NHTSA Complaint #10158629 — 1997 FORD F SERIES (LIGHT)

I USED TO BE A PROUD OWNER OF A 1997 FORD F150 4.2 LITER V6. THAT WAS UNTIL TODAY WHEN MY ENGINE HYDROLOCKED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE TRUCK NOW HAS 164000 MILES ON IT, HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME HAPPENED AT APPROX. 110000 MILES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE V6 ENGINES, AND THAT FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING DO TO THE "HIGH" MILES. I REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A COMPLETE NEW SHORT BOCK,AND THE RECOMMENDED BY FORD 4MM HEAD GASKETS INSTEAD OF THE 3MM THAT THEY ORIGINALLY INSTALLED. THIS ENGINE LASTED ANOTHER APPROX 20000 MILES BEFORE IT HYDROLOCKED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE WARRANTY FROM THE ENGINE SUPPLIER...THANKFULLY. NOW, HOWEVER THERE ISN'T ANYTHING TO DO BUT REPLACE THE ENGINE AGAIN. IT'S NOT WORTH MUCH AS A RUNNING VEHICLE DO TO IT'S AGE, BUT AS A NON-RUNNING ONE IT'S REALLY WORTHLESS. I JUST HOPE THE SOMEDAY FORD WILL BE PRESSURED INTO MAKING SOME KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES AND AT THE VERY LEAST OFFER ADVICE THAT TRULY HELPS THE CONSUMER NOT JUST BAND-AIDS THE ISSUE UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE. ON A SIDE NOT I'M NOT A DISGRUNTLED FORD OWNER I CURRENTLY OWN FOUR OTHER FORD VEHICLES DATING FROM 2003 BACK TO 1986. I JUST HOPE MAYBE I CAN HELP GET SOMETHING DONE BY WRITING THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *NM