I have a 2001 with the 5.4L engine. I'm having a problem with the belp slipping when I start it on a cold morning or when I accelerate hard.

The belt was replaced at about 9,000 miles and that fixed the problem for about 1,000 miles. I'm now at 12,000 and the slipping is getting worse, and the service people look at me like I'm crazy for complaining about.

They say it could be the pulley or the tensioner. But the same old story as most any other problem Ive had with a US made vehicle. Unable to duplicate the noise so they wont try to fix it.

Is this a common issue with these trucks?

 

It's common enough that your dealer should know what to do about it.

Since it's happened twice in such a short period of time, it's probably a bad tensioner. If not that, then you might have a problem with one or more of the pulleys. There have been instances of a pulley being out of alignment and in one case a loose a/c compressor mount.

 

The dealer I bought the truck at couldnt fix a flat tire, so I'm stuck with going to another dealer and they are not overly interested in helping.

 

Sorry to hear about your sucky (always wanted to say that here, lol) dealer.

I've heard others say that you can take your truck to a Lincoln-Mercury dealer too. Some guys swear that the service is better. Must be true because I take mine to the Lincoln-Mercury dealer too. (Well, the local Ford dealer is ALSO the L-M dealer.)

 

Yes, it's common; people complain about that problem all the time here. Lots of new belts, many tensioners, and a few loose accessory mounts. Many complain after installing a Superchip. My first belt squealed. I believe it was because the belt had all of the black paint worn from the pulleys burnished on it. I got a new belt and haven't had any problem since then.

 

Another great reason for Ford to go to the chrome pulleys they show in the ad pictures of the 5.4 NA and SC. No paint to come off on the belts.