NHTSA Complaint #10121354 — 1997 FORD F-150

I PURCHASED A FORD F-150 IN JAN 97 WITH 4.2L V-6 ENGINE, I HAVE FOLLOWED THE SERVICES RELIGIOUSLY, ON OR AROUND JAN 2000 I TOOKED THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALER IN PUERTO RICO BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FRONT GASKETS TO BE REPLACED, I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ASCHEDULED AN APPMT. I TOOKED THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALERD 4 DAYS LATER THEY CALL ME AND SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DONE. I WENT TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP AND NOTICE THAT THERE WAS NO WORK DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT REPLACED THE GASKETS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LEAKING SO IT DID NOT NEEDED THE GASKETS REPLACED. CAME TO UNITED STATES SINCE I AM IN THE MILITARY IN FORT LEONARD WOOD. I STARTED TO NOTICE A LOSS IN COOLANT THIS CONCERNED ME AND REPLACED THE WATER PUMP THEN IT STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET SO I REPLACED THE COVER THE GASKET AND THE WATER PUMP GASKET ONCE MORE COSTING ME AROUND $900.00. THEN THIS PAST WINTER ONE MORNING I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND STARTED TO MAKE THIS KNOKING KNOICE VERY LOUD KNOICE SO I TURNED OFF AND CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HERE IN ST ROBERT MO, DEALER SELLER SEXTON THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE AND THEN IS WHEN I FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HAS BROKEN A PISTON ROD BECAUSE COOLANT HAD GOTTEN IN THE OIL. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST ME AROUND $4,500.00 I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD NO MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE TYPE OF EXPENCES. THEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH DEFECTIVE GASKETS. I CONTACTED FORD FOR ASSISTANCE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY CAN NOT HELP ME BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IN THE VEHICLE IS EXPIRED. TO THIS SHOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM NOT THE OWNERS FAULT MY TRUCK ONLY AROUND 73,500. FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR THIS THEY CLAIMED THAT THIS VEHICLES SPARK PLUGS ARE TO BE CHANGED AT 100,000. MILES HOW IS THIS IF THE ENGINES ARE ONLY LASTING 73,500 MILES. PLEASE NEED YOUR HELP ON ENSURING FORD IS HELD LIABLE FOR THIS. THANK YOU.