14 of the 3,285 complaints about the 1997 Ford F-150 are about the doors, latches and locks — 0% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 98,000 miles.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS. THE THIRD DOOR HANDLE/LOCK GETS STUCK AND THE DOOR SOMETIMES DOES NOT OPEN OR IT IS HARD TO OPEN, AND OPENS AFTER TRYING REPEATEDLY.
NHTSA complaint #10132967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
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.
NHTSA complaint #10100805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
HOOD PRIMARY LATCH MALFUNCTIONED.
NHTSA complaint #10074962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
ELECTRICAL LIGHTS/WINDOWS, AND LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO COME ON. CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION THIS WEEK.
NHTSA complaint #10073880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT ELECTRICAL LIGHT,WINDOWS, AND LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION THIS WEEK. *AK THE A/C UNIT, DOME LIGHT, AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10073916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
HOOD POPS UNLOCKED WHILE DRIVING.SEAT BELTS ON FRONT SEATS DO NOT RETRACT FULLY WHEN UNBUCKLED, HANG ON FLOOR BETWEEN SEAT AND DOOR. UPON OPENING OF DOOR, THE LOOSE BELT LOOP FALLS PAST THE DOOR SEAL AREA AND UPON DOOR CLOSURE BECOMES LODGED BETWEEN DOOR AND JAMB. WHEN VEHICLE RE-ENTRY IS MADE BY DRIVER OR PASSENGER, AND BELT IS PUT ON, A FALSE TENSION IS ACHIEVED BY DOOR JAMB SEAL. THIS LEAVES UP TO 10 TO 14 INCHES OF LOOSE BELT THAT FEELS LIKE IT IS ACTUALLY TENSIONED AS TO PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. THIS LOOSE BELT SLACK CONTINUES AS THE BELT EXTENDS AND RETRACTS IN NORMAL, NON INERTIA LOCKED MODE. ONLY UPON HEAVY BREAKING, OR FORWARD FORCE BY OCCUPANT DOES THE BELT SLIP PAST THE LOWER DOOR JAMB SEAL AND EXTENDS THE BELTS REACH. THIS CAN CAUSE A FATALITY FOR ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR REASONS. FIRST, ON FRONTAL IMPACT, THE BELT ALLOWS THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER TO BE THRUST FORWARD AND EITHER COME INTO UNDUE CONTACT WITH THE DASH OR STEERING WHEEL. SECONDLY, THE FALSELY TENSIONED BELT ALLOWS THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER TO BE PROPELLED TOO CLOSE TO A DEPLOYING FRONT AIRBAG, CAUSING UNDUE FRONTAL CONTACT WITH AIRBAG WHICH CAN RESULT IN INCREASED INJURY OR DEATH. THIRDLY, ON PICKUP TRUCK MODELS EQUIPPED WITH KEY DEACTIVATED FRONT SEATS OCCUPIED BY CHILDREN, THE LOOSENING BELT CAN REACH THE YOUTH PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT RIGHT INTO WINDSHIELD. AND FOURTH, IN PASSENGER PICKUP TRUCK MODELS, WITH THE AIR BAG TURNED OFF BY KEY SWITCH, UNTENSIONED BELT DOES NOT RESTRAIN A BABY / CHILD CAR SEAT, LIKELY CAUSING THE SEAT TO BE RENDERED INEFFICTIVE AND POSSIBLY MORE HAZARDOUS IF IT WERE NOT USED AT ALL.HE BELT ASSEMBLIES MADE FOR FORD BY TRW. THIS CONDITION WAS EVIDENT WHEN VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN YEAR OLD , GOT PROGRESSSIVELY WORSE , FIRST INCIDENT FALL 1997. I WAS FIRST TITLED OWNER, BOUGHT DEMO. ELBOW INJURY IN 2003. I'M A FORMER MI. LIC.MASTER MECHANIC .I HAVE TESTED FOR THIS PROBLEM IN SIMILAR FORD VEHICLES ON USED CAR LOTS AND HAVE OBSERVED SAME EFFECT IN MANY FORD F-150'S.
NHTSA complaint #10025664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
CONCERNED ABOUT ME AND OTHERS ITS PRETTY EVIDENT THAT THESE DOORS ARE WEAK STRUCTURLY OR THEY WOULD NOT DO THIS, AND I DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY HAVE FIXED EVEN IF I DID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE I CA'NT AFORD A NEW DOOR ON FIXED INCOME. COMPLAINT #2 WHEN THE BOLTS ON THE CRANK PULLEY SHEARED OFF LOSS OF CONTROL MAKING IT VERY DIFFCULT TO STEAR ,THANK GOD I WAS'NT ON A SHARP CURVE WHEN THE BOLTS BROKE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ THIS NHTSA.
NHTSA complaint #749103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
HOOD BEGAN COMING UP AROUND JUNE OF 1999, RELEASES 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK. DOES NOT RELEASE SECOND LATCH TO FLY ALL THE WAY UP. THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGES STARTED WORKING IMPROPERLY LATE FEBRUARY OF 2000, THE MILEAGE COUNTER STOPS, THEN AFTER 3-4 HUNDRED MILES STARTS WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE.
NHTSA complaint #720443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
1ST, TRANSMISSION, WHEN AT THE SPEEDS OF 40 AND 45, HESITATES AND WANTS TO UPSHIFT AND DOWNSHIFT, THE BEHAIVOR IS NOT NORMAL AT ALL, AND I AM MAKING AN APPT. TO GET IT FIXED. 2ND, THE HIGH BEAM/ LOW BEAM SWITCH MUST BE FAULTY, AT TIMES THE LIGHTS WILL TOTALLY SHUT OFF. 3RD WHEN REFEULING, USUALLY ON A QUARTER TANK AND LESS WHEN TAKING OFF THE GAS CAP THERE IS ALOT OF PRESSURE BUILT UP IN THE TANK. 4TH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL SOMETIMES COME ON WHEN EITHER DOOR IS OPENED, I HAVE TO SHUT THE DOOR AND REOPEN IT.
NHTSA complaint #717010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THIS IS ONLY TO ALERT YOU TO MY PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM OF THE MANY OTHERS I HAVE CAME ACROSS SEARCHING FOR BACKGROUND AS TO WHY MY DRIVERS DOOR LATCHES NO LONGER WORKS ON MY TRUCK. THIS HAS GOT TO BE OF SOME SAFTY CONCERN TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME I HOPE.
NHTSA complaint #716759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
TAILGATE FELL OFF WHEN IT WAS BEING OPENED. TAILGATE FELL ON THE DRIVER'S FOOT. WENT FOR EMERGENCY TREATMENT. NO BROKEN BONES.
NHTSA complaint #843945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
WHEEL CYLINDERS LEAKED ON REAR,BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATES,TAILGATE CLIPS BROKEN SO YOU CANNOT OPEN
NHTSA complaint #708470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOOR LATCH SNAGS CLOTHES OF PASSENGERS.
NHTSA complaint #519580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY; WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT SPEED 50MPH, LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE ROLLED AND WENT INTO AN EMBANKMENT OF 4 FEET AND ROLLED 3 TIMES. FAILURE OF DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY CAUSED THE DOOR TO FLY OPEN.
NHTSA complaint #811389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.