47 of the 391 complaints filed about the Ford F Series are about the electrical system — 12% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2001.
47
Complaints
12%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
25
Fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TRUCK WAS DRIVEN THEN PARKED, 15 MINUTES LATER WHILE MOWING THE GRASS, I LOOKED OVER AT THE PARKED TRUCKAND IT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED AT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.
NHTSA complaint #10763253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TURN SIGNAL ARE NOW SPORADIC. UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT WHEN THE TILT IS ENGAGED AND LOWERED THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT WORK. RAISE STEERING WHEEL BACK UP IT WOULD WORK. START TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD THEY WOULD TURN OFF OR NOT WORK AT ALL OR WOK SOMETIMES. RAISE THE STEERING WHEEL THEY WORK. LOWER IT THEY DON'T. THIS INDICATES FROM FURTHER RESEARCH ON LINE IN FORD F150 FORUMS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING BEING TO SHORT AND THE WIRES GET PULLED OUT OF THE SWITCH. IT IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN F!%) FROM 98 UP TO 2004 AND ARE NOW BEING REPORTED IN NEWER MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS BEHIND THE VEHICLES.AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY FORD AT NO EXPENSE TO THE OWNERS.
NHTSA complaint #10725641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED SINCE 7.30 AM IN MY PARENTS DRIVEWAY UNTIL 4.15 WHEN IT JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE AND COMPLETELY BURNT. DESTROYING A MAJOR PORTION OF MY PARENTS DRIVEWAY PAVEMENT. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED AT THE FIREWALL OF THE TRUCK AS I SAID IT WAS PARKED AND THE IGNITION WAS OFF. I HAVE MY TRUCK KEYS WITH ME SO I CAN SHOW PROOF POSITIVE THE VEHICLE IGNITION WAS OFF. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE IN JAN. 2005 I DID NOT THEN NOR HAVE I EVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD OR ANYONE. MY CONCERN IS WHO IS GOING TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO MY PARENTS DRIVE WAY AND SINCE IT IS A RECALL ISSUE DO I NOT DESERVE TO HAVE MY VEHICLE REPLACED WITH VEHICLE OF MY CHOICE?
NHTSA complaint #10715244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2015, MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN TOWED DUE TO IT CATCHING ON FIRE WHILE BEING PARKED.
NHTSA complaint #10713423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON MARCH 30, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 3:00 P.M. (PST) MY 2000 FORD F-150 UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY BLACK SMOKE AND FIRE COULD BE SEEN COMING OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL. THE FIRE ENGULFED THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MELTING ALL THE PLASTIC, WIRING AND THE AIR INTAKE AREA. THE FIRE MELTED EVERYTHING NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE CRUISE CONTROL HOUSING.
NHTSA complaint #10575964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPARK PLUG EJECTED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGH WAY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A PLUG HAS EJECTED. THE FIRST TIME THE TRUCK HAD 39000 MILES, ORIGINAL FACTORY TORQUED SPARK PLUGS.
NHTSA complaint #10547716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE WAS NOT IN USE- PARKED AND NOT ON SMOKE AND FIRE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD THE WIRING MELTED CAUSING THE HOOD TO MELT UNDERNEATH WHERE IT CAN NOT BE OPENED. *TR CONTACTED FORD ON MONDAY JUNE 24 WAITED FEW WEEKS FOR PAPER WORK- PROMPTLY FILLED IT OUT AND NEVER HEARD BACK FROME THEM- MADE SEVERAL CALLS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM LEGAL DEPARTMENT INDICATING THEY NEED THE PART TO REVIEW WE WANTED FORD TO COME TO LOOK AT TRUCK AND RETIREVE THE PART THEY ARE NOT WILLING AND ARE CLOSING THE CASE THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS AND MY FAMILY WAS IN THE TRUCK THAT MORNING- WE RE LUCKY NO ONE WAS KILLED
NHTSA complaint #10547091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR ON TWO DIFFERENT PLUGS. THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL PLUGS.
NHTSA complaint #10535663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY RADIO WENT OUT, MY GAUGES STARTED TO GO CRAZY, THEN MY TRUCK HAD SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. AFTER THAT I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WENT TO PRESS MY BRAKES, I HAD NO BRAKES. SO I TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT, WHERE NOW MY GAUGES HAD PEGGED ALL TO ONE SIDE, MORE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND NOW I STILL DIDN'T HAVE NO BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. SO I SLAMMED THE TRUCK INTO PARK, THEN SHUT IT OFF. I POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED A SMALL FIRE UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE BRAKE LINES GOING TO THE MASTER CYLINDER WHERE FIRE ENGINE RED. TRIED PUTTING OUT THE FIRE BUT HAD A DEFECTIVE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE SPREAD AND HAS SEVERELY DAMAGED THE TRUCK, IT IS AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
NHTSA complaint #10534705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION, THEN ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND LOUD. MECHANIC STATED THAT DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN, THE #7 SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN SHOT FROM THE ENGINE, DAMAGINE THE IGNITION COIL AND ALLOWING FUEL TO SPRAY FROM THE INJECTORS ONTO THE NOW LOOSE SPARK PLUG. MECHANIC STATED I WAS LUCKY THIS DID NOT RESULT IN AN ENGINE FIRE. ENGINE IS FORD 5.4L V8. MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE MEANS THAT THE ALUMINUM HEADS HAVE APPROX. HALF AS MANY THREADS AS A NORMAL SPARK PLUG, MEANING THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE AND FORD IS AWARE OF THE FIRE RISK BUT HAS CHOSEN NOT TO ADDRESS.
NHTSA complaint #10470515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE DRIVERS WINDOW FOR NO REASON JUST FELL DOWN CAUSING A LOAD CRASHING NOISE I NEARLY WENT INTO DITCH. TWO DAYS LATER THE DRIVERS REAR WINDOW DID SAMETHING. I WAS NOT ROLLING WINDOWS UP OR DOWN THEY JUST FELL CAN FORD ADMIT THEY HAVE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED.
NHTSA complaint #10464599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE CAUSING FAILURE. ENGINE. *TR FIRE
NHTSA complaint #10446872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT CRACKED THE COIL AND WAS SPARKING ON THE FUEL LINE WITH FUEL VAPORS COMING OUT OF THE HEAD AT THE SAME TIME. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE/EXPLOSION IF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN SHUT OFF QUICKLY ENOUGH. I WAS IDLE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN LONGER TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. INTERNET RESEARCH RETURNED ASTONISHING AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10440314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPARK PLUGS ARE ENGINEERED COUNTER SUNK IN HOLES IN TOP OF THE HEADS, WHEN THE PLUGS ARE UNSCREWED THE BOTTOM OF THE PLUG MORE OFTEN THAN NOT BREAKS OFF INSIDE THE SPARK PLUG HOLE. THIS REQUIRES VERY EXPENSIVE TOOLS AND A SKILLED MECHANIC TO EXTRACT. I FEEL THE PART WAS ENGINEERED TO FAIL TO FORCE THE PRICE OF REPAIRS UP. LEADING UP TO THIS WHEN THE PLUGS BEGIN TO FAIL THE ENGINE WILL FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND WITHOUT THE ENGINE NEEDS SERVICE LIGHT EVER COMING ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THEIR IS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER YOU HOPE YOUR NOT RAN INTO BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #10433595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALLED 7.5 MILLION TRUCKS WITH DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES MADE FROM 1988-1996. THEIR LOGIC WAS THAT THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES BEGAN BEING USED IN 5/87, THUS NOT RECALLING 83-87 MODELS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE A LATE MODEL 87 PRODUCED 6/87, WHICH BY FORD'S OWN LOGIC, HAS A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT NO RECALL ON 87 MODELS. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE NHTSA TO PETITION FORD TO STEP UP AND RECALL LATE MODEL 87 TRUCKS TO REPLACE THIS IGNITION SWITCH. MY TRUCK HASN'T CAUGHT FIRE YET, BUT IT HAS SMOKED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN ONCE BEFORE AND I DON'T SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT KNOWING I MIGHT WAKE UP TO A FLAMING TRUCK.
NHTSA complaint #10409016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE TRUCK HAD SEVERAL CRANK-NO START PROBLEMS. IT CONTINUED OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW WEEKS. VEHICLE FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT IT WOULD NOT RESTART. IT WAS A LITTLE HESITANT AT TIMES WHEN RUNNING AND I WAS AFRAID IT WOULD DIE ON ME IN TRAFFIC. WE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK ON VEHICLE IN BEGINNING AND RETRIEVED CODE FOR THE CAM SENSOR. WE REPLACED AND IT DROVE FINE FOR ONE WEEK. THAT'S THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD NOT START. WE HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND UPON THEIR DIAGNOSIS HAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE FICM TO PCM AND TO THE INJECTORS HAD SHORTS IN IT. I HAVE READ ON A PREVIOUS RECALL # 05V270000, WHERE THE FICM WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS GIVEN US A PRICE OF $2600.00 TO REPAIR. I BELIEVE AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO LAST LONGER THAN 6 YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10384322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE TRUCK HAD SEVERAL CRANK-NO START PROBLEMS. IT CONTINUED OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW WEEKS. VEHICLE FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT IT WOULD NOT RESTART. IT WAS A LITTLE HESITANT AT TIMES WHEN RUNNING AND I WAS AFRAID IT WOULD DIE ON ME IN TRAFFIC. WE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK ON VEHICLE IN BEGINNING AND RETRIEVED CODE FOR THE CAM SENSOR. WE REPLACED AND IT DROVE FINE FOR ONE WEEK. THAT'S THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD NOT START. WE HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND UPON THEIR DIAGNOSIS HAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE FICM TO PCM AND TO THE INJECTORS HAD SHORTS IN IT. I HAVE READ ON A PREVIOUS RECALL # 05V270000, WHERE THE FICM WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS GIVEN US A PRICE OF $2600.00 TO REPAIR. I BELIEVE AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO LAST LONGER THAN 6 YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10384322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON AUGUST 1, 2010, OUR FORD F150 (VIN [XXX]) STARTED ON FIRE AND BURNED FROM THE ENGINE ON OUT. THE HOOD IS TOTALLY BURNED THROUGH AND THE WINDSHIELD ALSO BURNED. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS RUINED. THE TRUCK WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME AND WE WERE ALERTED MY NEIGHBORS WHO SAW FLAMES SHOOTING 10' INTO THE SKY. WE BELIEVE THIS ENGINE FIRE WAS DUE TO ONE OF THE RECALLS OF FORD'S FAULTY SWITCHES OR WIRING THAT IGNITED THE SPARK INTO A FULL BURN.
NHTSA complaint #10350446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FORD HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD ALLOWING WATER TO LEAK INTO THE CAB,OVER TIME IT HAS CORRUPTED THE WIRING,MAKING ELECTRICAL DEVICES FAIL TO HAVING A DEAD SHORT THAT CAUSES POWER TO DASH TO CONTINUE AFTER KEY IS REMOVED,THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD AT BEST, TO THE FACT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME.THER ARE MANY TSB'S CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM 99133 98246 976011 98913 TO NAME A FEW.THIS ALSO CROSSES OVER TO SEVERAL MODELS AND YEARS AND IN CANADA THERE IS A RECALL FOR SOME OF THE F SERIES FORD TRUCK FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM. MY PROBLEMS ARE TYPICAL OF ALL THE OUTHERS. THER IS RUST PRESENT UNDER DASH,DOOM LIGHTS,DOOR LIGHTS,CHIMES,POWER WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. VEHICLE DOES NOT HOLD CHARGE DUE TO POWER DRAIN WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT DISENGAGING AFTER TAPPING BRAKE OR THROTTLE I COULD FEEL THE PEDDLE RESET ITSELF AFTER TAPPING BOTH. I HAVE HAD THE WINDOW REPLACED AND RESEALED. AT THIS POINT I WILL BE REPLACING THE GENERAL ELECTRIC MODULE AND HOPE THAT FIXES THE WIPERS FOR ME. IT'S HARD TO SAY WHAT ELSE IS FRIED AT THIS POINT. THAT PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. I MAY HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUSE PANEL ALSO. IT SEEMS THAT MANY OF THE FORD TECH'S ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND ITS REPLACE PARTS TILL YOU OR THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE, BUT NO ONE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULTY WINDOW INSTALL THAT HAD CAUSED THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.SO TO SUM IT UP THIS VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST,RUN AWAY OR HAVE THE WIPERS FAIL AT ANY TIME ALSO THE CAR FIRES ATTRIBUTED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL MAY IN FACT BE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. I THINK SOMEONE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
NHTSA complaint #10301980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WAS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES IT WOULD START, SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T.
NHTSA complaint #10211078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.