1978 Ford F-150 — Problems, Recalls & Complaints

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR INADEQUATELY TESTED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LEAK.

Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

SOME OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THESE WHEELS, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, COULD CRACK IN THE WHEEL RIM AREA THROUGH NORMAL OPERATION, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES.

THE PITMAN ARM TO STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE NUT COULD COME OFF DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.

Remedy: DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE PITMAN ARM ATTACHING NUT TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE CARBURETORS IN WHICH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECONDARY THROTTLE PLATES MAY STICK OPEN.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CARBURETOR AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.

THE DRIVER"S SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A WELD NUT WHICH WAS IMPROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE BRACKET. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES".

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPAIR THE LEFT SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE.

SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE ASSEMBLED WITH IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CAST IRON EXTENSION HOUSINGS. THE HOUSINGS HAVE MISLOCATED CAST CAM PLATE STOPS. A MISLOCATED STOP MAY PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM LOCKING IN THE PARK POSITION WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION. IF THIS OCCURS A DRIVER MAY RELY UPON THE READING ON THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR LEVER INDICATOR AND MAY ASSUME THAT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING GEAR IS ENGAGED.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE PARK ACTUATION SUPPORT PLATES ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. AS A RESULT, FRAGMENTS FROM A BROKEN PLATE CAN BECOME LODGED IN THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MECHANISM. THIS COULD PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL FROM ENGAGING WHEN THE SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION, OR PREVENT THE PAWL FROM BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE PARK GEAR.

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PARK ACTUATION CAM SUPPORT PLATES, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH STEERING LINKAGES ON WHICH COTTER PINS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON CASTELLATED NUTS TO SECURE THE STEERING DRAG LINK AND TIE-ROD CONNECTIONS. ALSO, THESE ATTACHING NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS. THIS COULD ALLOW LINKAGE SEPARATION.

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL PERFORM NECESSARY CORRECTIONS TO THE STEERING LINKAGE ATTACHMENTS.

ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE THREADED CARBURETOR-TO-FUEL FILTER CONNECTION ON THE SUSPECT CARBURETORS. THIS IS DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED CARBURETOR FUEL INLET CONNECTION.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE THE CARBURETOR WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRINGS MAY BE DEFORMED AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SELECTOR LEVERS DURING COLUMN BUILDUP. THUS THE LEVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MOVED INTO THE INSERT DETENTS LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD PREVENT THE "PARK" GEAR FROM BEING ENGAGED.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.