NHTSA Complaint #10152030 — 1995 FORD F-150

I NOTICED WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN NOVEMBER OF 2005 THAT THE OIL PAN WAS VERY WET WITH OIL. THINKING IT MAY HAVE BEEN A LOOSE GASKET I RE-TORQUED THE PAN BOLTS. IT CONTINUED TO LEAK OIL. I CLEANED THE PAN OF ALL OIL AND NOTICED THE PAN HAD A LOT OF RUSTY AREAS. THE OIL LEAKS WERE IN AREAS WHERE THE PAN HAD THE WORST RUST SPOTS WITH THE METAL OF THE PAN BEING EATEN AWAY BY THE RUST. TWO AREAS HAD TINY HOLES RANGING IN SIZE FROM A TIP OF A PIN TO THE LARGER ONE WHERE IT WOULD LIGHTLY SQUIRT OUT WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE OTHER TWO LEAKED SLOWLY LIKE FROM A SPONGE. TWO OF THE LEAKS WERE ON THE FRONT OF THE PAN AND TWO WERE AT THE BOTTOM REAR OF THE PAN. I SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN REMOVED THE DRAIN PLUG AND LET THE OIL DRAIN OUT OF THE PAN OVERNIGHT. THEN I SANDED BY HAND THE AREAS WITH THE LEAKS AND APPLIED LAYERS OF JB WELD TO COVER THE RUSTED OUT AREAS. IT HAS HELD SO FAR BUT I CERTAINLY EXPECT MORE HOLES TO APPEAR AT ANYTIME. I KEEP AN EYE ON THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND CHECK UNDER THE TRUCK AT INTERVALS TO MAKE SURE NOTHING IS LEAKING. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. LUCKILY I SAW AND INVESTIGATED THE OIL LEAK BUT SOMEONE ELSE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE ENDED UP WITH AN ENGINE WITH NO OIL LEFT IN IT AND A SCENARIO FOR MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE OR EVEN AN ACCIDENT. I FOUND OUT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE OIL PAN IS VERY EXPENSIVE AS THE ENTIRE ENGINE MUST BE LIFTED IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE PAN. THIS ALL SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A DEFECTIVE OIL PAN, INFERIOR METAL USED, OR THE COATING APPLIED TO THE PAN DIDN'T WORK AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO. *NM