Problems with 2001 Ford F-150 STRUCTURE

On 9/4/2018 i bought 4 brand new destination le2 p-metric owl p265/75r16 tires with a 60000 warranty from firestone in hesperia ca. my daughter just bought the truck and i wanted her to be safe with new tires.on november 14, 2018 on her way to work at 5:00 a.m she had a terrible roll over. she is currently in icu. she just had a cranioplasty 15 days ago. she has a severe tbi. she hasn't walked since the day of rollover. she was on life support. still on tracheostomy. she will be disabled all if her life. she is 22 years old. she was driving approx. 55 mph. she was out of control when all three witnesses saw her coming at them. this happened on summit valley rd in hesperia ca. it is one lane each direction. she was approaching th top of a hill. when she got over the hill she was out of control and the vehicle rolled and she was ejected. she was found under the truck. the tires had less than 5,000 miles on them. please don't buy these tires. i am still not sure if she will survive this. i am so heartbroken i can barely move.

Gas tank fell out of vehicle,tearing filler hose. tank straps and supporting structures rust thru, failure. drivers' side rear shock dropped from vehicle because metal bracket it was attached to rotted thru. bed rails completely rusted thru. frame has rusted thru holes. complete rust failure. vehicle has only 90k miles always maintained, washed underneath weekly in winter. vehicle in motion when parts fell on rte 58 and the shock on town street..$900 to repair gas tank. shock incident happened today 11/26/2017, gas tank 9/12/2016

There has been no incident as yet but the frame of this vehicle has such extreme corrosion that certified mechanics are reluctant to work on this vehicle since they are concerned about a failure occurring at connection point where the steering and suspension connects to the frame of the vehicle. their concern is a loss of control of the vehicle if any of the steering or suspension connection points fail due to the severely corroded frame. this is not surface corrosion, the metal is flaked and separated and it is the entire frame of the vehicle. i had just spent $4,000 to replace the entire exhaust system from the exhaust manifold back to the tail pipe and the mechanic is warning me about the safety of the suspension and steering components because of the extreme corrosion. the vehicle only has 77, 000 original miles and has never been in severe weather conditions.

The frame rails just in front of the rear wheels rust/rotted and the vehicle snapped in two pieces. similar to the failures covered by toyota recall for the tundra of the same model year. the vehicle was being raised on a lift for an oil change. not a spec of rust on the body anywhere.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while driving at any speed, the vehicle made an abnormal noise. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic where it was diagnosed that the panel radiator support was rusted and fractured. the dealer was not able to repair the vehicle and recommended it be taken to a body shop. the contact took the vehicle to the body shop, but the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while driving at 45 mph, the contact heard a noise and noticed that the spare tire separated from underneath the vehicle. upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the carrier cable that holds the spare tire fractured. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 163,787.

Door release handles on both rear doors failed to open within a month apart which would have trapped the rear seat passengers. the cable and latch assemblies had to be replaced.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph, the frame between the cab and the box became rusted due to corrosion build up. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced however, the part needed for the repair was discontinued. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

I parked, walked inside...moments later the truck was on fire.. *tr

Woke up this morning to a couple of loud "booms". my husband went to check it out and discovered his truck (which we just purchased in may) was on fire. the fire destroyed the truck, melted the siding on our house and garage, and even cracked three of our neighbor's windows. we are so grateful the firefighters arrived when they did or this fire would've kept burning our house. the truck hadn't moved since last night...don't know what happened but we will not be purchasing a ford again. *js

Severe corrosion issues. *tr

I was driving northbound on i-95 when the driver of an adjacent vehicle alerted me that there was fire shooting out from the area of the fuel filler door. i immediately pulled over onto the highway median and jumped out. the truck was engulfed in flames, and the cab was on fire. i burned myself on the melting steering wheel and was singed by melting plastic. *tr

While driving down the interstate, the vehicle caught on fire. everything under the hood was destroyed. *tr

Paint is peeling off of the roof, the rear of the cab, the passenger rear door, and from the fuel door.

The contact owns 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that the vehicle exhibited a thumping noise when driving at various speeds. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic to be inspected where the failure was located at the metal frame lower core support for the radiator, which was severely corroded. the frame was also corroded and would require repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact also stated that the steel tubes for the brake lines were recently replaced due to corrosion. the radiator metal frame lower core support was not replaced. the failure and current mileage was 82,000. kmj updated 07/16/13*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that the instrument panel lighting and headlights would not illuminate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where the technician stated that water was entering the vehicle through the a-piller and was leaking onto the ecm. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 59,900. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, attempting a turn or traveling over a road bump, the vehicle would sporadically emit a metal-to-metal dragging noise. the contact inspected the vehicle and found that the support for the radiator was fractured, causing the radiator to sway while driving. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed the diagnosis. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 201,000. updated 07/23/13*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that the rocker panel was severely rusted. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

The frame is starting to rust out on my 2001 f150. why is their not a recall. i know that i can,t be the only one with this problem. toyota is replacing some of their frame that are rusting out. *tr

Car was sitting in driveway for around 30 -45 minutes then just set fire. *tr

Its not what happened its what may happen soon the rust is so bad in the rear i cant even put a trailer hitch on and the rear shackles that hold the leaf springs on are about to break off theres so much rust im very concerned. *tr

The truck started on fire while sitting in the driveway hours after being parked. by the time we realized it was on fire, it was totally out of control and the truck well beyond saving. it burned so hot it melted the tires, the siding of the house and destroyed part of a privacy fence. we kept water on the fire until it went out about an hour and a half later. the fire started under the hood and the whole front of the truck is almost unrecognizable. the owner ( [xxx] ) is an auto mechanic and has been for forty plus years. we run an auto repair business. we had heard vague things about fords and fires but did not look into it until after the incident. we purchased the truck this winter and never got any recall notices for the cruise control switch problem. the prior owner says he did not either. we have not yet contacted ford because of reading all the horror stories of how they refuse responsibility. we had liability insurance only. the anger is letting up a bit and the shock has worn off and now we are figuring out the next step. reporting the incident to you seems to be it. i will contact ford on monday. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

At approximately 50+ mph the front of the car shakes. this has been going on for almost over an year. i took it to the dealership, said nothing is wrong. it starts to shake so bad that you have to let up on the accelerator and almost stop, before you feel safe enough to continue on. shaking is the worse for the first 3 miles at the start of the day but never seems to completely goes away. *tr

I strongly feel that the frame and cross members rust and rot issues of the 2001 ford f150's needs to be addressed. this is a major safety issue. i am really upset and with my 2001 f150 frame and other underbody parts. a frame that is 11 years old should not be so rusted out. i have done some research on the internet and have seen alot of issues of other owners with this complaint. i have had older trucks and cars and have never seen a frame in this kind of rust and rot condition at all. i would like to know what can be done with this issue before someone's 2001 ford f150 literally breaks in half while driving down the interstate/highway or even in a school zone. i strongly feel that the last component to fall apart on any vehicle or to be a safety issue is the frame. trucks are meant to pull campers and trailers which are heavy loads and the last thing you want to have happen is the frame on that vehicle to break away and kill the driver or other drivers on the road. i feel that it take someone to die before any action is taken on vehicle safety issues, thus im trying to prevent. i am willing to take my 2001 f150 to be inspected on this issue to a nhtsa site or a member can come to me. please help with this ford f150 issue and create a recall before its to late and someone is seriously injured or killed. please respond back to me as soon as possible. thanks *tr

The radiator support bracket beneath the radiator rusted through leaving the radiator with virtually no support. the support bracket had to be replaced and welded in place... *tr

My wife was driving home from work last evening around 9:00 pm in our 2001 ford f-150 pickup truck when she heard a noise coming from under the truck. she stopped to investigate the source of the noise to find that the gas tank had fallen onto the road which put a hole in the tank which leaked out all the gasoline. the straps which support the tank had rusted out causing the tank to fall out. thankfully she was not injured. ford needs to address this issue before someone is killed. *tr

My complaint is in regards to a ford f150 series truck. the undercarriage and all parts under the truck are rusting out. brakes/rotors just replaced and dealership stated that the thumping noise was due to the brake falling off of the truck. this is a very big safety issue and when contacting ford, they stated that there was no recall and there was nothing that they could do about it. this is also along with the rusting of the doors and door frames and peeling paint issue that ford has yet to take care of customers for this known issue. when calling ford directly, they state they are very sorry, but yet they do nothing about it. does someone need to die first before a recall is done like the issue with the cruise control deactivation switch that caused fires and an ederly woman and child were killed? *tt

2001 f-150 supercrew 4x4 lariat 5.4 triton 136000 miles. great truck however the under side of this truck is literally rusting out from underneath. rocker panels are gone, but a larger issue at this time is the fuel tank strap has rusted and broke. pathetic rusting on this beautiful truck. *tt

The fuel tank straps on my 2001 ford f150 are completely rusted. other areas have also rusted out such as the radiator supports - radiator and shroud dropped out and are hitting against the engine fan. the pick-up bed of the truck is also rusting out. updated 08/11/11 *bf the consumer stated when he inspected the straps, he found one of them completely covered in rust, but still in tact. also, there was unusual rusting all over the underside of the vehicle. the entire lower radiator support was rotted out and the underside of the pick-up bed and other supports have major rust. updated 08/12/11 the consumer stated when the support gave out the radiator and radiator shroud fell onto the fan that is mounted to the engine. also, the ball joints and steering were wearing prematurely due to lack of grease fittings. updated 08/30/11 *tr

Gas tank dropped, filled tank and then drove not even a mile and tank dropped, straps broke. *tr

While driving my 2001 f-150 at approx 35 mph, the gas tank suddenly fell off when both tank straps failed. hoses and filler neck kept tank from totally separating from truck. towed to garage and had both straps replaced. $272.91. looks like a frequent problem after looking up on line. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf both straps were broken when the consumer checked after pulling over. they appeared to have failed where they were made to bend to go around the tank edge. there was minor rusting mostly at the bends. the tank did impact the road, but was only slightly dented with no compromise to the tank itself. updated 08/02/11

On friday, september 17, 2010 the fuel tank on my 2001 ford f-150 truck broke free of the undercarriage and was dragged approximately 200 meters before i could safely stop the vehicle. at the time of the incident, i was traveling 60 mph. upon exiting the vehicle, i smelled strong gasoline fumes and observed gasoline running from underneath the truck. i moved away from the vehicle and called the fire department and a tow service. from a distance (approximately 150 feet) the gasoline tank was clearly resting on the road surface. once help was on the scene, granular absorbent material was added to the gasoline which had spilled onto the road. the now empty gas tank was secured by rope to the truck undercarriage, revealing a large hole in the gas tank. upon further investigation, it was noted that the straps holding the tank had broke. the truck was removed from the scene on a flat-bed truck. the total cost associated with the gas tank straps breaking is $841.00. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf the strap failed where it attached to the truck frame. the strap ends appeared to be more worn than the strap body. approximately, 22-34 gallons of fuel was spilled. updated 08/02/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. after inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the fuel pump strap and frame were corroded. also, the contact observed that the fuel pump was detached and leaking fuel. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was previously repaired according to nhtsa campaign number: 11v385000 (fuel system, gasoline), but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified. the vin was unavailable. the approximate failure mileage was 171,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while driving approximately 55 mph, the contact heard a loud bang. two days later, he noticed that the vehicle was sitting lower than usual. when he inspected, he noticed that the leaf spring from the rear suspension broke and pierced the floorboard. he also saw that the entire frame and suspension system were rusted. the vehicle was driven home and parked. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired by a mechanic. the current and failure mileages were approximately 182,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while traveling at speeds of 55 mph, the hood suddenly flew open without warning or warrant. the contact further inspected the vehicle and found that the hood springs had fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 158,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact inadvertently tried to open the door to the rear driver side of the vehicle, but the door would not open. the contact stated that this was a recurring failure. the dealer diagnosed that the door upper locking system need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000. updated 10/31/2017*cn

2001 ford f-150: paint is peeling off the roof, hood, and tailgate areas. two body shops advise that this is a known defect with the ford painting processes used for this year vehicle. also experiencing interior rusting problems. ford advises that they will not remedy this problem. i am the original purchaser of this vehicle. vehicle has been well maintained. i have never experienced paint issues like this with any other vehicle. *tr

Defective paint job. paint is bubbling off of truck just when being sprayed with garden hose. local ford dealer claims that it is not ford's problem. cost is customer's responsibility. *tr

Paint is peeling off the roof of my truck. i wrote a letter to ford and they will not fix this even though they know this is a common problem with many of there vehicles. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f150. the contact was driving approximately 25 mph and heard a loud, abnormal noise outside of the vehicle. the contact immediately pulled over and noticed that the spare tire that was mounted under the truck had detached from the carriage as a result of a fractured cable. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

2001 ford f150 super crew, the frame and cab completely rotten/rusted out 118,000 miles so (you know it started along time before)the rest of the truck looks like new. as is, the truck is not safe to be on the roads and will not pass state inspections. any others like this? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated the vehicle rear frame and under body shield was corroded. the manufacturer was contacted, but denied assistance with repair. the vehicle has not repaired. the failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 110,000. the gas tank and fuel tank straps were replaced due to rust. updated 11/04/11

Paint peeling off on body. white in color,never neglected, always washed, waxed etc. well known and documented problem. contacted ford many times and always get told they will do nothing because it is out of warranty. they then told me they have upgraded many things on their new trucks and should consider getting a new one. i doubt i will ever get another ford if they can mess up something as simple as paint. this is a ford defect and they should be forced to fix it. i have a car that is 10 years older than my ford and the paint looks better. *tr

Windshield leak on 2001 f150 has leaked into gem module and fuse box. now in shop for second time ford dealer will now replace windshield and other electrical components. first trip to shop they said it was the battery. i paid for that and the towing charge. a bit of internet searching leads me to believe this is a well known and documented problem with ford trucks and suvs. odi has looked into this before. *jb

I purchased a used 2001 ford f-150 crew cab february 2006 with 59k miles on it. shortly thereafter the paint or clear coat on the hood, quarter panels, and doors started to crack. the cracking has continued to get worse. before purchase the title was checked and this vehicle has never been in an accident. the paint from ford is defective and is well documented on the web. ford customer service has been absolutely terrible. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated he is concerned about the design of the vehicle. the vehicle has four doors but only two door handles. the back doors cannot be opened without opening the front doors. if the vehicle was involved in a crash and the driver and/or front passenger were immobilized, the occupants in the back seat would not be able to exit the vehicle. updated 3/9/2006 - *nm

I had some warrant issues with ford motor corporation. trim around windshield,faded grill and base not working on radio. the biggest problem has something to do with the ac and emissions. i turned on the ac and the truck started to run bad jerking and sputtering. took it too ford and they replaced a sensor. this summer the first time i turn on my ac and the same problem this time its not covered by warranty. i haven't put 14k miles on the truck. does emissions have some type of expectations set by the epa or dot. it cost $400. to get sensor replaced. i cant afford to replace a sensor ever summer i turn on my ac. *nm

Consumer noticed that all four doors rusted. dealer was very cooperative. manufacturer's representative indicated that it was consumer's problem, not ford company's responsibility. *ak

Paint started to show small cracking marks on hood, front fenders and roof.*ak

This may be a moot point because the truck (2001 f-150 supercrew xlt 4wd) i had owned (traded it in for a 2003 ford supercrew which also exhibits very similar problems) had serious problems with the steering in addition to the driver seatbelt becoming disengaged while driving normally. i could not understand why the seatbelt would disengage all by itself. i even had witnesses to the fact. i asked for the service to address it; however, they could not duplicate the problem. this is serious as what are seatbelts for in the first place. also had some problems with the paint cracking or spidering. ford regional personnel from denver wanted to repaint the vehicle. however, they could not determine how it would be accomplished. this went on for over 4 months. that is one of the main reasons in addition to the steering problems described previously i had get rid of the problem supercrew i had purchased. *la rq04011.*pco owner granted permission to release info_*pco