While driving my 1997 Ford F350 diesel pickup, pulling a 36ft gooseneck horse trailer with my two teenage daughters and their four horses, the engine in my pickup spontaneously ignited. There was no "check engine" warning light, and the engine temperature gauge showed normal. The only warning I had was smoke coming up from the left wheel well upon speed decrease to turn a corner. I was traveling a short distance from home and at a low rate of speed (less than 40mph) during the travel from my home to the local fairgrounds for rodeo practice. As I turned the corner, the smoke billowed. I immediately pulled over and smoke filled the cab of the pickup. My two daughters and I quickly evacuated the vehicle and called 911. We quickly unloaded the livestock from the trailer and got far away from the scene. My fiance, who was traveling behind us in another vehicle, tried putting the fire out with the fire extinguisher I carried in my pickup, but to no avail. As an emergency responder himself, he had the presence of mind to unhook the pickup from the horse trailer and push it away as it became engulfed in flames. By the time the fire department arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and a total loss. From the time I noticed the smoke until the fire consumed the vehicle was less than 15 minutes. My daughters have been traumatized by this incident. We have suffered significant financial and economic loss as a result of this spontaneous fire. I need to make people aware of this to prevent others from suffering similar loss, injury or even death. I am aware that there are multiple electrical issues with this make/model vehicle. I received no recall notices from Ford, or warning of any kind that something like this could happen to my vehicle as a result of a faulty part (which is what we believed to be the cause of this fire).

- Pocatello, ID, USA

When I first bought the truck in 2001, the engine had approximately 82K miles. I was having a hard time starting and sometimes it would not start. At first the dealer thought it was the starter and they replaced it. They told me to take it to pepboys to get the starter replaced. When they started the car a mass of gray smoke come out of the tail pipe. Two days later the engine froze. Since I had a warranty agreement I took the truck to a local Ford dealer, they stated it had hydrolocked and the engine needed to be replaced. The warranty company sent out a short block and Ford completed the rest of the repairs. At the beginning of April, my daughter was using my truck and she drove it to my house and parked it out front. It sat for 2 weeks, when I went to start it, it would not turn over. Replace the battery and it still would not turn over. At that time the starter smoked and took the truck to a mechanic who replaced the starter. He tried to turn it over and it would not turn. He stated they tried using a torque wrench and still could not turn the motor. The mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. I had the truck towed to my home. After reading the info about another truck hydrolocking, I decided to check to see if my truck had the same problem. When I pulled the plugs, I had coolant drain from the #3 cylinder and a small amount of coolant leak from #5 cylinder. Preparing to replace the lower and upper intake manifold gaskets.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

Front drivers side spark plug blew out of engine and destroyed coil pack ripping the threads out of the head.

- Montgomery , AL, USA

The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-350 turbo diesel. The contact stated that the oil gallery plugs in the engine block were leaking oil while he was driving. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the dealer stated that they would repair the vehicle free of charge. However, the dealer called him and explained that his vehicle was outside the warranty. The vehicle had not been repaired but the contact stopped driving it on the street. The contact called the manufacturer who stated that they used a new material when producing those models and the plugs would leak, but refused to assist in repair costs. There were photographs available. The current mileage was approximately 66,700. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

- Portland, OR, USA

Went to start truck. Hydro locked. Would not start.

- Valley City, OH, USA

4.2 engine problem, the 1997 Ford F150 has 90,000 miles on it, as of this date the engine main bearing wore out. This vehicle has all ways been serviced, and with oil changes every three months or 3000 miles since I purchased it with 6 miles on it. And this was a one owner vehicle. I think the bearing were worn because of defective engine parts from the factor due to the leaking of lower intake gasket that Ford Motor Company recalled these vehicles. They replaced this gasket, but still some of these vehicle have had coolant problems. Before the engines went bad it had to be replaced, and the cost of that engine I was approximately $4,000. I took the vehicle to Ford dealership, and the engine was checked for compression, and the compression was low due to the bearings failure. Your attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated.

- Huntsville, AL, USA

Engine dead due to faulty gaskets, coolant leaking into engine.

- Brick, NJ, USA

Upon starting my truck, a loud banging or rattling noise could be heard. The noise was not present prior to that day. I shut it down and upon doing research on the internet, found numerous people who claim that a faulty gasket design caused water to leak into one of the cylinders inspection of the cylinders showed coolant to be pooled in the front, passenger-side cylinder. Certified mechanics attribute coolant in the cylinder to be due to a premature gasket failure. If not corrected, the problem leads to major engine destruction. Documented effects of the coolant leak are worn out bearings and surfaces, and broken or bent connecting rods, necessitating an engine rebuild. Ford sent a tsb to some owners of these engines to replace the faulty gasket but not to other owners. The knowledge of a faulty gasket design was withheld from some 1997 4.2L F150 owners. The distinction between those who received the tsb and those who did not (based on my research so far) seems to be made based on where the truck was assembled, not on where the engine was assembled. Ergo, some people have suffered catastrophic engine failure, with average repair costs of around $4500 dollars, due to Ford not notifying owners of known defects.

- Austin, TX, USA

While driving between 55-60 mph motor vibrated, followed by a loud bang. Consumer pulled off the road, and had vehicle towed to the dealership. The two piece flywheel came apart, which caused the transmission housing to crack where the transfer case (4-wheel drive was located. Dealership indicated that this was a common failure with this year trucks, and the two piece fly wheels were not installed in later model trucks. Transmission housing and the flywheel were replaced.

- White House, TN, USA

Lights stay on continuously - have to remove fuses - back up lights and dome light won't go out. Daytime running lights stay on when vehicle is off. Both tie rod ends have fallen off (at different times) engine is gone. Inferior gaskets leaked coolant into the engine and destroyed main bearings. June 2001 front eengine seal leaked antifreeze onto ground. Two letters to Ford Motor Co (addressed to william clay Ford) have been answered by different people in the executive offices: Duncan alderson and D kulla. Both have advised that Ford will do nothing about these problems even though I advised them I knew of their tsb's to their dealers advising that these trucks were assembled with defective gaskets in the engines. I now have a truck that I cannot drive and no assist in getting it fixed,

- Calais, ME, USA

Coolant is leaking into the engine- likely due to gasket failure - heat non- functioning as a result

- King Of Prussia, PA, USA