipes location causes it to discolor the rear tire and remove crome from center wheel.
109/01/1996
 Poorly designed location of the exhaust pipe caused the passenger side wheel cover to corrode.also the present location of the pipe causes exhaust fumes to come into the cab if the window is down. recall notice not recieved.
 The exhaust is pointed at the right rear tire, and causing the tire to disintegrate /blow out. incident occurred three time. , dealer cannot duplicate the problem.*ak
106/24/1997
 The design of exhaust pipe location is hazardous, allowing carbon monoxide into the cargo box.
01/16/19971
 Tail pipe failed.
09/09/1996209/05/1996
 When driving through tall grass, the grass gets cut off/falls on the transmission cross member, where it is ignited by the heat from the exhaust pipe, which is routed right behind the cross member.
08/21/1996
 The rear tail pipe came out by the right rear tire . please describe .*ak

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