2000 Ford F-250 Super Duty Problems and Solutions

hutch7 · December 2001

I think I remember seeing a thread about this problem at f150online.com.

gasguzzler007 · December 2001

Yeah I found it thanks.

bmaige · December 2001

I understand that some banks are now using NADA online rather than buying the books to check used vehicle values before financing. At least one user I know said it requires them to enter the VIN and that will not only give them a price, it will tell exactly how the vehicle is configured with options, so the specific vehicle can be priced. I am sure that is only true of factory options, however, and not add-ons. Seems that might be a good way to insure what you have on a vehicle before you buy it, or, if you have a good buddy that is a loan officer at a bank that uses this, ask him/her to check it for you. It costs the bank each time they use it, I believe, so they may not want to do that. You might want to try that on your truck to see if you have keyless entry.

kit1404 · December 2001

Ford had plenty of defective door switches and I would guess you have one. Would check with a dealer - tell them you know it is a known problem and expect it to be at least covered under a "service bulletin". It's not that easy to fix - getting to that little switch isn't easy. Would make an argument for at least some warranty support. Ford will probably make it right.

gasguzzler007 · December 2001

Yeah I fixed the problem. As was suggested all it needed was WD40. I sprayed it where the door jamb is and problem solved. I think that they would of probably did the same thing at the dealer. So problem has been solved.

lariat10 · December 2001

My next door neighbor recently purchased a 2001 f-150 ex-cab pickup identical to my 2000 model. But he has had problems with tire wear feathering dealer talk on outside of front tires and his 5.4 idles a lot rougher than mine does. Has any body else had problems like this and if so what did the dealer do.

cparker7 · December 2001

just got t-bone at an intersection in my 97 f150 an my daughters center seat belt in the back seat came unbuckled and she was tossed around. I've heard that ford had a problem with this but can't find any info. ANY HELP ????

montanaf250 · January 2002

I Just bought a 99 f250 xlt super cab power stroke . The air bag warning light flashes then stays on. The other problem i have is when the truck is ideling the rpm's will shoot up to around 1500. Are there any ideas out there?

mullins87 · January 2002

I have a '99 F-350.

Let me guess, the airbag light flashes two times, pauses, flashes three times, pauses. This cycle repeats itself three times, then the light stays on. You might want to see if your horn and cruise control works. If they don't, then a device called a "clock spring" in the steering column is broken. This device apparently supplies power to everything in the steering wheel. Mine broke back in the summer. It cost about $100 at the dealership to fix.

The other "problem" you mentioned is not one at all. There is a program in the on board computer that kicks the Powerstroke into a high idle if left unattended for a length of time. The length of time is shorter the colder the engine. I believe International did this to help keep up engine temperature, oil pressure and to help prevent "wet stacking", I think that's what it's called. I've never noticed mine doing it in hot weather, but does it all the time when it's cold. The idle speed should return to normal when you touch the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals. I like the feature, that way you don't have to worry about the engine when you leave it for a few minutes. Also keeps the cab nice and toasty on those really cold days.

On a side note; What do you think of your truck so far?

mrbid1 · January 2002

Has anyone ever had any problems with the water channels cracking on the cab of an F 150 extended cab? If so, what must be done?

montanaf250 · January 2002

Thanks for your reply. I tryed the horn and it works. I haven't tested the cruise yet but that doesn't seem to be the problem. As far as the idle your comments solved that problem. I like the truck although when I first got it there didn't seem to be as much power as my 95 power stroke. When I was buying the truck I noticed a fuel leak under the engine, I had the dealer check it out. It was an o-ring in a fuel line. I got it home and changed the fuel filter it was black. Ran much better after that but still doesn't seem to have the power it should.

mullins87 · January 2002

I am assuming you have changed the air filter also. The '99 should run circles around that '95, unless you just happen to have an exceptional one. There could be several factors with the power problem. I'd say start at the air intake and work through the engine all the way to the tail pipe looking for something simple that might be causing it. On the other hand, is this truck different from the '95 model, other than the obvious.

About the air bag, you got me on that one. Your problem sounded just like mine at first. I've never fooled with an air bag system before, and don't plan on it either.

buckmaster1 · January 2002

Thats obviously an isolated problem and I would get rid of that truck as soon as possible. Ford sells whoa a lotta trucks and thats a new one here.F150 xcab door cracks were happening for a while but not roof cracks.Only one other person I heard of bought a new Supercrew and had a roof tear, but this was on a sunroof vehicle.Ford central office shipped him out ANOTHER truck. No questions asked,No arguements like GM B.S. with piston slap motors.Ditch that truck and get something else.

gimpyrx · January 2002

Should I sell my 2001 King Ranch Supercrew & get the 2002 Harley Supercharged Supercrew? Any problems that ya know of?

mrbid1 · January 2002

Since I posted the problem, I contacted the body shop at the dealership. Their response was they are familiar with this happening, however they do not see a lot of it. The manager told me he repairs on average of one per month. The cracks are what I would call a hair line crack, but still it should not happen. They are willing to correct the problem and should. Would like to know if anyone else has experienced this problem, and if so, what was their approach to repairing and was it successful. I really do not want to get rid of the truck if it can be repaired correctly.

hutch7 · January 2002

mrbid1,
I had a '97 F-150 with this problem (along with many others), they fixed it in the body shop by removing the old solder and re-sealing it, seemed to work fine. You should not have to pay for this! It is a very common problem in the F-150.

mrbid1 · January 2002

Hutch7,

Thanks for the info!

jdugger · January 2002

I am in the process of buying a 2002 King Ranch supercrew 4wd. Tom (a.k.a. gimpyrx), how do you like yours? Have you put it on the market yet? Any information would be helpful. Is the castano leather holding up well? Does the t.v. screen have good resolution and visibility in daylight (for anyone who has an entertainment system). Tom, I am interested in discussing your vehicle with you.

tom18 · January 2002

Have very low mileage on a 2000 F350 4x4 just had to have new ball joints installed and something done with the spring tip isolators - already experienced door ajar light problems twice, Cd had to be removed and fixed, window washer not working found to have loose parts - gets 9 to 10 miles to the gallon - warranty in its last year - they want $2000 per year for best extended warranty - you can buy a new car for that in 7 yrs (length of warranty) - I like the look of the truck and it can do many things, but I am worried. I was planning to keep my truck for a long time, but now I wonder. What happened to "Ford Tough"?

tom18 · January 2002

Rechecking warranty explained as $2000 for remaining 4 yrs with a deductible each time a problem occurs - still a hard call for me

bowhuntwi · January 2002

I swapped out my Y2K SD CC for an 02 SCrew, basically got the same payment plus a 0 deductable
premium care ESP from ford. I traded mine with 27000 mi. If I would of kept mine, I would of bought the ESP from ford. But the interest rates were down, I didn't loose out on my trade, so I did it. I now have a better Ford Dealer then before.

(p.s. don't know if this is good or bad, but at times I work with your brother John.)

tom18 · January 2002

small world - does anyone recommend any extended warranty programs outside of that offerred by the dealer - do dealers vary on which companies they use - what is a reasonable deductible to be expected ?

quadrunner500 · January 2002

But F150 topped the list as the BEST vehicle by the Center for Auto Safety, for fewest complaints to the government by Americans having problems with their vehicles.
************************

Top 25 Best and Worst Vehicles
The Center for Auto Safety analyzed complaints made to the government by Americans having problems with their vehicles. Below are the models that received the fewest complaints, and those that received the most. Models introduced in 2000 and 2001 are not represented due to a lack of data.
Best (Fewest complaints) Worst (Most complaints)
1. Ford F-Series 1. Mazda MPV
2. BMW 3 Series 2. Kia Sportage
3. BMW 5 Series 3. Ford Excursion
4. Volkswagen Golf 4. Ford Windstar
5. Mazda Truck 5. Mercury Cougar
6. Volvo C70 6. Volvo S40
7. Volkswagen Beetle 7. Honda Passport
8. Nissan Sentra 8. Honda S2000
9. Infiniti G20 9. Mitsubishi Eclipse
10. Acura RL 10. Isuzu Rodeo
11. Saab 9-5 11. Ford Explorer
12. Chevrolet Prizm 12. Land Rover Range Rover
13. Toyota Corolla 13. Audi A6
14. Infiniti QX4 14. Hyundai Tiburon
15. Nissan Altima 15. Honda Odyssey
16. Lexus RX300 16. Lincoln LS
17. Nissan Maxima 17. Jeep Grand Cherokee
18. Acura TL 18. Volkswagen Passat
19. Saab 9-3 19. Buick LeSabre
20. Pontiac Bonneville 20. Suzuki Grand Vitara
21. Mazda Millenia 21. Chevrolet Blazer
22. Mazda 626 22. Chevrolet Impala
23. Lincoln Town Car 23. Toyota Tundra
24. Ford Focus 24. Dodge Dakota
25. Honda Accord 25. Dodge Neon

docsilva · January 2002

Tom18,

There are many companies that offer extended warranties. This one offers a 10 year plan.

http://1sourceautowarranty.com/

I haven't purchased one yet but 1Source looks prety good.

This site has a list of extended warranty providers, and also rates them.

http://www.autowarrantyreviews.org/index.html

Hope this helps.

axl151 · February 2002

I have a '99 F-150 sw 4.2. Shortly after the end of the warranty (around 37,000) I noticed gear oil on the pinion flange of the rear axle. Upon investigation, I found that it was not coming from the pinion seal, but leaking through the splines of the pinion shaft, coming out around the nut and lock washer. Ford says I drive it too hard, and the 4.2 does in fact have sufficient torque to destroy the splines inside the pinion yoke, and I should replace it at a cost of around $100, carry out.

Anyone else heard of this??

bess · February 2002

Ford motor company didn't tell you that.. Sounds like something that local dealer service writer (who is not a mechanic) is saying..

There are several, more likely, causes for the leakage..

Here's some text from the Ford Technical Service manual on the Rear axle/diff section.

---------------------------
Analysis of Leakage

Clean up the leaking area enough to identify the exact source.

A plugged axle housing vent can cause excessive pinion seal lip wear due to internal pressure buildup.

Make sure axle lubricant level is 9.525 mm (3/8 inch) below the bottom of the fill hole.

Axle Vent

Note:
If a plugged vent cannot be cleared, install a new one.

A plugged vent will cause excessive seal lip wear due to internal pressure buildup. If a leak occurs, check the vent. Make sure the vent hose is not kinked. Remove the hose from the vent nipple and clear the hose of any foreign material. While the hose is removed, pass a length of mechanics wire or a small diameter Allen wrench in and out of the vent to clean it. Connect the hose when done.

Flange Yoke Seal

Leaks at the axle drive pinion seal originate for the following reasons:

l Seal was not correctly installed.

l Poor quality seal journal surface.

Any damage to the seal bore (dings, dents, gouges, or other imperfections) will distort the seal casing and allow leakage past the outer edge of the axle drive pinion seal.

The axle drive pinion seal can be torn, cut, or gouged if it is not installed carefully. The spring that holds the axle drive pinion seal against the pinion flange can be knocked out and allow leakage past the lip.

The rubber lips can occasionally become hard (like plastic) with cracks at the oil lip contact point. The contact point on the pinion flange may blacken, indicating excessive heat. Marks, nicks, gouges, or rough surface texture on the seal journal of the pinion flange will also cause leaks.

Metal chips or sand trapped at the sealing lip can also cause oil leaks. This can cause a wear groove on the pinion flange and heavy pinion seal wear.

When a seal leak occurs, install a new seal and check the vent and the vent hose to make sure they are clean and free of foreign material.
--------------------------------

axl151 · February 2002

The guy on the phone claims to be the axle/tranny expert of the shop. My own investigation shows the seal around the pinion yoke is NOT leaking. Upon removing the drive shaft, I found gear oil trapped inside the flange around the pinion nut, which ran out when I pulled the shaft loose. I called a tech at another dealer, who just wants me to bring it in for them to look at for $70/hr. This is the main part I can't handle... If I had money to blow, this would have been the excuse to just rip the whole thing out and put limited slip and a different ratio in. But things just won't allow this.

vwracer · February 2002

sorry but NO mechanic can fix your car over the phone. All my mechanic will do on the phone is set up an appointment.

tom18 · February 2002

docsilva,

Thanks for info on warranties - still not sure if spending money for this is wise

fordtuf · February 2002

I bought the 99 SD250 the 1st year model, I told myself...."self, you have never had trouble with Ford before, so why worry this time." Well my truck has been at the dealer over a dozen times in the last 18-20 mos. It still isn't close to being right. Front end, rear end, transfer case, and bad vibrations above 75mph.

They replaced every front end component there is, some of them 2 and 3 times. Still clunks and pops, still squeaks.

Rear end / transfer case:
After the dealer "Fixed" it for the original clicking, it developed a vibration. No they didn't fix the clicking either. After two more trips and a month of waiting they fixed the clicking. Still has the vibration. After several months trying to fix the vibration they now say they will not drive it 75 mph to get it to the point that it makes the vibration. This is after they had already drove it that fast at least 3 times! Bottom line, they screwed it up and can't fix it.

Now the rear axle and/or springs are screwed up. There is a very bad shuttering upon acceleration and it is terrible pulling a load. There is also a severe axle wrap going on, its like they are made of lasagna noodles. I will not even pull my boat right now, let alone my travel trailer.

Now the only good part of this story.
After 2 years of complaining at the service people and service manager, and after writing to Ford customer no-service, I finally got to talk to the owner of the dealership. To my amazement he new quite a bit about my situation. What ticked me off was they were not doing anything on there own to make the "customer job one", or putting "Quality First". I had to keep on complaining.

Finally, they got Ford to contribute $5000 toward me getting a new truck. The dealer is selling the truck to me at $500 over invoice, they say it is only about $200 over invoice, .... RIIIIGHT!

It is true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Well not always. I'm still very agitated to say the least. The owner has said that Ford has done this for several people because of problems they have had with the early Super Duties. ???

The 02 F250 XLT, White over Silver, 4x4, V10, SC, 3.73 is due in about 6 weeks.

hutch7 · February 2002

I had a similar experience with my F-150...I have banished the Blue Oval from my garage permanently!

ndahi12 · February 2002

Could you please provide me a link to that list that you posted from the Center For Auto Safety. I tried to find it on their site, but there was no sign of it.

Also the list says: "Models introduced in 2000 and 2001 are not represented due to a lack of data," then it lists the Tundra at 23 being the Truck with the most complaints. Wasn't the tundra introduced in 2000 and 2001? Should it not be represented?

Regards

texasappraiser · February 2002

How hard to replace the MLP sensor on my 1994 F350 Crew Cab with 351 and E4OD tranny. Does it go on top, or underneath the tranny. Thanks, Lance.

quadrunner500 · February 2002

You have to go to the AP archives for 1/29/02 to retrieve the article. And you have to pay a fee. The article below contained links.

*********************************
Consumer advocate publishes annual safety rating of cars
Relevancy: 95 Byline: JONATHAN D. SALANT; Associated Press Writer Category: Financial Pub. date: 01-29-2002 Word Count: 3K
WASHINGTON (AP) Looking to buy a new car this year? The Saturn L scores best among family sized cars in eight categories, including safety features and crash tests, according to a veteran consumer advocate. The Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest are

rlwhite4 · February 2002

Anyone getting a lot of White Smoke when starting engine for about 10 seconds, anytime after setting overnight. The Smoke smells like burning oil. Engine runs fine during warm up. I have 11,400 miles on the Truck.

PF_Flyer · February 2002

...but white smoke usually indicates water in the cylinders. I had a truck that started to have the same thing (white smoke starting up after sitting overnight) and what it turned out to be was a head gasket failure. Water was seeping into a cylinder through the failed gasket, and starting the engine was creating the steam/water vapor (white smoke) There may be oil involved, but if it was primarily oil, I would expect to see blue or black exhaust. But back to the water... what finally happened was that I went out one morning and tried to start the truck and the engine hit a dead end with a bang and would not even turn over. The gasket had completely failed and the one cylinder had filled with water. Since water doesn't compress, the cylinder may as well have been filled with concrete. At the time, I didn't know what it was and had to have the truck towed to the garage. When the mechanic removed the spark plug and turned the engine over, the water was forced out, verifying that the head gasket was toast. Told me I could have done the same to drive the truck in.

I'm NOT a master mechanic, but you're describing exactly what happened to me. Might be a good idea to have it looked at.

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h1vc · March 2002

My supercrew ran outa gas, someone game me a tank of fuel, said it was gas, but was diesel. I put it in, definitely put in less than 2.5 galon, probably around 1.5gal. Should I let ford fix it or can I put in high grade gas and start it, people told me i could do that. If putting in gas is ok, how much damage will that make to any components? I know it was dumb. Thanks

bess · March 2002

You might get a little smoke.. But that little bit of diesel wont hurt anything..

Fill up with regular, and keep the fuel topped off for a few days..

Doing the opposite can be disasterous.. putting gasoline in a diesel engine. That takes more work to correct..

h1vc · March 2002

Are you sure it won't hurt anything, ANYTHING? even a little? And just regular, not necessary to use highest octane? What would happen if gas in diesel? Thanks.

bess · March 2002

fuel tank: no harm
fuel pump: wont hurt anything, wont clog and diesel lubricates just fine.
fuel lines: no harm
fuel filter: It wont clog it.
injectors: the diluted diesel wont have any problem getting through injectors
spark plugs/ignition: if the diesel concentration is too high, the plugs could foul, and the only result is the car would run rough. In your case you might get a little smoke from the exhaust.
cat. converter: If you were to do this for a very long time, then you could reduce the life of the cat.

There are alot of vehicles out there that when the piston rings or lifter seals go bad, cause the engine to 'burn oil'. Some vehicles burn a little oil. Burning a little diesel is no worse than that..
Relax..

Also, the high octane will make NO difference.

h1vc · March 2002

Thanks bess!

brad71 · March 2002

hey guys i have a 97 ford f150 4x4 witha 4.6 v8 in it and i'm only getting about 12 to 13 mpg. does this sound right? I was expecting at least 14 to 15. Is there anything that can be done to improve this? I have 65000 mls on it. Any input would be appreciated. thanks

mullins87 · March 2002

My father has a '98 F-150 SC SB 4x2 also with the 4.6L. He is getting around 18-19mpg. His truck has approximately 30k on it. I know your 4WD option will hurt your mileage as well as any spirited and/or high speed driving, but the 4WD shouldn't hurt you that much. I would think only 2-3mpg would be normal. IMO, you should get 15-16mpg.

I don't know how you maintain the truck, but I would start with a clean air filter, then new plugs and wires. Fluid changes could help also, especially if you also change the thermostat. A bad thermostat could cause the engine to run too cold for the computer to allow the torque convertor to lock up. Check the brakes to make sure none are dragging. Did the mileage start going down recently, or has it always been this way? It could be that you just happen to have a thirsty engine.

benr0 · March 2002

Are you hubs locked in 4x4?

slp77 · March 2002

this isn't really a problem but edmunds has really cut back on their discussion groups, so
i thought i'd try here.

while applying stainguard to my 2002 truck i found a small piece of blue plastic under the
front seat. its a small rectangular shape with a ring on one end and a circuit board type
connector on the other. it says VTP on it. under the dash is what looks like the female
plug in for this. its black and also says VTP. what does this do? does it have something
to do with the tow package? should i leave this plugged in?

thanks for any advice you have

-slp77

brad71 · March 2002

hey mullins thanks for your tips. I actually have checked it a few more times since then and i'm getting around 14. I would still like to be in that 16 range but at least this is better. Also i live in upstate Ny and it has been cold. I've been told that i can probably expect another 1-2 mls in the summer so i'll see what happens. thanks again for your input.

wpalkowski · March 2002

SLP77, somebody here can probably help you out, but you've gotta be a little more forthcoming than a 2002 F-Series with a tow package.

What model truck do you have? F150 thru F750? What trim level: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch? What kind of cab: regular, extended, crew? What body style? Short bed: step side, style side, s-crew? Long Bed? Chassis Cab?

Any other options would be helpful as well.

amos250 · March 2002

Hello everyone, I am new to the "community" and I have a few issues with my '97 F-250 LD 4X4 SC.
I am happy with the truck overall, but there are a few things I am not too pleased with. First on my list is the upper & lower ball joints. My 250 LD has 90k on the clock, and it has had 4 sets of upper & lower ball joints. Has any one had similar problems?
Second issue, which just developed today, I came to a stop sign and just as I was stopped, (auto tranny) my engine almost stalled, the tach read below 500 RPM and then it jumped to 1000 then below 500 then to 1000 and finally settled at about 700RPM. It did the same thing at every stop I made until I got home. Any ideas? I am thinking a shift solenoid is starting to act up, but am not familiar with the new electronic vehicles.
Any help on these issues would be great. Thanks.

mullins87 · March 2002

If it only does it with the tranny in gear, the lock-up solenoid is where I would start.

turksteritis · March 2002

Yo troops...need some advice. I am a travelling salesman that drives about 50k per year mainly hi-way. anyway I found a minty 97 f-150 xl extra cab with the 4.2, auto,a/c/t/ with 30k miles on it. How reliable are these trucks & what kind of gas mileage can I expect at 70 mph on the freeway? thanks!

2000 Ford F-250 Super Duty Problems and Solutions

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