1997 Ford F-150 Structure

The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side subframe near the axle of the vehicle was severely corroded. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 134,788.

I WENT TO OPEN MY 3RD DOOR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY F 150 AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED BOTH LATCHES ON THE OUTSIDE AND IN INNER DOOR FRAME BUT NO LUCK. I WAS PARKED AT THE TIME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME ITEMS OUT OF MY BACK SEAT. I HAVE NOTHING TO UPLOAD AT THIS TIME.

MY 3RD DOOR WON'T OPEN AND IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE KIDS AND IT'S THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE TO TRANSPORT THEM AROUND. I WENT TO YOUTUBE AND FOUND THAT SOME CHEAP PLASTIC RETAINERS THAT'S CLIPPED TO CABLES ARE BROKEN. THE RETAINERS OPEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. PLEASE HELP. THANKS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE LOOKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SECTIONS THAT WERE RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE BUMPER AND STEPS NEAR THE DOORS WERE ALSO RUSTED AND SLIGHTLY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,582.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 3 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CABLE THAT STRAPPED THE SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAMEWORK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,303.

AFTER CHECKING MY VEHICLE OVER I NOTICED THAT THE FRAME IN THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE IS RUSTED THRU. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A CONDITION COMMON WITH THIS YEAR OF TRUCK AND STYLE. IS THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY VEHICLES THIS YEAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM? I HAVE DRIVEN FORDS FOR YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS EXTEND OF RUST IN ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT, WHO WAS STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, HEARD A LOUD BANG AND NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE CABLE FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE CABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 314,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

I HAVE A 1997 FORD F-150, I WAS CHANGING THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND NOTICED A LOT OF RUST ON THE FRAME AND BASICALLY EVERY THING ELSE UNDER THE BODY. I TOOK A SCREWDRIVER AND PUSHED IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SUSPENSION TRAVEL STOP. THERE ARE BIG CHUNKS OF RUSTY METAL FALLING OFF OF IT AT LEAST EVERY THREE OR FOUR MONTHS APART. I CAN TAKE MY FINGER AND PUSH THROUGH THE FRONT BUMPER. ALL THE BOLTS ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND COLLECTORS ARE RUSTED OFF OR ALL MOST RUSTED OFF. TO FIX THE EXHAUST IT WILL COST AROUND $700.00, IF THE DEALER DONE THE REPAIRS IT WOULD COST MUCH MORE. THE GAS TANK STRAPS LOOKS REAL RUSTY ALSO. IN MY 54 YEARS OF LIFE I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME AND THE UNDERSIDE OF A VEHICLE RUST SO BAD. I LIVE IN THE SOUTH SO THE TRUCK DID NOT SEE MUCH SALT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO TILT TOWARDS THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN THE CONTACT INSPECTED, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TACK WELDING MARKS ON THE FRAME ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

THE FRAME ON MY 1997 FORD F150 HAS RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING THE SHOCK AND SPRING MOUNTS TO BREAK. FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEMS. *TR

ON MY 1997 FORD F-150 I NOTICED THAT I HAVE CRACKS ON THE DOORS BY THE WINDOWS, WHILE RESEARCHING THIS I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS TRUCK. WHEN I CALLED FORD SERVICE CENTER FOR HELP THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE THE DOORS (AT MY COST) AND IF A RECALL COMES OUT I WOULD GET MY MONEY BACK. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CRACKS AT "F150ONLINE.COM" AND IT SEEMS THAT FORD HAS REPLACED SOME DOORS BUT MOST (AND THEIR ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS) ARE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF. CAN YOU HELP? *NM

DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS ON 1997 FORD F-150 HAVE CRACKS AT REAR OF WINDOW FRAME ABOUT 4 INCHES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE CRACKS IN THE DOOR. *JB

DOOR HAS CRACKED DRIVERS SIDE BOTTOM CORNER OF WIDOW MOLDING

ON THE 1997 FORD F-150 BOTH THE DRIVER DOOR AND PASSENGER DOOR ARE COMMING APART, AND I HAVE SEEN THIS ON OTHER FORD F150'S OF THE SAME YEAR, ITS WERE THE DOOR MEETS THE WINDOW FRAME,. *AK

CRACK IN DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BY WINDOW . *AK

CRACKS ON DOOR FORD 1997 TRUCK. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA THERE ARE 18 TRUCKS IN THE PARKING LOT 12 OUT OF THE 18 HAVE CRACKS.. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BY FORD!!!!!!!!*AK

CRACK IN DRIVER'S DOOR AT CORNER OF WINDOW APPROX. 3/4 INCHES LONG.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A SEVERE SHAKE IN THE ENTIRE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO COME LOOSE. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE REAR RIGHT FRAME BROKE ABOVE THE TIRE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS.*AK

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM INDICATED IN SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 996754 WITH MY 1997 FORD F150 ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ONLY. EVEN THOUGH THE CRACK IS NOT YET VISIBLE ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR REMOVAL OF THE BELT MOULDING WILL MOST LIKELY REVEAL THE CRACK (FORD ENGINEERING DESIGN FAULT) IS PRESENT. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND EVEN THE THOUGH VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL COST OF THE REPAIRS TO FIX THEIR ENGINEERING PROBLEMS.*AK

I HAVE THE SAME DOOR CRACK AROUND THE WINDOW AS MANY OTHERS. I TALKED TO THE DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM, B UT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF DEFECT. I THEN WENT TO THE FORD DEALER IN TOWN TO SEE IF FORD WAS DOING ANUTHING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE AND SAVE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD A REPAIR KIT THAT WAS BEING INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE BUT I AM OUT OF THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND WILL HAVE TO PAY BETWEEN $500 AND $700 TO REPAIR.

I OWN A 1997 FORD F150 THAT IS DEVELOPING A CRACK IN THE DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT THE LOWER REAR CORNER OF THE WINDOW, APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND I AM CONCERNED THAT IT MAY MAKE MY VEHICLE LESS SAFE IN A SIDE COLLISION. *LA

BROKEN HOOD RELEASE. MANY OTHER PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR '97 & '98 F150'S. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS FOR FORD SUV'S, WHY NOT THE F150? I WAS CHARGED $173.46 FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT HE HAD JUST HAD ANOTHER LATCH FAILURE PRIOR TO MY CALL TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. *LA

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS HAVE STRESS CRACKS LOCATED AT THE LOWER REAR SECTION OF THE WINDOWS NEXT TO THE WINDOW MOLDING. CURRENTLY THESE CRACKS ARE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH LONG. I BELIEVE THESE CRACKS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE VEHICLE WERE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. *AK