NHTSA Complaint #10016636 — 1997 FORD F-150

INCIDENT = IN 2000 FORD MOTOR COMPANY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON FORD F-150 PICKUPS TO COVER A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM INVOLVING A GASKET THAT KEPT COOLANT FLUIDS FROM LEAKING INTO THE CRANKCASE AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. THEY ONLY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE EXISTING GASKET TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T LEAKING AND THEN EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR ANOTHER 12 MONTHS. JUST AS THEY KNEW IT WOULD, APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS LATER (APRIL 27) THEIR REPLACEMENT GASKET CRACKED AND COOLANT FLUID LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH THE CRANKCASE, AND MY ENGINE SEIZED UP. DAMAGE RESULTING = MY ENGINE BEGAN TO CLATTER, AND I DROVE STRAIGHT TO A DEALERSHIP. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ($3,600.00 PLUS TAX). IN TALKING WITH THE AUTHORIZED REPAIR DEALER IN CLARKSVILLE, TN WHERE THE TRUCK BROKE DOWN AND MY USUAL AUTHORIZED REPAIR DEALER HERE IN NASHVILLE, APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY OF THE F-150'S THAT RECEIVED A NEW GASKET AND AN EXTENDED 12 MONTH WARRANTY. AGAIN, FORD KNEW THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM (WHICH BY THE WAY BOTH PLACES TOLD ME FORD CORRECTED IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS) AND ONLY OFFERED A BAND-AID APPROACH TO DEALING WITH IT. IN TALKING WITH THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONSUMER AFFAIRS, I HAVE REQUEST THAT THE COST, OR AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE COSTS, OF MY NEW ENGINE BE PAID BY FORD. THE REPAIRS WILL BE MADE TOMORROW, APRIL 29. NEEDLESS TO SAY, FORD HAS NOT RESPONDED OR OFFERED TO PAY FOR MY NEW ENGINE. *NLM