I'm posting this in response to all the new people I've seen running around on the boards lately. (BTW, welcome to F150online! )

In this section of the boards, people usually discuss engine problems (obviously). I'd just like to say that the number of posts you see here all have to do with the few people that have problems. You have too look at the simple fact that there are 20,000 people on the board. If more people had problems, you'd see a heck of a lot more posts in here. Ford makes a fine product and there must be a good reason why the F-150 is the best selling vehicle in the world. Don't shy away from that tempting 5.4L because you've heard people have piston slap. I'd bet for every person with piston slap, 5 people don't have it. Want a 4.6 5-spd, but concerned about misfire? It's a proven engine; been around since the early 1990's and has been abused by taxi companys, police departments, and the Mustang boys for a long time. Need the fuel economy of the v-6? Buy it. It's a fine engine and it'll last you a long time. Just look at the hell Talleywacker has put his through!

I guess the point of this post is to open up some light in a seemingly dark section of the boards. I'm not saying that every Ford will be trouble free; a vehicle is a piece of machinery, and parts of it will wear out eventually. I am saying, though, that Ford's hit a home run with their F-150, and it continues to get better all the time. Sure there are design flaws, but if you look at comparable Chevrolet and Dodge vehicles, you'll find that they have their own (and in many cases, more) design flaws. It like I said, there must be some reason that F-150 is the best selling vehicle in the world.

-Flea

 

Bravo FleasF-150eatshondas,
When I first started reading this I was wondering "what the he(( is he getting to, but I got it now.
I have had my share of problems with my truck but I have NEVER been left standing on the side of the highway. Nor have I had it back to the dealer except for recalls.
Truth is that most of the people who post here have run the $hi+ out of their trucks and most of the problems, like mine, are from not leaving well enough alone.
Just read my signature.
I LOVE MY F150. I love playing with the performance and running it HARD.
If I can get 120,000 miles out of it ANYONE can.
I would be BOARD with any other vehicle.

Thanks for pointing this out to those who may not know...

 

WLF

Pardon my memory, but I see in your sig you mention Trak-lok diff. Didn't you get a Powertrax?

Sorry for the off-topc response, Flea, you're right, I've never been happier with any vehicle. And tell you the truth I love the dealer I go to. It's a great experience owning the truck and interacting with the folks...

 

I am proud to say I own a Ford F150 and just started getting into mods to improve an already great truck. I think my dad who just bought a 2003 Z71 once he traded in his 00 F150 7700 should read this.

 

i even love my door cracks.

 

cpadpl,
Hmmmmm, don't know how I did that. I'ts fixed. I do indeed have the Powertrax no slip. Thanks.
Is there such a thing as a tracklok??
It may be one of the rears made by Powertrax.
Thanks again.

 

WLF

Yes there is a Trak-lok, and it's made by the Detroit Locker company. Perhaps you were so immersed in rear-end differentials that you suffered a near-breakdown during the time of your purchase...What kind of diff did you have b-4 the Powertrax, LS or Non-LS?

 

I like everything about my truck except for the times I have had it back to the shop. 3 minor things, but had the dreaded passenger head leak. Replaced the head and about a zillion gaskets at 28K. Have 48K now and seems to run ok and have not seen a new leak. When they replaced the head they put a power improved head on (at least that is what the part number said). But since the head replacement, the engine idles rougher that with the original head, not severe, just rougher. I had a noticeable increase in power/torque at the low end immediately after I got the truck back from the shop. Someone told me it was probably a combination of new head and having the carbon removed during the replacement. Whatever.

My point is, I love my truck. Everything is just where it should be the ride is excellent. The power, especially with the superchip, is perfect for me. If it wasn't for my fear of a new head gasket glitch, I would have been 100% satisfied. Right now I am about 85% because I had to get an extended warranty for peace of mind. This was a negative because it cost me money.

I am thinking about the new Ford Diesel F250, but I am still thinking based on my recent experience.

F150, 4.6L Romeo, auto, superchipped

 

Flea,

Thanks for this timely and appropriate message. I needed to hear that. I had an 80, 81 F150 and an 84 and 86 Bronco, all new. Except for a couple of minor problems they were are great trucks. I then had a 92 Dakota 4x4, biggest POS on earth. So I went to Toyota and had three flawless Totota trucks, but wanted to go back to US.

So, I bought a 2002 FX4 and havehad it the dealer three times for oil leaks and now they are changing the engine. I'm hanging in there and looking forward to getting it backl this week. I'm hoping it's like having a baby (I'm told, hehe) that you forget about the pain.

PS. Toyotas run great as long as you don't need out of warranty work. $5K to $7K to replace and engine, weak R&Ps, and so on.

Thanks again for the positive statement.

Pete

 

Hi all,

I agree, in that I would have said the same thing up until the day my truck left me stranded at 82K with a blown spark plug (and costly repair bill to replace the aluminum cylinder head, due to stripped threads).

I come on-line to investigate, only to find lots of reports of the same problem from many years ago, many occurring at extremely low mileage. I call Ford, only to be told they've never heard of this problem?

Others have been told the same thing for problems even for which a TSB or recall statement had been issued (I guess you have to quote 'chapter and verse' for the recall, or they may not 'find it').

I came on-line here, only to learn of other common issues with the F-150 (e.g. the door crack issue) that Ford has failed to notify me about. Odd, since my address has been the same since the day I bought, and they never fail to mail their latest promotional mailer or special sales for registered owners to me..... Hmmmm.... wonder why they could've failed to notify consumers of such issues? Perhaps inactivity with time passing is on their side?

Frankly, anyone who has experienced no problems with their vehicle has absolutely no business commenting on the quality of Customer Service, since the true 'acid test' of customer service is not the customer who currently has no problems (or is blissfully, stupidly ignorant of existing, but potential or known design flaws), but how they handle customer's problems once they are reported.

Therefore, the experiences of those who report here are extremely relevent, since a potential Ford buyer can reasonably expect to have similar experiences with Customer Service (or Disservice, if you will), if the worst case scenario happens to them (knock on wood).

I think you guys are hoping not to jinx your vehicles or upset Ford by daring to admit that things can and do go wrong with the F-150, and your beloved vehicle may not be as perfect and care-free as hoped (and expected, based on Ford's aggressive advertising claims).

Of course, the F-150's only a machine, and machines break for various reasons, some due to the operator error and some due to fundamental design flaws; some due to expected failure at the end of the product service life. It doesn't matter if it's a Ford or Dodge or Chevy: engines will break.

In the case of early failure, the question is how the company responds to reports. That's the issue.

Honestly, I hope no one has problems like some have, and that's exactly why I'm keeping the blown spark plug issue on the front burner: to make sure that the situation is investigated and handled properly, and not just buried by Ford.

The net goal is to end up with a better, more reliable product; that makes everyone a winner, in the end: comsumers AND FoMoCo.

Anyone with experience in product design and engineering realizes that EVERY product is a work in progress, and there's always room for improvement. But failing to admit and respond to problems is absolutely failing to allow for growth and improvement.

Large corporations like Ford can't always be expected to 'police' themselves in a timely fashion, and sometimes they need to be compelled or pressured to do what they need to do (look at all the Police Departments currently sueing Ford via class action lawsuits, trying to get Ford to address the problem of rupturing gas tanks in their Crown Victoria line of police cruisers).

BTW, the "best-selling" claim is meaningless: McDonald's is the best-selling burger, but does that make it the best? Not likely.... Remember that popularity can have nothing to do with quality (after all, Brittany Spears sells alot of records: does that make her the best?).

Chris

 

Well, here I am being blissfully, stupidly ignorant, because I have had no problems with my 2001 F150, and none with my wife's 2002 F150. I did have a problem with her 1999 Explorer that the dealer would not cover under warranty, but when I complained to ford it was fixed with no problem.

 

Orriginally posted by feefer
I don't think anyone posted to the quality of service. Only that we have what we think are good trucks.
I am sorry you have had this bad experience.
That said don't tell me I have no right to post. I have every right and will continue to post my opinion. As they say, everyone has one...

cpadpl
I had a Factory LS which did not really work.

WLF

 

Feefer,

I understand your frustration, but you shouldn't try and force your opinion on to others. I have had some minor pronblems on my vehicle, but feel they have been taken care of adequately.

Just out of curiousity, how many people do you think you have found that have the blown spark plug syndrome. Of those people how many are supercharged, how many of them are performance modded (how many running nos) and how many of them are stock? I would be curious as to the breakdown.

I hope your truck turns out fine.

 

Hi! mhussey,

Please don't tell that's a 4.7 Dodge in that f150.!@# (See your sig.)



sly

 

Hi Naviman and all,

Of course, people can post whatever they want: I'm all for free speech, and currently serve in the military to help protect that right (although some of you understand that constitutional protection of free speech means prohibiting the government from passing laws that interfere with free speech, and doesn't apply to a bulletin board).

Perhaps my words "people have no right commenting on Customer Service" (or whatever I said) were taken too literally, as I intended that such comments shouldn't carry as much validity as those who have had recent interaction with Ford Customer Service. Read it again: I never said anyone CAN'T post. Also re-read the thread, and you'll see many comments on Ford's customer service.

Readers obviously should take all posted comments (mine included) with a healthy grain of salt, as you really can't know the motivations of the posters (who could be Ford or Dodge repairmen, own Ford or Dodge stock, etc).

That stated, the Internet serves a powerful consumer rights function, as I would've had no way to begin to determine if mine was an isolated event or a larger trend, if not for the folks who posted on the issue years before my truck developed an expensive problem. A big props goes out to this forum for what's being offered. I've learned alot about other topics, and see helpful advice given to help people keep out of trouble. That's what I consider the best of the internet....

Back on topic, I have some sense on the ratios of modified vs stock, high mileage vs low mileage, 4.6L vs 5.4L, although you could also take a look at that thread and see if you notice any trends? I am a single individual, not the NHTSA or Ford, and don't have access to their years of databases; all I can do is make a decision based on what limited info I have available.

However, Ford has told me they're unaware of any problems with blown plugs (as well as denying some known problems that I inquired about, after learning of recalls and TSBs on this site, like the door crack and the rear sliding-window leak issues), and I eventually had to provide TSB #'s for anyone to find the info. But even then, Customer Service said they couldn't tell me what specific info a certain TSB contained; I was advised to contact my local repair dept for that).

I called the non-Ford repair shop today, and my cylinder head is at the machine shop; they don't expect to have the engine reassembled until possibly Wednesday. That makes two weeks without my vehicle, and two weeks of paying for a rental car and/or walking.

Chris