This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
On the passenger side of the engine pan the dipstick adapter was manufactured poorly. The oil from the crankcase has caused the oring to swell and leak oil. The oil leak is getting on the starter and clutch. The oil can cause a short in the electrical system. This can cause an accident or death while driving. The oil on the clutch can cause loss of control and cause an accident or death. The oring can swell and fall off the adaptor and become lodged in the oil pickup. This will starve the motor of oil and cause a catastrophic failure of the motor while driving. This can cause an accident or death. Due to the inherent poor design the oring that is submerged in oil should be compatible with oil or be able to be replaced. It is not possible to replace the oring due to due to the terrible design of the dipstick assembly. To replace this oring with a proper oil compatible one requires the disassembly of the motor and the removal of the motor to gain access to the defective part. This is a common problem on all vehicles of the same make and model from 1988-2006.
While driving my 1997 Ford F350 diesel pickup, pulling a 36ft gooseneck horse trailer with my two teenage daughters and their four horses, the engine in my pickup spontaneously ignited. There was no "check engine" warning light, and the engine temperature gauge showed normal. The only warning I had was smoke coming up from the left wheel well upon speed decrease to turn a corner. I was traveling a short distance from home and at a low rate of speed (less than 40mph) during the travel from my home to the local fairgrounds for rodeo practice. As I turned the corner, the smoke billowed. I immediately pulled over and smoke filled the cab of the pickup. My two daughters and I quickly evacuated the vehicle and called 911. We quickly unloaded the livestock from the trailer and got far away from the scene. My fiance, who was traveling behind us in another vehicle, tried putting the fire out with the fire extinguisher I carried in my pickup, but to no avail. As an emergency responder himself, he had the presence of mind to unhook the pickup from the horse trailer and push it away as it became engulfed in flames. By the time the fire department arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and a total loss. From the time I noticed the smoke until the fire consumed the vehicle was less than 15 minutes. My daughters have been traumatized by this incident. We have suffered significant financial and economic loss as a result of this spontaneous fire. I need to make people aware of this to prevent others from suffering similar loss, injury or even death. I am aware that there are multiple electrical issues with this make/model vehicle. I received no recall notices from Ford, or warning of any kind that something like this could happen to my vehicle as a result of a faulty part (which is what we believed to be the cause of this fire).
On August 1, 2010, our Ford F150 (VIN [xxx]) started on fire and burned from the engine on out. The hood is totally burned through and the windshield also burned. The entire engine compartment is ruined. The truck was in our driveway at the time and we were alerted my neighbors who saw flames shooting 10' into the sky. We believe this engine fire was due to one of the recalls of Ford's faulty switches or wiring that ignited the spark into a full burn.
The truck started having electrical problems, which would come and go. These problems became more severe and numerous as time went by. At first it was just the warning lights coming on and then things like the radio coming on in the middle of the night and no one had the key even in. It would also shift into 4-wheel for no reason. These would only happen once in a while. Then one day when I went to go to work I opened the door and everything came on just opening the door. I got in and put the key in and tried to start the truck but there was nothing. I then noticed the smell of electrical items burning and immediately took out the key. I called the local Ford dealer and ask if they knew what was going on. They immediately replied that these trucks have a problem with the windshield leaking on the GEM module and fuse box. When I took the truck in to have it looked at they said the starter, solenoid, and fuse had all burned up. The fuse box also had burned at several fuse locations and had to be replaced. When the new parts came the mechanic noticed that they now had plastic covers on them to help prevent moisture from getting to them. Now all this stuff burned up in my truck while sitting in my garage at night without it even having the key in the ignition. I'm concerned that this could have burned my house down with me and my family in sleeping. Now if the dealership knew this was a problem how come this was not a recall item. It cost me just under a grand to fix not to mention my wife won't let me park it in the garage anymore because she's afraid of a fire.
- Lapeer, MI, USA
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(1) vehicle randomly dying while driving in traffic (2) cam postion sensor, engine dies, loss of power steering, loss of power brakes (both a nessesity with a diesel pick up to be able to maintain control due to thier weight) (3) replace the cam position sensor at appoximately $140.
After being parked for 4hrs.and unattended my 1997 Ford F-150 4X4 truck VIN.# [xxx] caught fire in engine compartment. Fire appears to have started in the area of the master cylinder. This was observed from the hole that was burnt in the hood on the left front of vehicle's hood. Fire report states electrical as cause of fire.the intire engine copartment is a total loss.as is the truck itself. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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- San Rafael, CA, USA