I got my f-150 back from the the dealer yesterday for PS. The dealer wouldnt fix it and gave me a sheet of paper stating the most common problems from f-150's. Some will be fixed some won't such as PS. It's long and I'm going word by word.

17320 1997 - 2004 MULTIPLE VEHICLES WITH 5.4L 2-VALVE - BROKEN EXHAUST STUDS....SOME 1997 - 2004 E-SERIES/EXPEDITION, 1997- 2003 F-150, 1998 - 1999 NAVIGATOR AND 1999 - 2004 SUPER DUTY F-SERIES VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5.4 2-VALVE NON-SUPERCHARGED ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS. TO SERVICE, REPLACE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND MANIFOLD GASKET(S) AND ALL EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS AND NUTS ON THE AFFECTED BANK WITH STAINLESS STEEL STUDS (W703902) AND NUTS (W701706-S2)


16751 1997 - 2003 F150 AND 1997 - 1998 F250LD - RATTLE IN EXHAUST SYSTEM....SOME 1997 - 2003 F150 AND 1997 - 1998 F250LD MAY EXHIBIT A NOISE COMING FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SHELL THAT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO LOOSE INTERNAL COMPONENTS. IF NORMAL WORKSHOP MANUAL DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES DO NOT INDICATE AN EXHAUST SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, THE CATALYST SHOULD NOT BE REPLACED. FORD ENGINEERING IS WORKING ON A REPAIR PROCEDURE WHICH SHOULD BE RELEASED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE MONITOR OASIS FOR UPDATES.


16403 1999 - 2003 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5.4L-2V/4V OR 6.8-2V ENGINE - LIGHT TICK OR RATTLE TYPE NOISE FROM ENGINE AFTER COLD START....SOME 1999 - 2003 E-SERIES, F-SERIES, EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION AND 2002 - 2003 BLACKWOOD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5.4-2V/4V OR 6.8-2V ENGINE MAY EXIBIT A LIGHT TICKING OR RATTLING TYPE NOISE AFTER A COLD START WHICH MAY LAST UNTIL ENGINE WARM UP. THE NOISE IS DUE TO COMBINATION OF LIGHT LOAD OPERATING CONDITIONS AND NORMAL BORE CLEARENCES PRESENT IN A COLD ENGINE. THIS NOISE DOES NOT AFFECT PERFORMANCE OR LONG-TERM DURABILITY OF THE ENGINE


16166 2003 VARIOUS VEHICLE LINES - GRUNT/POP NOISE FROM COMPRESSOR UPON ENGINE START UP....SOME VEHICLES WITH AIR CONDITIONING UTILIZING R-134A MAY EXHIBIT A MOMENTARY GRUNT/POP AFER BEING PARKED FOR SOME TIME AND THE COMPRESSOR IS ENGAGED BEFORE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS WARMED UP. THIS IS DUE TO R134A BEING PUMPED OUT OF THE COMPRESSOR/ R134A WILL TRAVEL TO THE COOLEST POINT (THE COMPRESSOR) ONCE THRE ENGINE HAS COOLED, DUE TO THE TEMP DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE ENGINE AREA AND THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. WHILE MANY VEHICLES PCM STRATEGIES THAT ADDRESS THIS BYREPEATEDLY CYCLING THE COMPRESSOR ON START-UP, THIS MAY NOT COMPLETLY ELIMINATE THE NOISE. REPLACING A/C COMPONENTS WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS, AND COMPONENT DURABILITYIS NOT AFFECTED. MINIMIZE THE NOISE BY TURNING THE A/C SYSTEM TO VENT BEFORE EXITING AND IN MILD AMBIENT TEMPS (50-75F), WAITING A FEW MINUTES BEFORE TURNING ONTHE A/C OR DEFROST.

Thats all, hope it answers some questions.

 

I think the numbers to the left are TSB's

 

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Great POST, We have 6 of those trucks at work and this is going on the bullletin board!

 

bent_wrench..I was talking about piston slap...not power steering

 

oh piston slap. if its under warrent and you complain enough they should either replace the motor or the pistons themselves.
there was a post recently that someone ran abrand of oil that made his almost stop PSing and he was happy with that.

yea too bad ford claims the cold engine piston slap is normal they even say it wont deminnish the life of the engine. but how much piston slap can be normal? does it do it for more than 5 minutes after start up? i would say that would be way beyond normal.

 

16166 2003 VARIOUS VEHICLE LINES - GRUNT/POP NOISE FROM COMPRESSOR UPON ENGINE START UP....SOME VEHICLES WITH AIR CONDITIONING UTILIZING R-134A MAY EXHIBIT A MOMENTARY GRUNT/POP AFER BEING PARKED FOR SOME TIME AND THE COMPRESSOR IS ENGAGED BEFORE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS WARMED UP.

I had this problem, went away on it's own. Weird... Sounded like someone hit the firewall with a smal ball peen hammer, one time, lightly. It happened for about two months, every time I started cold each morning, then went away. Never to return.,,,98

 

98SCREAMER, does your A/C still work?

My 2003 pops, but does not bother me

 

mr-bentwrench...No the piston slap does not go on for more than 5 minutes. It lasts about 15 seconds, but it depends on the outside temp. The cold the temp the longer it slaps. And I agree, it can't be good for the motor. As far as the complaining to the dealer goes I was yelling by the time I left. I hate to say it but my next truck will be a toyota.

My A/C has never poped.

 

Noticed your location - get out of the city to one of the outter "home owned" dealerships. Go to Lawrenceville or Dawsonville - they have excellent service departments.

On another note, I have a 5.4 XLT farm truck that has PS and I switched it over to synthertic oil @ 65K miles. That helped to minimalize the PS - it is still there but not as bad. The truck gets driven hard and has over 120K on it now with no other engine problems.