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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
49,387 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Ford F-150 exhaust system problems

exhaust system problem

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1997 Ford F-150 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #38

Jan 252006

F-150 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 108,750 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This concerns a 1997 F-150 Ford pickup with a 4.2 L 6 cylinder motor. I've had to add coolant to it for several months and couldn't find a leak or any in the oil. Five days ago while trying to start it the motor gave a loud bang and white smoke boiled out. Now it knocks like a bent or broken rod and blows white smoke out of the tail pipe. I found a website on the internet where dozens of people with trucks having the same motor are all having the same problem between 76000-110000 miles. Mine has 109,000 miles and from the reports, Ford is trying to put all of this on the dealers and the dealers are just wanting to fix the motors @ $600 -$4000 dollars. The people with the problem say that it is a faulty head gasket and that they were recalled, but I never received that recall. I don't have the money to fix a motor that was faulty when I bought the thing.

- Winnfield, LA, USA

problem #37

Oct 302005

F-150 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Spark plug has blown out of my 1997 Ford F150 for the second time. First fix was using a helicoil. Second fix will have to be the same. According to information gathered from the www, this is a common problem fixed only by replacing the entire cylinder head ($3,000+) this is poor quality manufacturing and corporate America turning its back, once again, on the consumers that keep them going.

- Chattanooga, TN, USA

problem #36

Jul 222005

F-150 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
A couple of months ago consumer noticed that vehicle had an intake manifold gasket, which allowed water I to leaking into the engine rods, causing the motor to fail and have to be replaced. The repair cost to fix it before the problem began wa S $800. Consumer's boss had problems with his fleet of vehicles, and notified consumer of the problem. Consumer was not certain whether or not it was a fabricated defect or a design flaw. At this time there was no recall, but owner didn't understand why they won't recall vehicle since they were aware of the problem with the intake manifold gasket.

- Keithville, LA, USA

problem #35

Nov 212004

F-150 4WD 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own a 1997 Ford F-150 with the 4.2L V-6 engine that is notorious for "hydrolocking" due to a faulty lower intake manifold gasket. This has been a well documented issue among many customers who have purchased this model and many of us have been forced to pay large amounts of money in order to replace a blown engine due to poor engineering.

- Townsend, MA, USA

problem #34

Mar 212005

F-150 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 110,000 miles
Ford F150 4.2 V6 w/110K miles failed in my driveway upon starting two days ago. After turninig the ignition I heard loud knocking and banging cominig from the engine and shut it down. I never got a recall I hear there were two of them. I called the dealer but received no help. The failure is prevalent and consistent with no official admittance yet from Ford that I've found. The dealership even explained to me they understood it as an engineering defect of expectation. What else does it take? so I ask NHTSA for your help please!!!!

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #33

Jan 042004

F-150 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 890,000 miles
Intake manifold gasket leaked antifreeze into motor and ruiened motor. Had to have motor replaced.

- Raymore, MO, USA

problem #32

May 192004

F-150 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 68,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ford has engine problems and will not take responsibility for the gasket problem. I have documentation that proves of this existing problem with 1997 F-150 series truck. My truck has been at norris Ford for 3 months, the bill is $4600 to date.

- Balto, MD, USA

problem #31

Jun 032004

F-150

  • miles
Vehicle engine exploded as consumer turned the key in the ignition. A professional explained to consumer that the lower intake manifold failed.

- Fairfax, VA, USA

problem #30

Jun 012004

F-150 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Location of exhaust pipe is affecting brake equipment. Due to the exhaust pipe being placed in front of the rear tire, the heat deteriorates the rear brake backing panel affecting the brakes and shattering the center wheel hub. The dealer advised the consumer of having the muffler tail pipe re-routed to the rear of the tire as subsequent models of the vehicle.

- Signal Mountain, TN, USA

problem #29

Feb 092004

F-150 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 145,000 miles
Lower intalke manifold leak on 1997 F-150 4.2L caused me to have to spemd $3000 on a new motor.

- Hearne, TX, USA

problem #28

Oct 062003

F-150 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,175 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Exhaust manifolds and studs are corrodeing and warping. 1997 4.6 engine. Ford F-150. Shop where I had service done reports that they have seen several similar situations within a weeks time. Could there be a problem here? manifolds are not supposed to corrode like this.

- Munhall, PA, USA

problem #27

Aug 242003

F-150 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles
My 1997 Ford F150 with 4.2L V-6 manifold gasket failed at 68,000 (original) miles which caused coolant to leak into the cylinders. Without any warning, at cold start the coolant in the cylinders caused pistons/rod to break and engine suddenly began loud knocking and pouring white smoke out of exhaust. This truck has been maintained and has never been driven hard. The cost to rebuild the motor (from Ford) was $3500. When my mechanic called to order the rebuilt engine from Ford, he was told they had just placed an order for 50 identical engines. They also told him they have to replace these engines all the time. It's a shame that Ford will not take any responsibility in fixing this problem and try to help their customers. I will never buy a Ford product again and I will tell everyone that I come in contact with about this very unfortunate problem that Ford will do nothing about.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #26

Sep 052003

F-150 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 99,560 miles
"lower intake manifold side gaskets failed, allowing coolant to leak into engine oil. Issue is addressed by Ford with tsb article no. 99-20-7."

- Brownsville, TX, USA

problem #25

Aug 102003

F-150 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 115,207 miles
The intake manifold gasket fails causing water to leak into the engine.so in the morning when you start your car the engine has blown.the engine has to be replaced, can not be rebuilt.

- Ft. Pierce, FL, USA

problem #24

Apr 252002

F-150

  • miles
Renee borstad on behalf of consumer. Consumer incurred a major expense for repairs to a defective manifold gasket. After learning in the process of the repairs that Ford had knowledge of this defect and issued two technical service bulletins regarding the defect, the company has refused reimbursement of monies paid.

- Lumberton, NJ, USA

problem #23

Jul 202000

F-150 4WD 8-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 85,000 miles
Exhaust pipe is located too close to tires. The heat from exhaust pipe causes the tires to melt and rim to corrode. Ak scc

- Owosso, MI, USA

problem #22

Jan 012002

F-150

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Consumer states that the vehicle has caught on fire twice, the fire starts underneath the vehicle where the muffler is. Contacted dealer and the dealer is not willing to do anything.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #21

Aug 012001

F-150

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Tail pipe will heat up to point where rear right tire shredded. Consumer has contacted dealer. While driving, Firestone wilderness ht II tire blewout, causing consumer to lose control of vehicle and crash, dot number W2031pt166, tire size P235/70R16, consumer was injured in accident.

- Opelika, AL, USA

problem #20

Dec 062000

(reported on)

F-150 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The tail pipe is located in front of the rear wheel by design, it heats the lugs, nuts and bolts making it difficult to remove them. Nlm

- Springfiel, KY, USA

problem #19

Mar 151998

F-150

  • miles
Tail pipe designed too closely to the right rear tire. Heat and fumes caused damages to right rear wheels. Asking NHTSA to look into this matter. The dealer replaced tail pipes for some trucks but refused this customer's based on milage.

- Sheboygan, WI, USA

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