NHTSA Complaint #762374 — 1997 FORD F-150

ON 5/3/02 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CHECKED IT AND REPLACED THE DPF SENSOR, UPDATED COMPUTER AND CLEANED FUEL INJECTORS. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I HAD TROUBLE STARTING 3 TIMES AFTER WORK. THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY, MY WIFE DROVE IT TO WORK AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO START IT AFTER WORK THERE WAS A LOUD "BANG" AND IT TOOK ANOTHER 1/2 HR TO GET IT GOING. WHEN SHE GOT IT GOING AGAIN THERE WAS A LOUD "TAPPING" FROM THE ENGINE. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND TOWED IT IN. THEY CHECKED AND SAID THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE OIL AND THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE REBUILT. IT WAS GOING TO COST US $4000 PLUS LABOR TO HAVE ANOTHER ENGINE PUT IN. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. ON DOING SOME RESEARCH WE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE, AND THERE WAS A RECALL (#99B29) RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM THAT WE NEVER RECEIVED. WE ORDERED THE TRUCK IN JAN 1996, AND TOOK DELIVERY IN MARCH 96 WHICH FALLS WITHIN ALL OF THE DATE RANGES SPECIFIED ON F150.COM. WE HAVE SINCE CONTACTED OUR SALESMAN, HE CHECKED OUT THE PROBLEM AND CALLED US BACK TELLING US TO BRING IT IN. THIS WILL INVOLVE ANOTHER TOWING AND I'M NOT SURE IT WILL SOLVE ANYTHING WE DO NOT ALREADY KNOW. WE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $4000 FOR AN ENGINE ON A TRUCK THAT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?*AK