Radiator problems of the 1997 Ford F-150

My truck was taken in for a brake repair the week of March 6- 10, 2006. We got the truck back drove it a 100 miles on the weekend with no problems. On Monday, 3/13/06, I noticed it missing after 40 miles an hour. My husband drove it to work the next day to see what I was talking about. He had the same problem. I took my son to work on Thursday and it was still missing. When on the freeway, I got it up to 65/70 mph when it just started slowly down. I could no longer give it any gas. I was able to pull onto a large shoulder where I had it towed into a transmission shop I trusted. On inspection, the transmission was flooded with water and coolant as well as the engine due to a faulty radiator. I had replaced the radiator April 11, 2005. This was not the first radiator replaced. This was the 4th radiator. I had the truck towed to the dealership that installed the radiator and was told that my engine and transmission had failed. I'm waiting for a call back with an explanation as to why. I was told that I would have to have an engine breakdown which would cost me, to find out why it failed. We have had numerous problems with the whole cooling system in general since 1999. Ranging from changed head gaskets, heater cores, radiators, etc. . Read more...

1997 Ford F-150 pickup with 4. 2 liter v6. Over the last couple of years I have noticed that I have to continually add coolant to the radiator. After researching the problem on the internet I came across Ford onp 99b29 which states Ford will replace the engine front cover gasket to prevent serious damage to the engine. (hydrolock leading to broken or bent connecting rods). I never received this notice as I understand it was only sent to corporate customers. I now have oily residue throughout the engine coolant, hard starting, etc. All consistent with defective intake manifold/front cover gasket leading to internal engine coolant leakage. The Ford dealer refuses to fix the problem because he said I had to report it to him prior to March 31, 2001. I now have 70,600 miles on the truck. I would like Ford to fix this problem before I have a catostrophic engine failure from a broken rod on cylinder #1.

I have spoken with several people here in tucson and read on the internet, many people that have a 1997 f150 pickup have had the head gasket go bad causing radiator fluid to flow into the engine. I had this same problem and was wondering if this is a complaint worthy of investigation or something that is coincidental. I had to have my engine rebuilt and it was under 100,000 miles. I called the Ford dealership and they told me that there has not been an issue with the gasket.

I purchased a 1997 Ford F-150 June 11, 2001 from two rivers cheverolet on 2/04/02 a hole was patched in the radiator of the vehicle. On 9/02/02 the radiator had another hole in it and this time had to be replaced. On 9/27/02 the heater core began leaking and had to be replaced. At that time I had taken the vehical back to the radiator specialist and he sugguested that the vehical might have electryolisis, said take the vehicale to the Ford . I did they replaced the heater core and I had suggested to the service technian that it could have electroylisis. The service tech. Said that, that was not very possible. On 12/03/02 I took the vehicle back to the same Ford garage for leaking of antifreeze, they said that they could not find any leaks and sent me on my way. On 3/10/03 I was on the other side of the country and the heater core went again I took it to a local Ford garage in the area that I was in and they replace the heater core again. On 5/21/03 the heater core went again at this time I was in a different part of the country and at every Ford garage I went to I told the story to the service advisor. The heater core was replaced. On 10/29/03 the heater core again failed and I took it back the same Ford garage that I last had it at. Again they replaced the heater core and this time told me that there was electryolisis in the vehicale. They replace heater core. On7/12/04 the heater core went again I took the vehicle back to the same Ford garage and they said that they could replace the heater core and this time the radiator had a hole in it again. They also said that the problem would proably not go away and there was nothing else that they could do for me. I took it to a radiator specialist and they told me if they had had the vehicale when the problem first started that they would have been able to fix it. But now its been going on took long and there was a slim chance that they would be able to fix problem. Now with no help from the (Ford).

I purchased a used 1997 F-150 (4. 2l v-6) in July of 2000. Just after I had purchased it a bearing in the motor went out. There was 68,000 miles on the vehicle at that time. There was an extended warranty on the vehicle but Ford covered it 100%. They installed a new long block engine free of charge. The new engine had a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. I recently brought the vehicle in for a check engine light and they found out that the #4 cylinder was burning radiator fluid. The dealership disassembled the motor and said the only cause for the water could be pinholes in the cylinder head. Which was caused during the casting process. Now the engine is 8 months old with 24,000 miles on it. Ford will not cover any of the work. The probable cause of the first engine going out was a leaky water seal gasket that was replaced. Now engine number two is going bad because of water. The vehicle now has 92,000 miles on it, but it took two engines to get it there. Knowing that the first scheduled service is set for 100,000 miles. I think Ford should stand behind this second engine and cover the cost. This wasnt caused by any abuse, it was caused from a faulty part from the factory. This engine was bad from the start. I just find it difficult to pay the 1,500 dollars to replace a faulty part on a brand new engine. This is a problem Ford is aware of, they just won't admit it.

The vehicle was overheating and the mechanic determined that the vehicle had a coolant leak. The pipe which lead to the radiator rusted and caused the coolant to leak. The vehicle overheated intermittently since 1998.