NHTSA Complaint #10121646 — 1997 FORD F-150

I HAVE A 1997 FORD F-150 WITH 87,000 MILES ON IT. THE MOTOR IS A 4.2L V6. IT ALL BEGAN WHEN I NOTICED THE ANITFREEZE LEVEL SEEMED TO KEEP GOING DOWN EVEN AFTER I WOULD FILL THE COOLANT JUG TO THE PROPER LEVEL. LAST WEEK I NOTICED THAT THE MOTOR SEEMED HARDER TO START AND THOUGHT THE BATTERY WAS GOING DEAD. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO START MY TRUCK AND WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION THE MOTOR MADE A LOUD POP AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED TO MY LOCAL GARAGE AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT EITHER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, THE HEAD GASKET, OR THE TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET HAD FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER MY MOTOR. THIS CAUSED MY MOTOR TO COMPLETELY SEIZE UP. THE END RESULT IS THAT I NOW NEED A NEW MOTOR THAT IS GOING TO COST ME OVER $3,000. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE AND SINCE NO WARRANTY OR RECALL WAS IN EFFECT I WOULD RECEIVE NO REINBURSEMENT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD SINCE I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL WEB SITES SAYING THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL 4.2L V6 MOTORS. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS AND MAKE FORD PAY IF THE GASKETS ARE FOUND TO BE OF POOR QUALITY.