Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1700908/01/200310003149Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illumination with no hard fault. *tt10/09/2003
1692806/01/200310002639Various intermittent electrical concerns including but not limited to some accessories remaining powered up with the key out of the ignition, multiple system warning lights with short to power or low battery voltage diagnostic trouble codes09/09/2003
0023911/13/2000616520A condition may exist with possible electronc damage occuring to the compuvalve from voltage spikes between the compuvalve connections when connecting or disconnecting the main compuvalve harness c4025. *tt03/01/2001
9824612/07/1998604059Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc03/16/1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY
024503/04/2002636065Information regarding discharged battery charging service tips and guidelines. *tt11/05/2002
466008/01/1998615196Subject regarding the nagative battery terminal cover on some vehicles. *tt01/03/2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
9916408/09/1999607657Concerns with a hard to turn ignition key and / or a hard to remove key from ignition cylinder. *tt10/04/1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH
01211310/29/2001627774Some ignition switch lock cylinder assemblies may exhibit rougness and / or excess effort in turning, key does not fully return from start, a malfunction indicator lamp may illuminate with p0500, p1502 and u1039 stored in powertrian control02/22/2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY
1529910/01/2001630202Some vehicles may exhibit corrosion at the attachment point of the starter cable b+ terminal, at the starter solenoid. *tt04/15/2002
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
9922210/18/19996089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt02/11/2000

Investigations

NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES05V388000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES08V025000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V078000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V347000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES06V286000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V488000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V336000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES05V388000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES06V286000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V078000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V336000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V347000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES07V488000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford
EA05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY03/22/200508/02/2006ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES08V025000
 Ea05-005 is closed with ford

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
02/08/200070000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford f150. the contact stated that the windshield wipers, door locks, and the door chimes failed to operate which is related to the electrical system. the vehicle speed control also no longer functions. the front windshield is not sealed and whenever it rains water seeped into the dashboard. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that his vin was not included in the recall. there was no related warranty. the failure mileage was 70,000.
09/02/2006120000108/01/2002
 Fire, total loss to ford f150 pickup. pickup sat in driveway for 4 hours since driven and caught fire. fire department came and said it was either electrical or engine related. *nm
09/28/20051680001
 1998 ford f-150 vin # 1ftzx18w7wnc03206, parked at 9:00 pm on september 27, 2005. at 4:30 am on september 28 neighbor noticed vehicle fully engulfed in flames. fire dept unable to save the vehicle, it completely burned up. also damage to the garage in front of where the vehicle was parked and to a 1990 ford taurus parked beside of the vehicle.*jb
07/25/2005135000107/15/2005
 Dt: the caller's vehicle caught on fire while sitting still for about 3 hours. the fire department came and a report was taken'. the fire started on the drivers side, and burned through the dashboard. no other property was damaged. dealer and manufacturer have not been contacted yet. *ak *nm
07/11/2005106/15/1997
 Dt: caller said that on july 11, 2005 after 8 hours of sitting still in the driveway the truck caught on fire. dealer said there was no recall on the truck. manufacturer has not been contacted yet. there was damage to the house and another car. a report was filed with the fire deptartment. *ak *jb
04/10/20051274001
 Referral from ins co.
05/16/20051
 Dt: on 5-16-2005 vehicle caught on fire. the dashboard area was consumed. no warning prior to fire. had brake serviced shortly before fire. no indication whether it was an electric or fuel fire. contact stated ford inspected the vehicle. it was not known at this time what component caused the fire. there was a fire report, and police were present at the scene.*ak
04/21/2005175000107/15/1998
 1998 ford f150 (vin: 1ftzx1726wnb33616) extended cab, 4.2l v6 caught fire. fire started approximate 45 minutes after being driven home. the vehicle was off and unattended when the fire started. approximately 2 to 3 months prior the cruise stopped working and i began to have intermittent blowing of fuse #13. fire marshall will document the fire on 4/22/05. starting point of the fire is unknown. *nm
04/17/2005100000103/25/2003
 The truck was parked for about one hour when a neighbor alerted the consumer that his truck was on fire. the fire department was called to the scene to extinguish the fire. vehicle was totaled by the fire. the fire department stated that the cause of the fire was not known, but started at the computer box. cruise control had stopped working 9 months prior to the fire. *ak *bf *nm
03/08/20052300001
 Engine compartment fire. *ak
12/13/20021
 Parked vehicle at around 7:20 am and at around 8:30 am the vehicle caught on fire. the fire was coming from the engine compartment on the driver's side. one week prior to the fire the cruise control stopped working. and the brake light came on the dashboard. a couple of days before the fire a fuse blew out, and was replaced one time. the vehicle would not go into park. stereo and speakers were installed early in 1999 professionally. the fire did not spread to the house. will mail 35 mm pictures to bruce york.*ak
10/01/2004850001
 Ford f-150 1998. the vehicle was parked and without warning it caught on fire. the driver called the fire department to extinguish the fire. no injuries were reported. the vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. *ak the majority of the fire was on the drivers side of the vehicle under the hood. this incident also damaged a neighboring vehicle due to the fire. *sc *jb
07/29/200456000108/01/1999
 Spark plugs blew out while vehicle was sitting still. a loud noise was heard. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the plugs were the originals.*ak the consumer stated that the spark plug blew out of the head. *tc *jb
11/01/200368200111/10/1997
 While driving my 1998 f-150 the #2 spark plug ejected itself from the cylinder head. the head does not have enough theads to keep the spark plug from blowing out.*ak
08/14/200325000205/09/1998
 While under warranty, my ford f150 blew the #2 sparkplug and cylinder head at 25,000 miles. it has happened again with the same cylinder head 60,000 miles later. the repairs will cost me $3000.00. ford motor co. at this time is unwilling to cover the repairs. this seems to be a serious problem with the 1998 triton v-8 engines as i am seeing alot of the same complaints being filed.*ak
300001
 The spark plugs blew out at 30,000 miles which caused gasoline to spray onto the engine. consumer bought a new engine. currently, at 40,000 miles vehicle experienced the same problem. *ak
12/09/200285000001/21/2002
 1998 ford f-150 super cab with third door. interior lamps and 'door ajar' indicator lamp stay on when vehicle is driven, running lamps off, whether vehicle is on or off, and all doors a securely closed. this problem goes away on very hot days.
3
 Vehicle experiences continued electrical problems which cause no start conditions after rainstorms, replacement of the module on several occasions has not corrected problems. mjs (attorney for consumer).
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
08/11/1999203/01/1998
 Dealer says serpentine belt can be expected to require frequent replacement (annual) on vehicle to correct squealing noise.
05/12/1999
 In wet and cold conditions vehicle stalls out and dies with no warning. just before the vehicle stalls, alternator light comes on. to restart vehicle, driver has to turn the ignition off . the dealer has been notified and they have notified the manfacturer. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY
03/08/20052300001
 Engine compartment fire. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
03/10/20057600302/01/1998
 At some point the cruise control on my 1998 ford f150 pick-up stopped working. as i seldom use it i'm not sure how long it was out. next the #13 fuse failed. the replacement fuse failed immediately. with this fault i was unable to get the truck out of park if started in park. the abs light was flashing and the brake lights did not work. took truck to earnhardt's ford dealer for repairs. they traced problem to shorted brake pressure safety switch and speed control servo. due to the defective brake switch the wiring harness was saturated with brake fluid. all three defective parts were replaced. these repairs cost $3,100 dollars. the mechanic (ken tueffel) stated i was very fortunate the truck did not catch fire. with the recent news reports on the ford pick-up cruise control brake pressure switch causing fires i believe ford motor company has known about the safety hazard of these switches for years and owe me a refund on these repairs.*ak
01/25/20051570001
 An under hood fire occurred after the vehicle sat for 10 hours. fire department extinguished the fire, and indicated that it originated within the fuse box. *ak
01/01/20011
 Fuse box getting wet. resulting in malfunction of all electrical componets. ie lights flashing off, speedometer not working, 4x4 kicking in and out, ect.*ak
08/01/200030000106/10/1999
 The horn and cruise control do not work. according to many website postings the two are related. evidently there is a so called spring clip in the steering column that needs replacing- cost is around 300.00. this is quite a common problem on the f-series pickups. i can put a fuse in and it will short when i use the horn.*ak
608/10/1999
 There is a malfunction in wiring harness in steering column, when the tilt is used. this malfunction causes brake lights and turn signals not to work. dealer has seen vehicle 6 times, and was not able to fix it. *ak the dealer fixed only the harness but it failed again. the brake light and turn signal are still inoperable. *yh
06/06/1998106/03/1998
 Fuse for running light circuit failed. *yc
01/27/1999206/01/1998
 Purchased f150 in june 1998. 8/98 had minior electrical problem - fan would not shut off when key turned off. in 9/98 lost speedometer, tachometer, could hear relays clicking. 10/98 replaced main fuse box due to arching between ternminals. 1/99 lost speedometer/tachometer/4 wheel drive switch, could hear relays in dash again. 1/99 replaced main switch box again due to arching between ternminals. 3/99 ocassional problem with windshield washer switch. they had no idea what caused the problem, if it was resolved, etc, but indicated the normal supply channel was out of the part. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
10/01/20051400001008/12/1998
 I changed my spark plugs at the recommended mileage and since that time they do not stay tight in the cylinders. they loosen up and i have to re-tighten them everyday so that they do not blow out of my cylinder head. *jb
08/19/20040308/20/2001
 My 1998 ford f150 4x4 blew 3 coils within 3 months of each other, culminating with the ignition coil in august 2004. i contacted ford and was told i was being put on a recall list in case others had complaints. when the coils blow, there is a horrible noise from the engine and an immediate loss of power due to the spark plug no longer igniting that cylinder for the engine to run off of. luckily, i was able to pull over to the side of the road and call a wrecker without incident. all three coils were replaced and i still have receipts. i traded the vehicle in due to the numerous problems it began having. *jb
11/27/20041000001
 Consumer stated that with the key out of the ignition vehicle started up. dealer claimed that gem module malfunctioned. *ak
07/16/2004101000108/15/2002
 I was driving down the road when i heard a big explosion from under my hood. i poped the hood and found that my #2 coil was blown out of the cylinder. after getting my 98 f150 home i found that the plug was blown out of the cylinder. i have not gotten the problem fixed as of yet but ford says the only way to fix is a new head.*ak
10/18/200335000204/10/1999
 I have had numerous problems with the starter and/or ignition in my 1998 f-150 ford truck. beach ford in myrtle beach, sc has replaced the starter about 7 times and today the truck left me stranded. *la
10/01/2000204/01/1998
 For the second time in 2 years the power control module has failed. the first time was just after i purchased the truck in april 1998. the engine will suddenly just die. this happened regardless of speed. the engine would, most times, require several minutes of turning the ignition on and off and cranking of the engine before it would restart. i returned the truck to the dealer i purchaed it from 3 seperate times. twice i was able to drive it in and the last time required a tow. on all three occasions there were no error codes in the computer to indicate that anything had happened. the dealer replaced both the pcm and the ecm at the time of the third failure and that solved the problem at that time. on october 1 of 2000 my wife and i went to run a few errands. we had only traveled 1/4 mile when the engine shut down while traveling 25 mph. it took 6 attempts to retart the engine. we then drove another 1/2 mile only to have the engine once again shut down while traveling up a hill at 35 mph. the engine kicked back in before we were able to pull to the side of the road, so we continued on our way. on oct 2 drove the truck to a different dealer. showed them the paperwork from 1998. again when checked, no error codes. they had truck for 3 days but no failure. agreed to replace pcm at no charge. as of 10/28 no further problem noted.*ak
08/26/2000210/01/1998
 Twice in the past 6 months, i or my wife had the vehicle just turn off. when it shut off for my wife, it happened at 45mph. she lost pwr steering but was lucky in getting off to the side of the road. after 5 mins of trying to start the truck, it started and didn't happen again till august. it happened while i was driving.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE
03/23/2001
 Was driving down road and consumer heard a loud noise. when mechanic checked spark plug just blew out. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing do to anything because it was no longer under warranty.*ak
05/07/1998105/03/1998
 Power train control module failed. yh
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY
10/18/200335000204/10/1999
 I have had numerous problems with the starter and/or ignition in my 1998 f-150 ford truck. beach ford in myrtle beach, sc has replaced the starter about 7 times and today the truck left me stranded. *la
06/22/20001
 Starter shorted out, causing vehicle into garage. the key was not in ignition. damages were made to vehicle. safety defect allowed vehicle to move w/o the key in the ignition.*ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
04/10/2005103000110/13/2001
 While parked for seventy two hours vehicle caught on fire. the fire department stated the cause was undetermined. as a result, the vehicle was considered a total loss. *ak *bf *nm
11/14/2004900001
 While parked for thirteen hours vehicle caught on fire. the fire department stated that fire started in the engine compartment. vehicle was considered a total loss. *ak
12/13/20021
 When vehicle was parked in the driving way it caught on fire and burned completely down. *ak
05/25/20031
 Consumer states that vehicle's engine wires are burning up. dealer notified.*ak
12/02/2000
 Vehicle was hit head-on. upon impact, vehicle exploded, resulting in minor injuries. dealer has been notified, and the manufacturer will be notified. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD
05/06/2005173000102/18/1998
 1) starter went out, truck was surging while driving, gasoline was running out of tailpipe. 2) wiring harness was rubbing the ac dryer which caused the fuel injectors to stay open, which filled the cylinders up with gas and locked the motor up, bending the rods. 3) motor and starter were replaced by smith ford in conway, arkansas. this cost us $5,500.00. originally, truck was sent in for starter replacement only. the next day the motor went out. *nm
01/01/19011
 1998 ford f150 caught on fire.***no answer required***. *mr *tt *nm
12/03/2004900001
 My 1998 ford 150 caught fire at the speed control sensor. the truck was parked with the motor off. smoke started to come from under the hood. when the hood was opened a fire was seen and put out. the unit was melted and had to be replaced.
05/20/200511628205/09/2003
 1998 ford f-150 caught fire in the engine compartment area and burnt the front end of truck from the cab area forward.
04/25/20051820001108/10/1998
 Vehicle caught on fire under the hood while being parked for 5 minutes. the local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. the cause was not determined. dealer was contacted.*ak
05/19/2003130590110/27/2001
 The vehicle was parked in the driveway for approximately 15 hours before it caught on fire under the hood. the local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. the fire marshall and the insurance investigator could not determine the cause of the fire. *ak *sc *jb
02/05/2005850001
 While vehicle was parked a fire started under the hood. vehicle was totaled. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak
07/15/2004165000105/16/2002
 Early last year (2004) my cruise control stopped working on my 1998 ford f-150 4x4 p/u. i checked all the fuses and they were fine. i used the truck without the cruise control for the next 6-8 months. then one day while at work i noticed smoke coming out of my truck hood. i opened the hood and noticed it was on fire at the cruise control switch (at the time i thought the switch was a pressure switch activated by the brake) so i cut the wiring to stop the current flow and put out the fire. i caught it early enough so no other damage was done to the truck. just some melted wiring that i replaced. (being an electrician helped) i could not use the truck for a couple of days and took a day off work until i found a switch and i replaced it. i have not had any problems since. when i went to the local ford dealership (antelop valley ford in lancaster, ca) to get a replacement switch and explained the incident to them they had no idea what switch i was talking about and said they had no replacement for it, then said they could order it for me after i showed them where it was located under the hood. they never told me it had anything to do with the cruise control and they never told me about ongoing problems with this switch, that upsets me more then anything! i went to power ford in valencia, ca and they had a switch in stock that i purchased. i can only assume that the switch that i got from the ford dealership to replace the burnt up one was a non-faulty switch? low and behold, my cruise control started working after i replaced the burnt up switch! the july 15, 2004 incident date is an approximate date.
10/21/2004153001
 Vehicle unexpectedly caught on fire under the hood while it was parked. manufacturer was contacted by consumer.*ak
07/14/200492000105/30/1998
 I lost the cruise control feature and was troubleshooting the problem when the brake switch (cruise control) caught fire on my 1998 f150 truck in my driveway. the brake switch (cruise control) located on the master cylinder caught fire because the switch leaked brake fluid. the fire damaged the master cylinder and i had to replace the brake switch and the wiring harness. i purchased the brake switch from the local dealer and a wiring harness to correct the problem. i used the ford brake switch and harness and obvously may need to replace it in the future. i contacted the local dealer (team ford in humble, tx) and advised them of the fire. they said they never encountered such a problem. i asked them to contact the ford local rep and never received a return call. i eventually discarded the parts but have evidence of the fire. the master cylinder has been burnt and this may pose a bigger problem with leaks in the future. can you make sure that ford recognizes this failure and the 1998 f150 trucks are included in the recall on the news. many thanks! *ak
06/20/20041780001
 Fire in left rear quadrant of engine compartment. only item damaged was the cruise control deactivation switch. still in place but switch head was charred and deformed. cruise control quit working about 2 months prior to the fire. the fuse for the ccds was blown . it was a 25 amp device where a 15 amp device should have been. xrays of the switch head show the internal brass contacts destroyed by electrical arcing.
03/06/2004163080106/15/1998
 My truck caught on fire. it had not been driven for about 24 hours before the incident. i went out to get something out of my truck and everything was normal. thirty minutes later we heard a horn blaring outside. when my wife looked out the window, she yelled that our truck was on fire. the fire dept got here within 5 mins by then the hood had melted, the battery had exploded, the windshield blew in and one tire had exploded. the fire appeared to have started on the driver's side of the engine compartment. somewhere near the fuse box. the fire dept could not determine the exact cause.*ak
608/10/1999
 There is a malfunction in wiring harness in steering column, when the tilt is used. this malfunction causes brake lights and turn signals not to work. dealer has seen vehicle 6 times, and was not able to fix it. *ak the dealer fixed only the harness but it failed again. the brake light and turn signal are still inoperable. *yh
03/30/1998
 While parked the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. the cause of the fire was in the wiring. the vehicle is currently at dealer for repair. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
07/15/20022500007/11/1998
 Turn signal worked as expected when vehicle was new,then soon the right turn signal became sporadic as to when it would work. local dealership said there was nothing wrong that they could discover. however,now the right signal doesn't work at all. i don't mean the bulb-- i mean the switch on the steering column. left works fine;right doesn't work at all. makes it difficult to let other drivers know where i'm going,could cause an accident. *nm
03/01/2005116000104/12/2000
 1998 ford f 150. headlamps failed at night in a blizard, causing loss of sight at a medium rate of speed resulting in a dangerous situation. will need a new multifunction positional dimmer switch in column replaced.*ak
05/01/2001102/01/2001
 Door crack on drivers side/door adjar light stays on/rear sliding window leaks water excessively. *ak
02/25/1999610/08/1997
 Wire harness in steering column failing, due to this the turn signals and brake lights fail, ford has replaced the harness many times, but the problem has not been resolved. *slc

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