2001 Ford F-150 equipment problems

EQUIPMENT

MY FIRST FORD F150 HAD A ENGINE FIRE AS A RESULT OF THE FAULTY BRAKE FLUID SWITCH. I WAS TOLD THIS TRUCK WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND DIDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM BY FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN I CALLED TO REPORT IT. SINCE THEN THE RECALL WAS EXPANDED. MY CURRENT FORD F150 HAS A LEAKY BRAKE FLUID SWITCH AND MY CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. THIS SWITCH IS THE ONE THAT WAS PUT ON BY FORD AFTER I BROUGHT IT IN FOR THE RECALL. FORD SAID THIS IS NOT AN ADDITIONAL RECALL. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER FIRE AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY BE RECALLED LATER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ARTICLES ONLINE ABOUT BRAKE FLUID LEAKS CONTINUING TO CAUSE FIRES IN FORD VEHICLES. PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THIS SIMPLE PROBLEM NOW BEFORE IT BECOMES A LARGE PROBLEM. P.S. I CHOOSE "FIREBALL" IN EQUIPMENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE FORD LISTED AS THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA complaint #10365689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I HAVE A 2001 FORD F150 CREWCAB TRUCK. ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, MY VEHICLE STARTED MAKING AN AWFUL NOISE AND THE TRUCK INSTANTLY STARTED WORKING ROUGH. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE TRUCK. MY HUSBAND CAME TO CHECK ON ME AND WHEN WE POPPED THE HOOD AND WHEN I TURNED ON THE TRUCK HE SAW THE SPARK PLUG COMING OUT OF THE CYLINDER. I HAVE YET TO HAVE THE MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. AFTER READING UP ON THIS, I SEE THIS IS A RECURRENT PROBLEM ON FORD TRUCKS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE REGARDING THIS MATTER. I SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR THIS IF IT IS A MAJOR REPAIR JOB NOR DO I HAVE THE MEANS TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO THE CURRENT ECONOMIC STATE AND WERE BARELY GETTING BY AS IT IS. I WANT SOMETHING TO BE DONE AND THIS ISSUE WITH FORD INVESTIGATED FURTHER. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. DO SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE. THANK GOD I DID NOT PICK MY KIDS UP YET . THANK GOD I WAS JUST STARTING OFF FROM A LIGHT AND HADN'T EVEN GOT BACK UP TO 20 MPH. THANK GOD IT HAPPENS TO ME AND NOT MY HUSBAND THAT DROVE OUT TO ORLANDO TODAY AND WAS GOING TO USE MY TRUCK. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY HURT OR WORSE IF THIS OCCURRED AT 70+MPH. I HAVE READ THAT THIS COULD COST IN THE THOUSANDS AND WHEN I GET AN ESTIMATE I WILL UPDATE THIS MATTER FURTHER. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE, THERE ARE NO MORE EXCUSES.

NHTSA complaint #10361815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE FRACTURED. AS A CONSEQUENCE A COMPONENT UNDER THE VEHICLE WAS BENT, AND THE SPARE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT HE INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 172,000.

NHTSA complaint #10290773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

FORD GAVE NO REASON FOR COMPLETE TRASMISSION FAILURE. FORTUNATELY SLLIPPING AND FAILURE OCCURED DURING TRANSMISSION WARM UP IN DRIVE WAY. COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 40,000 MI AT OWNER EXPENSE.

NHTSA complaint #10090800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT LOSS OF FREON DUE TO AN ERUPTED HOSE ROUTED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE RF PLASTIC INNER WHEEL FENDER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, THEREFORE THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED.

NHTSA complaint #10082140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

COULDN'T CHANGE GEAR WHEN I WAS GOING UPHILL, ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10081005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I HAD SOME WARRANT ISSUES WITH FORD MOTOR CORPORATION. TRIM AROUND WINDSHIELD,FADED GRILL AND BASE NOT WORKING ON RADIO. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AC AND EMISSIONS. I TURNED ON THE AC AND THE TRUCK STARTED TO RUN BAD JERKING AND SPUTTERING. TOOK IT TOO FORD AND THEY REPLACED A SENSOR. THIS SUMMER THE FIRST TIME I TURN ON MY AC AND THE SAME PROBLEM THIS TIME ITS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I HAVEN'T PUT 14K MILES ON THE TRUCK. DOES EMISSIONS HAVE SOME TYPE OF EXPECTATIONS SET BY THE EPA OR DOT. IT COST $400. TO GET SENSOR REPLACED. I CANT AFFORD TO REPLACE A SENSOR EVER SUMMER I TURN ON MY AC.

NHTSA complaint #10073123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK

WHILE BACKING INTO DRIVEWAY SPARE TIRE CABLE BROKE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA complaint #8014043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE ARE FUMES COMING FROM THE A/C MAKING THE CONSUMER SICK. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #8013276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRAILER HITCHES

F150 LARIAT WITH TOW PACKAGE PURCHASED NEW. TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE GOODRICH PASSENGER TIRES WITH PROPER WEIGHT RATING. HOWEVER, WHEN PULLING A 24 FT. TRAVEL TRAILER; THE TRUCK AND TRAILER WOULD AGGRESSIVELY SWAY WHEN HIT WITH LIGHT BREEZE OR PASSING VEHICLES. NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. TESTED ALL HITCH/TRAILER/CENTER OF GRAVITY/WEIGHT ASPECTS AND ALL TESTED OKAY. TESTED PULLING TRAILER AT LOW SPEED WITH NO WIND/OTHER VEHICLES. DISCOVERED THE SMALLEST STEERING INPUT CAUSED SEVERE LATERAL SWAY WITH OSCILLATIONS BECOMING STRONGER WITHOUT CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE TIRES, ALTHOUGH RATED TO CARRY OVER 2,000 LBS., DO NOT HAVE THE SIDEWALL STRENGTH TO WITHSTAND THE LATERAL MOVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH PULLING A SMALL TRAVEL TRAILER. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THESE NEW PASSENGER TIRES WITH LIGHT TRUCK TIRES AND FOUND THAT THE DANGEROUS SWAY HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. I HAVE INVESTED OVER $850 IN NEW TIRES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT OTHER FORD TRUCK OWNERS MIGHT EXPERIENCE A SERIOUS COLLISION IF THEY USE THEIR TRUCK AND TOWING PACKAGE TO PULL A TRAVEL TRAILER IF THEIR TRUCK IS ONLY EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER TIRES. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO REFERRED ME TO MR. PAUL BERARDI, A FORD FIELD ENGINEER. MR. BERARDI (602-692-6479) HAS NOT YET RESPONDED TO MY CONCERNS AS OF THIS WRITING. I CONTACTED HIM ON 3/6/02. A COPY OF MY ORIGINAL LETTER TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH WAS FORWARDED BY THEM TO MR. BERARDI, IS AVAILABLE TO NTSA.

NHTSA complaint #761526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.