NHTSA Complaint #768991 — 1997 FORD F-150

THIS TRUCK SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE FORD RECALL 99B29. AFTER CONTACTING FORD. THEY REFUSE TO EXTEND THE RECALL. IT IS MY BELIEF, THAT THE RECALL WAS TOO NARROW IN SCOPE AND SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL 1997 FORD F-150 TRUCKS. MANY OTHER FORD OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM (LEAKING GASKET WHICH IN TURN PERMITS THE COOLANT TO LEAK ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE, THEREBY DAMAGING THE ENGINE). THE 1997 FORD F-150 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE NEW MODEL DESIGN AND APPARENTLY FORD IS NOT STEPPING UP TO HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS. MY RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITH THE 1997 F-150 WHEN THE TRUCK HAS REACHED 60,000-70,000 MILES AND AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THE FORD DEALERS AS WELL AS CORPORATE HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM AND ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS RECALL WAS NOT BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER THE MANY TRUCKS THAT HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. HAD MY VEHICLE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK IMMEDIATELY TO MY DEALER TO HAVE THE WORK PERFORMED, THEREBY AVOIDING ANY POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK'S ENGINE. INSTEAD, I WAS NOT THE RECIPIENT OF A RECALL LETTER AND FORD TELLS ME MY TRUCK IS NOT INCLUDED. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT MY TRUCK EXPERIENCED THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEMS WHICH THE RECALL SPECIFICALLY STATES: " 1997 FORD F-SERIES 150, EQUIPPED WITH 4.2 L ENGINE; VEHICLE MY EXPERIENCE ENGINE COOLANT LEAK AT ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET; THEREBY CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED". THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY TRUCK AND HOW FORD CAN NOT CLAIM LIABILITY IS UNCONSCIONABLE. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DEFECT AND TRY TO GET THE RECALL BROADENED IN SCOPE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DT