1987 FORD F150 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TREAD ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, CAUSING SLIGHT LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP,WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION.

MY 1987' FORD F150 HAS DUAL FUEL TANKS, WITH THE TANK SELECTOR SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON 01/25/06 AND NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN I PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY BEFORE SHUTTING IT OFF. I LEFT IT RUNNING WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, STEPPED OUT OF THE TRUCK, AND GAS WAS SPILLING OUT OF THE FILLER HOLE FOR THE FRONT TANK. I ONLY RAN OFF THE REAR TANK. EVIDENTLY, THE FUEL SWITCHING VALVE WAS PUTTING THE UNUSED FUEL IN THE FRONT TANK INSTEAD OF THE REAR TAN, , CAUSING THE FRONT TANK TO OVERFLOW. IT WAS A POSSIBLE FIRE RISK. ! I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER & THE SVC/PARTS MANAGER WHO WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS EXISTING PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD BE $400 TO FIX IT. FORD CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE DUAL FUEL TANK SYSTEM IN 1990 , BUT DIDN'T ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE TRUCKS PRIOR TO THE CHANGE. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL 87V139000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK

SHUT VEHICLE OFF, THEN, ON RESTART AND IGNITION SWITCH FAILED FOLLOWED BY SMOKE UNDER HOOD. FUSIBLE LINK CAUGHT FIRE BY SOLENOID. IF I HAD NOT BEEN NEAR THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AROUND ME. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND WAS NOT NOTICED IMMEDIATELY, IT COULD HAVE ENDANGERED MY LIFE OR OTHERS. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED UNTIL AUGUST OF 1987 WELL AFTER THE SWITCH REDESIGN THAT FROM WHAT I CAN COLLECT INFORMATION ON WAS REDESIGNED IN MAY OF 1987 SO THE SWITCH DESIGN ON MY VEHICLE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE SAME PART BEING RECALLED. FIVE YEARS AGO I OWNED A 1990 F150 THAT HAD THE SAME EXACT IGNITION SWITCH AND THEY SENT ME A RECALL FOR THAT VEHICLE. I CHECKED FOR RECALL ON THIS ONE AND THEY DO NOT OFFER IT. I AM OUTRAGED CONSIDERING THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME EXACT IGNITION SWITCH DESIGN AND DID FAIL AS THE RECALL MENTIONED SOME VEHICLES WOULD AND YET I AM LEFT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE. NOT ONLY THAT, HERE IS A PORTION OF INFORMATION TAKEN FROM "THEAUTOCHANNEL.COM" FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS DEFENDING THEIR STANCE ON THE RECALL. HERE ARE SOME FACTS COMPILED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IN RELATION TO THE ISSUE: * THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 900 REPORTS OF FIRES FROM THE SWITCHES IN THIS COUNTRY. IN SOME CASES, FIRES OCCURRED EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PARKED AND SHUT OFF. * FORD HAS LONG SAID THE FIRE REPORTS FORD DISCLOSED TO NHTSA INCLUDED ALL THOSE THEY KNEW OF THAT COULD HAVE STARTED NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN _ MEANING UNVERIFIED REPORTS AS WELL AS FIRES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE IGNITION SWITCH. * FORD DID NOT RECALL ANY VEHICLES PRIOR TO 1988 BECAUSE THE AUTOMAKERS TIED THE SWITCH FIRES TO A FAULTY DESIGN CHANGE MADE BY A MANUFACTURER IN MAY 1987. THAT CHANGE REDUCED THE SPACE BETWEEN A BATTERY AND GROUND TERMINAL, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A SHORT CIRCUIT AND FIRE, FORD OFFICIALS SAID. *NM

DT: WED. JUNE 29, 2005 CALLER HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON AFTER MARKET WHEELS AND WAL-MART OVER TORQUED LUGS:NUTS. SHOULD HAVE BEEN TORQUED AT 84 FOOT POUNDS, INSTEAD THERE WERE TORQUES AT 100 FOOT POUND. ASA RESULT, LUGS:NUTS WERE STRIPPED ON DRIVER?S SIDE FRONT AND BACK. CALLER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER WHEELS AS WELL. WALL MART ADVISED CALLER TO GET NEW ONES, THEY WILL POT THEM ON, AND PAY HIM BACK. CALLER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING VEHICLE WITHOUT LUGS:NUTS. *AK