Sad thing is....this is too little, too late for me. I traded in my '99 super cab when the gasket began leaking AFTER it had been fixed once already. As much as I hated to do it, I wasn't going to shell out $1400 a year to have a defect repaired out of my pocket. The repair only lasted 10 months. I'm very satisfied with my new supercrew, but wish I could have reconciled this problem, shoot, the thing would have nearly been paid of by now, instead I have 4 more years of payments to look forward to.

 

Hey I'm not goign to get on Fords case about this since my 99 is the forth Ford I've had in a row. But it's about time Ford admits there is a major problem. My 99 has the 4.6 and at 34,000 miles it already leaking. The head gasket went on my old 3.8 Tarus at 130,000 miles but at least Ford covered them to 100,000.

From what I've been reading this problem is at least as big if not bigger than the problem they had with the 3.8. If they don't watch out and start reacting they'll end up class action lawsuit against by the all the people that have to fork over money to get it fixed. In my case I'm lucky it's still under warranty, but I now have to seriously consider spend another $1200 on extended warranty because I just can't trust it.

 

20,000 and still no leaks, bad pressure sensor but no leaks.

 

This IS good that Ford is doing this. I had my 99 5.4 replaced with an FQR after leak and piston slap and had never trusted it since. That is one of the reasons I bought a new one - I didn't want a 99 that wasn't covered under warranty. Now people in my shoes should be covered even if they are outside the 3/36 warranty.

 

I had the same head gasket problem last year, only I didn't know it. I had just had the tranny worked on, and noticed fluid leaking fromm the bottom of the tranny case. Took it back, told them tranny was leaking(I assumed). Picked it up and they had replaced both heads and gaskets under warranty.

Yeah, I have had a few probs with my truck, but no more than my chevy buddies have had, and alot less than my dodge buddies(who are almost all switched over to Fords by now).

Bottom line, no more troubles than other brands, better lookin' truck, more powerful truck, and Ford(or at least the my dealer)has kept me happy by fixing and giving me a rental to drive while I am out of my truck. all in all, you can't beat that.

 

Not so sure about your math there Coach... There's noo way Chevy's 5.3 is averaging out 7.5 miles per gallon better than Ford's 5.4. Just about every publication I've read has found the 5.3 to average around 1 mile per gallon better. Without a diesel, I don't think you could average 21.5 mpg going down hill on the highway with the wind behind you going 50 miles an hour.

 

First post here. I am an active member on Ford Probe forum, as have a 93 Probe with 160k.

Just called Ford Customer service this morning about my 1999 F150 with 5.4. I noticed was spilling a lot of oil out the side of the heads. Had assumed it was leaking valve cover gaskets, so was planning on biting the bullet and having them fixed. Anyway, the rep at Ford said it was VIN specific, and did not involve all 99's with the 5.4, and mine wasn't listed as a problem. I wonder if they were just giving me the run around...

 

Lee Carter, any chance you could get your local dealer to share the vin range??? I would be interested.

 

Its all Jac Nasser's fault. He's the goof that cut budgets and urged all parties to cut corners to save a buck.

Look at his legacy...

5.4 issues
4.2 issues
botched Escape launch
botched Focus launch
possible Focus recalls for engine fires and crash worthiness
Chevy closing the sales gap
The Blackwood (no comment required)
and any number of other problems chronicled on BON.

I'm glad he's gone!

 

I agree with J-150 on the Jac Nasser thing. My 5.4 averages about 20mpg during the summer, but I do live in Alaska where all my miles are highway. In the winter my mpg drops to like 14-15 though.

 

Funny how there are always two sides of the coin...I won a Chevy buyback of my 1999 Shakerado..err..Silverado.It was the biggest piece of Chevy ever made..it shook so bad that the electric window motor vibrated out of the door....my wife pulled into ht edriveway and the seat lock fell out almost sending her through the windshield.....the front tires were bulding steel after a few K....it would through coffee out of the cup in the cup holder at 55 MPH.....it will be a long time before GM gets my money again...this is my second f150 since then a y2k reg cab abd this supercrew...niether has been in the shop...GO FIGURE....

 

I called the dealer. He never heard of any recall... Said to check back in a few days.

 

The Chevy mileage figures are about right. My dad owns a 2001 3/4-ton Silverado 4x4 with the 5.3 and gets 21 mpg on the highway. I was getting about 15 mpg with my 5.4. But, I installed a Flowmaster muffler, and along with a K&N and intake mods, I just recorded a best mileage of 18.7 mpg today.

 

In Tuesdays' Windsor Star newspaper-
" Ford Motor Company is working to improve an engine defect that is causing oil leaks in some truck models. ..... Ahead gasket is causing leaks from some 5.4 litre V8 truck engines, primarily in F-series pickup trucks from the 1999 model year, Ford spokesman Todd Nissen said.The affected engines also are installed in some Expeditions,Navigators and Econoline vans. Nissen declined to comment on the number of vehicles affected."
I machine the head decks on some 5.4s', so now I have proof that IT AINT MY FAULT!!!!!

 

I don't own a Silverado, but I can just about guarentee you if you compare apples to apples there's no way the Chevy will AVERAGE 7 miles per gallon more than the Ford... Speak up if I'm wrong, but I'm just not going for it!