NHTSA Complaint #10204098 — 1997 FORD F-150

MY F150 XLT 4.2L ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY PRIOR TO 9/21/07. THE TRUCK WAS SITTING AT HOME AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE IT. AS I CRANKED IT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN MAKING A VERY LOUD CLATTERING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND OPENED THE HOOD TO SEE IF SOMETHING WAS HITTING THE FAN BLADE OR SOME SIMILAR EVENT. AFTER INSPECTING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DISCOVERING NOTHING UNUSUAL VISUALLY, I AGAIN STARTED THE ENGINE AND AGAIN THE SAME HORRIBLY LOUD NOISE CONTINUED. I WAS TOLD BY AN AUTO MECHANIC WHO LIVES NEARBY THAT THE NOISE SOUNDED LIKE A ROD "KNOCK" CAUSED BY CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER LEARNING OF THE 99B29 RECALL ON THIS 4.2 ENGINE FOR FRONT GASKET DEFECTS THAT CAUSE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT STOOPED IN TIME, I CONTACTED THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND LEARNED THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY SUCH RECALL, AND HE SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT ANYTIME HE WAS NOTIFIED OF A PROBLEM HE ALWAYS TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AS INSTRUCTED. IN FACT, HIS FATHER WORKED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND HIS FATHER SOLD HIM THE TRUCK AND HE STILL HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH RECALL. I HAD RECENTLY ADDED ENGINE COOLANT TO THE RESERVOIR BEFORE THE ENGINE FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS VERY LOW, BUT I DISCOVERED NO LEAKS ANYWHERE NOR ANYTHING ELSE UNUSUAL SO THERE WAS NOTHING APPEARING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE ENGINE IS NOW RUINED DUE TO THE FAULTY GASKET BECAUSE THE VEHICLE OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECTIVE CONDITION. IN FACT, THE ORIGINAL OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP MORE THAT ONE YEAR AGO ON MAY 18, 2006 FOR AN ELECTRICAL RECALL (05S28, CRUISE CONTROL) AND THEY SHOULD HAVE AND COULD HAVE ALSO FIXED THE DEFECTIVE GASKET AT THAT TIME, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE FROM EVER HAPPENING... BUT THEY DIDN'T. FORD'S FAILURE TO FIX ALL RECALLED DEFECTS ON 5/18/06 WAS INEXCUSABLE. FORD OWES ME A NEW ENGINE! *JB