NHTSA Complaint #10136294 — 1998 FORD F-150

ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, I NOTICED MY TEMP GAUGE IN THE RED AND MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AT ZERO. THE "CHECK OIL" LIGHT WAS LIT AS WELL. THE TRUCK AT THE TIME WAS RUNNING FINE, NO NOISES FROM THE ENGINE AND NO SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE NEAREST SHOP WHICH HAPPENS TO BE A FORD DEALER; DIABLO FORD IN PITTSBURGH, CA. ON 09/12/05, THE FIRST DAY THE SERVICE DEPT WAS ABLE TO GET TO IT, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER TELLING ME THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE PULLED AND DISASSEMBLED TO CHECK ENGINE BEARINGS, CONNECTING RODS, VALVES AND PISTONS TO SEE IF THERE IS MORE DAMAGE THAN JUST BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. SO FAR THE QUOTE WITH INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS NOT DAMAGED IS $3200. THAT QUOTE COULD RISE VERY EASILY IF INTERNAL DAMAGE IS FOUND. SINCE THIS HAPPENED, I WAS ON THE FIGHTBACK.COM WEBSITE AND HAVE FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH 1997 TO 1999 F150 FORD TRUCKS WITH 4.2 LITER ENGINES. APPARENTLY, FORD HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD GASKETS IN MID 1999, DUE TO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOR THESE PARTICULAR ENGINES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE SHELLING OUT $3000+ TO REPAIR THEIR TRUCKS. IN SOME CASES, ENTIRE ENGINES WERE REPLACED FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD RECALL AND COVER THE COSTS ON THE ENGINES. IF I'M NOT MISTAKING, THE 3.8 LITER V6 SHARES THE SAME BLOCK AND HEADS AS THE 4.2. THE 3.8 IS FOUND IN A LOT OF FORD WINDSTARS AND TAURUS'. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING FAULTY ENGINES. *NM