2001 Ford F150 XLT review from North America
"The truck is solid and with the improvements that I have made it is a joy to drive."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I have had to replace three ignition coils, two of them in the past four months.
The ignition coils do not seal well against moisture.
The seats are too firm.
The stock front shocks do not adequately control rebound.
The front wheel alignment shim system is not precise.
General comments?
At 65,000 miles, I have elected to replace all of the ignition coils as I no longer trust the original units.
It is important to back up the ignition coil seal with a dielectric grease to keep moisture from shorting the plug contact.
Both Ford dealers and aftermarket suppliers know and admit that Ford ignition coils are a problem area, but Ford Motor Company does not choose to improve them.
The seats were far too firm and had little shock dampening, so I replaced the stock padding with thermo-foam.
The stock front shock rebound control was inadequate, so I replaced them with Rancho 5000 adjustable shocks and the improvement in handling was dramatic.
I replaced the front wheel alignment shim system with an aftermarket jack-screw system and gained very significant improvement in steering precision.
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| Too many abnormal failures for a young, well taken care of truck |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model Year | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | Triton V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 65000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Scorpio |
| Date of Entry | 7th March, 2005 |