Well, my truck is back in the service as of this morning. Beside old issues we all know about that are on their 4th repair attempt (truck laboring, deccelerating faster than when new when taking foot of the gas pedal, overdrive off being much louder than when new, supercharger not being as loud as when new, cracking sounds from dashboard, leather on the passenger side front seat being deformed), and noises from engine I already talked about here (that are on their 3rd repair attempt), I also have some new issues that are being repaired for first time:

1) Behavior of truck’s body during drive. When driving over uneven surface one can feel following:

1.a) Vibration and (undampened?) shaking in the cabin and bed area. This can be felt and heard coming (sometimes even very violently) from passenger side area (with whole passenger seat shaking very visibly), and can be also felt in steering wheel and driver’s seat. My buddy that was driving behind me today (he was giving me ride back) said that he could see bed of a truck shaking badly.

1.b) “Hopping” coming from passenger rear side
1.c) Excessive chassis flex
1.d) Uneven shifting of weight

This can be all noticed best while driving on freeways that have concrete joins, especially at speeds of 70-80mph. At same time, one can hear chassis flexing even when driving slowly over uneven parking lot, or pulling into / out of parking lot.

2) Electrical outlet in dashboard toward driver is not working

3) Rubber on emergency brake pedal is peeling off

4) Piece of plastic thread in gas tank filler broke off

One thing makes this vistit different than others though. This time shope foreman was able to see shaking of engine I am talking about. Also, prior to this visit other people that own same truck as mine experienced issues with my truck. This time Ford can not chalk it up to "we don't see anything".

In any case, I don't know what is average number of issues people report for these vehicles in first year of ownership, but I believe what I am experiencing is excessive and has no excuse. What has even less excuse is fact that Ford is not stepping up to the plate.

ZoranC

 

ZoranC, I feel your pain. I had a 99 Mustang GT that I had all kind of problems with. The first 4 months I had it, it spent 3 of them in the shop. It took them 3 times of repairing the rear end before they finally just replaced the entire rear axle. I guess we both got one of those Friday or Monday built models. Needless to say I ditched the Mustang and bought a 2002 4x4 SuperCrew. I have not had any problems with it so far and I bought it in November of last year. I wish I would have done it sooner!

The thing you need to consider is that once that base warranty expires you are going to be paying even more out of pocket. I had a 5 yr extetnded warranty on the Mustang and I found out the hard way that those extended warranties don't cover much of anything and I was paying money every time I went to the shop. That really pissed me of considering the car wasn't even paid for yet.

 

mrgardi, I can relate to your pain too and I thank you for words of support. I will not be resolving this by taking financial impact I am not responsible for. Ford Motor Company will have to deal with it, one way or the other.

ZoranC

 

Looking back I should have ripped Ford a new one and requested that they take the car back, but I guess you live and learn.

I guess someone was telling me that I should have got SuperCrew in 99 instead :-)

 

Zo- What year is your HD? My 2003 flexes a bit on the freeway when going over concrete control joints. I didn't know if it was me or if most trucks do it. I was accustomed to my '01 L which didn't have that tendency.

 

It is '02. Mine is flexing much much more than a bit. Shaking can be so violent that I can not speak because my jaw is shaking. Passenger side chair would shake so much that it would be louder than my radio. It would feel as if you are in the plane that is going through some very rough weather or how they depict in movies descent from outer space. Whole truck is shaking as if it wants to fall apart.

ZoranC

 

You didnt hear this from me but there is a TSB for the vibration. The special bar was installed on my truck. I should have my truck back tomorrow and ill take pics of this bar. It absorbs all of the vibes you feel on the freeway. The true test will be driving home on the I-10. Thats a killer freeway to be driving in an F150 as your teeth will chatter.

 

Thanks!

 

Hope everything goes OK Zoran.

 

Post the TSB #....

 

Yeah, please, it would help.