33 of the
163 complaints filed about the Ford F Series (Light)
are about the engine —
20% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2002.
WE PURCHASED A CAR FROM NAB AUTOS IN FREDERICKSBURG, VA. AFTER THE 7TH DAY OF DRIVING IT, THE MOTOR BLEW UP. WRONG SPARK PLUGS WERE INSTALLED BY DEALER. ALSO THE TRUCK HAD BEEN RACED WITH NITROUS WHICH WE WERE UNAWARE OF UNTIL WE TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MOTOR. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. MY 18 YEAR OLD SON DRIVES THIS VEHICLE WHICH BEGAN LOSING POWER AND SHAKING BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11109867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SPARK PLUG FAILURE AS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT, AND ENGINE PROBLEM RESULTING FROM 7 CYLINDER OPERATION. GOT IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE WAS ABLE TO SLEEVE THE SPARK PLUG THREAD AND INSTALL A NEW PLUG. NOW THE SAME IS STARTING AGAIN. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC TO MAKE PERMANENT REPAIRS FOR ALL THE SPARK PLUG. THIS MAY END UP WITH THE ENGINE HEADS BEING REMOVED IN ORDER TO MAKE COMPLETE REPAIRS, AND THE COST FOR THAT WILL BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THIS IS A FORD ENGINE DESIGN PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF, YET THEY CONTINUE TO DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY.
NHTSA complaint #10610719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE TRUCK HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY NEXT TO THE GARAGE FOR ABOUT 8 1/2 HOURS. A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENTS AND CAUGHT ONTO THE CORNER OF THE GARAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10491004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2001 FORD F150 WAS SITTING OUT IN DRIVEWAY OF OWNER'S HOME. HE HAD BEEN HOME APPROX 1/2 HOURS WHEN OWNERS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NO FIRE DAMAGE TO THE INSIDE CAB OF OWNERS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10487498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A SPARK PLUG WORKED LOOSE FROM THE HEAD AND BLEW OUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HEAD AND THE IGNITION COIL. ALL 8 PLUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED, TWO DAMAGED SPARK PLUG HOLES REPAIRED AND TWO IGNITION COILS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10474326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
TRUCK STARTED MAKING NOISE EVERY TIME THERE WAS A BUMP. HANDLING FELT LOOSE. DISCOVERED THAT THE RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MECHANIC REFERRED TO THE CONDITION AS "ROT". THIS SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. I BOUGHT 4 VEHICLES THE SAME YEAR. CHECKED THE OTHER 3 AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I WILL BE FILING REPORTS ON THEM TOO.
NHTSA complaint #10458426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
CHECKED THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCKS RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT AFTER ANOTHER TRUCK BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAD ONE THAT ROTTED AWAY AND FAILED. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. THIS VEHICLE'S RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN SPOTS AND LARGE FLAKES OF RUST FALL OFF WHEN IT IS DISTURBED. IT WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AND 3 OTHERS BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10458434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
CHECKED THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCKS RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT AFTER ANOTHER TRUCK BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAD ONE THAT ROTTED AWAY AND FAILED. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. THIS VEHICLE'S RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN SPOTS AND LARGE FLAKES OF RUST FALL OFF WHEN IT IS DISTURBED. IT WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AND 3 OTHERS BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10458436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
CHECKED THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCKS RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT AFTER ANOTHER TRUCK BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAD ONE THAT ROTTED AWAY AND FAILED. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR, A/C AND PROVIDES AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE FRONT FENDERS. THIS VEHICLE'S RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN SPOTS AND LARGE FLAKES OF RUST FALL OFF WHEN IT IS DISTURBED. IT WILL NEED REPAIRED AND 3 OTHERS BOUGHT THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10458438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ATTEMPTED TO START A 2001 FORD F-150 SUPER CREW THAT HAS A 5.4LITER ENGINE AND ONLY 80,500 AND HEARD A BANG. ENGINE STARTED BUT MADE A LOT OF NOISE. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND CHECKED UNDER HOOD. ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE FOUND A PLUG WIRE AND COIL DESTROYED WHICH INDICATED A SPARK PLUG EXPLODED OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. REPAIR SHOP SAID DO NOT DRIVE IT AS FUEL WILL SPRAY ON HOT MANIFOLD AND WILL CAUSE A FIRE. THEY SAID I WAS LUCKY ENGINE WAS NOT HOT. THESE WERE THE FACTORY INSTALLED PLUGS AS ORIGINAL WINDOW STICKER SAYS 100K MILE TUNE-UPS. ESTIMATE OF REPAIR IS $4,000. FORD ACCRONIM APPLIES HERE "FOUND ON ROAD DEAD OR, FIX OR REPAIR DAILY." UPON INTERNET SEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON OCCURANCE AND NEITHER FORD OR NHITSA ARE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FORD HAS EVEN PUT OUT A TSB07-15-2 AUTHORIZING A SPECIFIC TOOL AND REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR ALUMINUM HEADS FOR THE 5.4 1997 TO 2004 FSERIES. FORD KNOWS IT IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND NHITSA KNOWS IT IS A FIRE HAZARD AS SOME VEHICLES HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10446103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 2001 FORD PICKUP WITH 116,000 MILES THAT I HAVE BABIED SINCE I PURCHASED IT JUST THIS WEEK I HAD A SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF THE HEAD, JUST SO HAPPENED I WAS 45 MILES AWAY FROM HOME, SO A WRECKER CHARGE WAS DUE, TOOK MY TRUCK TO MY USUAL REPAIR SHOP BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. SO I THEN HAD TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE, ANOTHE WRECKER CHARGE. FORD MUST KNOW FROM ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND VERY COSTLY. FORD SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH ALUMINUM HEADS AND INSTALL A STEEL SLEEVE IN ALL SPARK PLUGS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM, THEY ARE SAVING TONS OF MONEY WITH THIS TYPE OF FAULTY ENGINE. I HAD CONSIDERED BUYING A NEW FORD PICKUP, BUT THIS JUST MIGHT HAVE CHANGED MY MIND. THE PRICE OF VEHICLES THESE DAYS, MANY PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF HAVE TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES SERVERAL YEARS, WE CAN'T AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE WITH THE PRICE OF GAS. THE POOR MIDDLE CLASS IS ALMOST A THING OF THE PAST, IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING 100,000 A YEAR YOU'RE HARD PRESSED TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STOP THE THINGS THAT RAGAN STARTED WITH HIS TRICKLE DOWN POLICIES AND FIX THE PROBLEM. KEEP THE REPUBLICANS OUT OF OFFICE AND LET SOME GOOD PEOPLE WORK FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS FOR ONCE.
NHTSA complaint #10444443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPON STARTING ONE MORNING, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE. HAD THE ENGINE INSPECTED AND FOUND THAT AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD FAILED. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10163621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.