1997 FORD F-150 Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

ENGINE FAILURE BAD GASKETS LEAKED COLANT INTO ENGINE THREW A ROD. *NM

I OWN A 1997 FORD F-150 PURCHASED IN 2000 FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP. I NEVER RECEIVED THE ONP RECALL ABOUT A FAILURE IN THE FRONT COVER GASKET AND NOW I AM FACING COSTLY REPAIRS. FURTHERMORE THE REPAIRS WERE NEVER CONDUCTED ON MY VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE DESPITE KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECALL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING UP TO 40 MPH THE ENGINE LEAKS COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDERS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SMOKE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED. HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS AT HIS EXPENSE. A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED WATER TO ENTER THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND PRODUCE STEAM. UPDATED 03/09/06. *JB

1997 FORD F150 4.2L V-6 WHEN FIRST STARTING ENGINE COLD IT WOULD MISS BAD FOR UP TO 30 SECOND AND THEN WOULD CLEAR UP AND RUN FINE. STARTED LOOSING ANTIFREEZE WITH NO EXTERNAL LEAKAGE, EVENTUALLY ENGINE STEAMED FROM EXHAUST. THE NEXT MORNING I STARTED TRUCK AND THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND I FOUND THAT THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I TURNED THE TRUCK OFF IMMEDIATELY AND I WAS NEVER ABLE TO GET THE ENGINE TO TURN OVER AGAIN. UPON REMOVING THE ENGINE AND CHECKING THE CONNECTING RODS I FOUND THAT THE NUMBER 1 ROD WAS BENT AND THE BOTTOM OF THE PISTON WAS BROKEN OFF FROM IT HITTING THE CRANK SHAFT. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE ENGINE. *NM

BLOWN HEAD GASKET IN 1997 FORD 4.2L V6. *NM

THIS CONCERNS A 1997 F-150 FORD PICKUP WITH A 4.2 L 6 CYLINDER MOTOR. I'VE HAD TO ADD COOLANT TO IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND COULDN'T FIND A LEAK OR ANY IN THE OIL. FIVE DAYS AGO WHILE TRYING TO START IT THE MOTOR GAVE A LOUD BANG AND WHITE SMOKE BOILED OUT. NOW IT KNOCKS LIKE A BENT OR BROKEN ROD AND BLOWS WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. I FOUND A WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET WHERE DOZENS OF PEOPLE WITH TRUCKS HAVING THE SAME MOTOR ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BETWEEN 76000-110000 MILES. MINE HAS 109,000 MILES AND FROM THE REPORTS, FORD IS TRYING TO PUT ALL OF THIS ON THE DEALERS AND THE DEALERS ARE JUST WANTING TO FIX THE MOTORS @ $600 -$4000 DOLLARS. THE PEOPLE WITH THE PROBLEM SAY THAT IT IS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET AND THAT THEY WERE RECALLED, BUT I...

#3 SPAKPLUG BLEWOUT OF MY 1997 FORD F-150 WITH 5.4 LITER ENGINE. I HAVE YET TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM . *AK

MY 1997 FORD F150 WITH A 4.2L V-6 ENGINE BEGAN GIVING ME PROBLEMS A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT BEGAN HAVING AN ERRATIC STARTING PROBLEM. IT THEN BEGAN TO BLOW OUT WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST. I CHECKED THE COOLANT SYSTEM WITH PRESSURE GAUGES, AND EVERYTHING SHOWED TO BE FINE. I DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BECAUSE WHITE SMOKE CONTINUED TO COME OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THEN I WENT TO START IT THE OTHER MORNING AND IT TURNED OVER THE ROD IN THE #4 CYLINDER IS BENT DUE TO COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER. I HAVE HEARD THIS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE, AND THINK THAT FORD SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! . THE TECH THEN EXPLAINED THAT THE F-150S HAVE HAD A TREND PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES FOR YEARS; COOLANT WOULD LEAK INTO A CYLINDER CAUSING TOO MUCH COMPRESSION RESULTING IN A BENT OR BROKEN ROD. IT COST ME OVER $2000...

MY 1997 FORD F150 WITH A 4.2L V-6 ENGINE BEGAN GIVING ME PROBLEMS A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT BEGAN HAVING AN ERRATIC STARTING PROBLEM. IT THEN BEGAN TO BLOW OUT WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST. I CHECKED THE COOLANT SYSTEM WITH PRESSURE GAUGES, AND EVERYTHING SHOWED TO BE FINE. I DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BECAUSE WHITE SMOKE CONTINUED TO COME OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THEN I WENT TO START IT THE OTHER MORNING AND IT TURNED OVER AND FIRED ONCE. THEN IT MADE A REAL LOUD BANGING NOISE, AND WOULD NOT CRANK AGAIN. I CONTINUED TO WORK WITH IT, AND FINALLY GOT IT TO CRANK AGAIN, AND IT WAS KNOCKING. THE KNOCKING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE OIL PAN. I PULLED THE ENGINE OUT, AND TOOK IT APART. THE ROD IN THE #4 CYLINDER IS BENT DUE TO COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER. I HAVE HEARD THIS HAPPENING TO MANY...

LEAKING COOLANT INTERNALLY DUE TO KNOWN MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN GASKETS. THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL LEAKS, JUST DISAPPEARING COOLANT LEVELS AND CAR OVERHEATING. AFTER THE COOLANT WAS TOPPED OFF, I TRIED STARTING THE CAR THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR WOULDN'T START DUE TO HYDROLOCK. WHEN IT DID FINALLY START, THE ENGINE PRODUCED A LOUD PINGING SOUND (SUCH AS A ROD KNOCK). I AM IN THE PROCESS OF GOING FURTHER INTO THE ENGINE TO ASSESS DAMAGE. THIS IS A KNOW DEFECT TO THE MANUFACTURER AS THEY HAVE RELEASED A TSB TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. OF COURSE THIS IS ONLY SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AFTER DAMAGE IS DONE. PLEASE HELP! *JB

1997 F-150 4.2 ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO KNOWN (BY FORD) DEFECT THAT ALLOWS COOLANT TO LEAK IN TO ENGINE AND DAMAGE THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE ([XXX] FAILED AT MY SON'S SCHOOL OVER 100 MILES FROM HOME. THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED. THERE ARE MANY FORD CUSTOMERS ANXIOUS FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO REQUIRE A RECALL TO HELP FINANCE THIS VERY EXPENSIVE (~$4,000) PROBLEM. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I PURCHASED A 1997 FORD F-150 FROM A JACKSONVILLE RESIDENT IN DECEMBER OF 2004 ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I WENT OUT TO START IT AND HEARD LOUD BANGING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ACCOMPANIED BY BELLOWS OF SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND, AFTER THE TECH CHECKED IT OUT, WAS IN FORMED THE ENGINE WAS SHOT. HE THEN EXPLAINED THAT THE F-150S HAVE HAD A TREND PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES FOR YEARS; COOLANT WOULD LEAK INTO A CYLINDER CAUSING TOO MUCH COMPRESSION RESULTING IN A BENT OR BROKEN ROD. IT COST ME $4220.00 TO REPLACE AN ENGINE FORD KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE. I SENT A LETTER (ATTACHED) TO FORD AND RECEIVED A CALL FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE BASICALLY TELLING ME IT WAS THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. THIS VEHICLE WAS METICULOUSLY CARED FOR ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL BUT, BECAUSE OF AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURER,...

FAILURE OF SPARK PLUG ON F150 1997 4.6L. NO EXTRA CONSEQUENCES EXCEPT COST OF REPAIR OF A FEATURE THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE FAILED. *NM

ENGINE FAILURE 4.2 F150 1997. 110,000 MILES FRONT GASKET REPLACED RECALL. NO LOST OF COOLANT UNTIL NOW. MORNING ENGINE MISSED FOR 15-20 SECONDS FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO FAILURE. DAY OF FAILURE ENGINE TURNED A SMALL AMOUNT AND WOULD NOT MOVE BY STARTER. ALLOWED TO SET AND STARTED LATER AND WHEN STARTED IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING APART. ALL LUBRICANTS CHANGED REGULAR WITH SYNTHETICS. APPARENTLY A ROD BROKE WHEN COOLANT RAN INTO CYLINDER AND STARTING CAUSE THE ROD TO BEND AND STARTING LATER CAUSED THE BEND TO BREAK. *JB

SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN OUT OF MY 1997 FORD F150 FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST FIX WAS USING A HELICOIL. SECOND FIX WILL HAVE TO BE THE SAME. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE WWW, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FIXED ONLY BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE CYLINDER HEAD ($3,000+) THIS IS POOR QUALITY MANUFACTURING AND CORPORATE AMERICA TURNING ITS BACK, ONCE AGAIN, ON THE CONSUMERS THAT KEEP THEM GOING. *JB

THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT EVENT THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE IS THAT THE SPARK PLUGS ARE POPPING OUT OF THE HEADS. THIS HAPPENED ON A 1997 FORD F150 5.4 SUPERCAB PICKUP, IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO A FEW OTHER OF OUR PICKUPS AND TO A COUPLE OF OUR SERVICE VANS. WE HAD TO HAVE THE SPARK PLUG HOLES TAPPED AND RE-DRILLED AND INSTALL A NEW PLUG. IT IS QUITE AND EXPENSIVE PROCEDURE NOT ONLY FOR THE REPAIRS BUT THE DOWN TIME OF OUR VEHICLES. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING A LOT. COULD YOU PLEASE GET BACK TO ME IF YOU HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. OR LET ME KNOW IF I AM COMPLAINING TO THE WRONG PLACE. THANK YOU.*JB

VEHICLE STARTED ROUGH AND RAN POORLY. PARKED OVERNIGHT, NEXT MORNING ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND FELT LIKE IT WAS JAMMED. FINALLY GOT IT TO START, RUNNING POORLY AND WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT OF THE EXHAUST. HAD VEHICLE TAKEN TO MECHANIC, WHO FOUND OUT THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM WHEN HE FOUND THE PLUGS WERE GUNKED UP AND WHITE LIKE VANILLA PUDDING. ENGINE HAD TO BE SENT OUT AND REBUILT. *NM

EL CAJON FORD REPLACED PLUGS. NEVER WARNED ME ABOUT PLUG BLOWOUT. HEARD TICKING FOR 2 WEEKS BUT THOUGHT IT WAS MINOR EXHAUST LEAK. PLUG BLEW OUT DRIVING HOME AT 30 MPH. TOWED TRUCK TO EL CAJON FORD AND SERVICE WRITER SAID FORD WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE HEAD AT $3500 WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE HEAD. I ASKED ABOUT THE DEPENDABILITY OF THE OTHER HEAD AND HE SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY RARE AND USUALLY ONLY HAPPENED WITH THE LIGHTNING AND ONLY 1 PLUG WAS EVER BAD IN EACH MOTOR. I REFUSED REPAIR AT FORD AND HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. *NM

MY 97 FORD 4.2L, WHICH IS PAID FOR AND HAS 60,000 MILES HAS THROWN A ROD. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF AND HAS CHOSEN TO DO NOTHING ABOUT. I HAVE FAITHFULLY TAKEN THE TRUCK IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ALL FACTORY RECALLS. I HAVE A TRUCK THAT IS GOING TO COST ME $4,000 TO REPAIR BECAUSE OF FORD'S NEGLIGENT. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEIR FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS. *JB

DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 1997 FORD F150. IT HAD A BLOWN GASKET. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS TURNED ON THERE WAS AN EXTREME KNOCKING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP; THEY STATED THAT THE ROD WAS BENT. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRUCK HAD LESS THAN 87,000 MILES. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY GASKET

I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE IN TUCSON AND READ ON THE INTERNET, MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE A 1997 F150 PICKUP HAVE HAD THE HEAD GASKET GO BAD CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE. I HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMPLAINT WORTHY OF INVESTIGATION OR SOMETHING THAT IS COINCIDENTAL. I HAD TO HAVE MY ENGINE REBUILT AND IT WAS UNDER 100,000 MILES. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE GASKET.

MY '97 FORD F150 4.2L V6 FAILED IN MY DRIVEWAY UPON STARTING THREE WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING IT. AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION, I HEARD LOUD KNOCKING AND BANGING COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND I SHUT IT DOWN. I FOUND OIL POURING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE # 2 CONNECTING ROD WAS SHATTERED WHICH TOOK OUT THE OIL PAN, THE OIL PICK UP TUBE, AND BENT THE CRANK SHAFT. REMOVED UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND FOUND COOLANT IN THE REAR PORT OF THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD.

LOW AMOUNTS OF COOLANT LOSS, KNOCKING IN ENGINE, AND THE ENGINE RUNS POORLY. HAD THE ENGINE LOOKED AT BY THREE MECHANICS, INCLUDING CASTRUCCI FORD IN MILFORD, AND THEY ALL INFORMED ME THAT THE RODS IN THE ENGINE ARE BAD BECAUSE COOLANT IS GETTING INTO THE ENGINE. DIAGNOSIS: NEW ENGINE REQUIRED.

DRIVING ALONG AT 40 MPH, SEVERE ROD KNOCKING ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF 4.2 MOTOR. ANTI FREEZE IN OIL PER TIMING CHAIN COVER, ACID ETCHED CRANK TO ROD BEARING. FORD REFUSED TO FIX-3000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. I PAID $1000 FOR XTENDED WARRANTY TO FIX. DEALER PUT IN NEW REBUILT 4.2, 35,000 MILES ON 2ND ENGINE WHEN ROD KNOCKING ON DRIVER SIDE OF ENGINE. ANTI FREEZE IN OIL, ACID ETCHED CRANK TO ROD BEARING AGAIN! TRUCK SITS IN BACK YARD, EXCELLENT CONDITION. $4000 TO PUT IN NEW ENGINE. FORD CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR TERRIBLE CRAFTSMANSHIP ON 4.2 ENGINE.

1997 FORD F150 SUFFERED FROM PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S GASKETS.*MR THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCKUP EITHER FROM COOLANT IN CYLINDER BORES OR CRANK BEARING FAILURE. AT HIGH SPEEDS THIS COULD CAUSE SKID AND LOSS OF CONTROL. ALSO COOLANT LEAKS OUT FRONT OF ENGINE ON GROUND AND TIRES WHEN GOING FORWARD. *BF *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ONE OF HIS SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. . THE CONSUMER STATED MAYBE IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT BECAUSE HE HEARD THE SAME PROBLEM FROM OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THE SAME VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE HEAD TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS 3300 DOLLARS. *JB *JB

1. TICKING NOISE SIMILAR TO VALVE TRAIN NOISE. ENGINE SEEMED DIFFICULT TO START LAST USAGE DAY PRIOR TO FAILURE. 2. ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN OVER. ENGINE DETERMINED TO BE HYDRO-LOCKED. WON'T TURN OVER. 3. ENGINE REPLACED WITH REBUILT ENGINE. (GOOD DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM IS AVAILABLE FROM JASPER ENGINES AT HTTP://WWW.JASPERENGINES.COM/PDF/38_42_TB.PDF). A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND HERE: HTTP://FORUMS.TREEMEDIA.COM/FB/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-224.HTML

ENGINE MOTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH SHORTED OUT, FLAMES APPEARED AND BURNT THE BRAKE BOOSTER.*AK

WHILE PARKED FOR 30 MINUTES VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET CRACKED. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

IN FALL OF 2003, HAD COOLANT LEAK AT 60,000 MILES. COOLANT WAS POORING OUT OF FRONT OF MOTOR. FORD DEALER SAID IT NEEDED NEW FRONT ENGINE GASKET. THEY SPLIT THE $500 COST WITH ME. ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER, THE TRUCK BEGAN KNOCKING LOUDLY. HAD NEW HEADERS PUT IN . . . DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NO HELP FROM FORD. VERY GOOD CARE IS GIVEN MY VEHICLES. THE TRUCK WAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED ON SCHEDULE, NEVER USED OFF ROAD OR FOR TOWING. VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT A TRUCK TREATED LIKE A CAR WOULD HAVE SUCH PROBLEMS.

DEFECTIVE GASKETS CAUSED COOLLENT TO LEAK INTO MY ENGINE - BENT THE ROD AND DAMAGED THE VALVE - REBUILT ENGINE -

HAVE OWNED A 1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AND HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT IT HAS A THROWN ROD (SECOND TIME IN THE LAST 2 YEARS). *JB

ENGINE COOLANT LEAKING THROUGH THE ENGINE'S FRONT GASKET. LEAKING A JUG OF COOLANT EVERY TWO TO THREE HOURS. WILL COST ME OVER $700 TO FIX. CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX, SO I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC PROVIDED ME WITH A DOCUMENT FROM FORD ADVISING DEALERSHIPS THEY KNEW THE PROBLEM EXISTED, BUT DIDN'T RECALL THE VEHICLE. GOT STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR OVER AN HOUR IN 20 DEGREE WEATHER. LUCKY MY 3 YEAR OLD WAS NOT WITH ME. IF THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE VEHICLE. *NM

MY ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET HAS FAILED IN LINE WITH FORD'S RECALL 99B29. FORD DOES NOT INCLUDE MY TRUCK IN THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN. MY TRUCK IS CURRENTLY LEAKING A GREAT DEAL OF COOLANT THROUGH THE FAILED FRONT COVER GASKET. THIS COULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF HELPING ME OR FIXING MY TRUCK. *JB

I AM SENDING IN A FULL LETTER TO EXPLAIN THE "FAILURES". IT CENTERS AROUND TSB 99B29 AND LACK OF OWNER NOTIFICATION OF A BAD FRONT COVER DESIGN THAT CAN LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH OCCURRED IN THIS CASE. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD A TIE ROD FAILURE THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT LATER BROKE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, MY CRANK SHAFT PULLEY / DAMPENER ASSEMBLY FELL OFF WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING (70 MPH). THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES INCLUDING DOOR LOCK / KEY STICKING.*AK CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V196000 COMPONENT: STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR. THE ENGINE COVER GASKET FAILED. *TC THE SERPENTINE FAILED, THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN AKWARD SHIFT, THE WIPERS OPERATED PERIODICALLY BY THEMSELVES ON HIGH SPEED, THERE WAS LITTLE HEAT COMING FROM THE VENTS THROUGH THE FLOOR. *JB

I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP FROM THE ENGINE. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND POPPED HOOD TO INVESTIGATE. THE BACKFIRE CONTINUED UPON STARTING ENGINE. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD. FORD HAD ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THE ENTIRE ENGINE HEAD SHOULD BE REPLACED. $3400. FURTHER, I SAW THE SAME REPORT ON KARE 11 NEWS BY JANE SHORTAL. CHECK OUT KARE11.COM FOR COMPLETE ARTICLE. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT FORD REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE IT.*AK

COOLANT LEAKING IN TO CRANK CASE DUE TO DEFECTIVE GASKETS, PLEASE SEE HTTP://WWW.LEAKINGFORDS.COM/ FOR DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE THEN SEIZED UP. *JB

NAR 6-03-2003 *MR DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS RUINING THE ENGINE. *CB

FORD HAS ENGINE PROBLEMS AND WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE GASKET PROBLEM. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT PROVES OF THIS EXISTING PROBLEM WITH 1997 F-150 SERIES TRUCK. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN AT NORRIS FORD FOR 3 MONTHS, THE BILL IS 4600.00 TO DATE. *AK

I OWN A 97 FORD F-150 WITH A 4.2L, V6. ON JULY 16, 2004, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO 2 MECHANICS AND BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED, WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDER. AT COLD START, THE COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER CAUSED THE PISTON ROD TO BEND. MECHANICS STATED THAT NEW ENGINE WOULD COST $3,000 - 3,500 TO REPLACE. *LA

VEHICLE'S ENGINE HAS SEVERE MOTOR DAMAGE.*MR WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A TICKING SOUND WHICH DEVELOPED INTO A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE GAUGES SHOWED A RAPID LOST OF OIL AND A RISING TEMPERATURE, BUT NOT TO A CRITICAL LEVEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY A BROKEN PISTON ROD THAT HAD EXITED THE MOTOR THROUGH THE OIL PAN. *JB

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL ENGINE STARTED. *AK

TUNE UP. SEE ODI NO 562415. NAR 12/04/2002. *MR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO GET A TUNE UP. 4 HOURS LATER THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO BLOW APART. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE SERVICE ATTENDANT TO GET AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE VEHICLE IS NOW MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONSUMER WOULD REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGES DONE TO THE VEHICLE. *CB *JB

CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY SEEMED TO BE DEAD. THE NEXT DAY THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE AGAIN. THE DRIVER COULD HEAR A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC STATED WATER HAD SEEPED DOWN INTO THE CYLINDERS. *JB

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE BLEW OUT. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE. FORD WOULD NOT PAY RESTITUTION FOR THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE PARKED IT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED LATER ON, IT EXPLODED. THE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE. *SC *JB

MY 1997 FORD F-150, WHICH HAS BEEN PRIMARILY DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY, AND HAS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT IT'S LIFESPAN, JUST THREW A ROD AT 107,000 MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY COMPLAINTS ON RECORD REGARDING THIS AND THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT WITH FORD. *JB

FORD F-150 COMPLAINT ON 4.2L /V6 ENGINE. ENGINE HAD TOTAL FAILURE AT 69K DUE TO ENGINE COOLANT LEAK INTO MOTOR. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICES FOR GASKET PROBLEM NOTED IN OWNER NOTIFICATION BULLETINS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED BY FORD. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM DUE TO POORLY ENGINEERED FAULTY PARTS USED BY FORD IN THIS MOTOR. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND ALL V6 F-150 OWNERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR DAMAGES BY FORD. I NEED TO PAY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. *JB