Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 041601 | 11/14/2005 | 05228 | 10018745 | Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt | 01/12/2006 |
| 0361 | 03/31/2003 | 10001855 | Malfunction indicator lamp on with or without rough running, lack of power, surge or poor fuel economy with diagnostic trouble codes p0401, p0402, p1400, p1401. *tt *jb | 07/23/2003 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 07212 | 10/01/2007 | 10023943 | Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. updated 2/23/10. *pe | 02/20/2008 | |
| 031404 | 08/23/2004 | 04161 | 10011162 | Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. to include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04. | 01/06/2005 |
| 16403 | 11/01/2002 | 10008334 | Engine-light tick or rattle type noise from engine after cold start. *mj | 07/28/2004 | |
| 02227 | 11/11/2002 | 10008310 | Engine-cylinder head deck leak-4.6 and 5.4l engines-new service-only gasket and cylinder head kits availability. *mj | 07/27/2004 | |
| 03256 | 12/22/2003 | 10008278 | Engine-romeo built 4.6l 2v-tick noise from engine-engines built before 9/17/2003. *mj | 07/26/2004 | |
| 03144 | 07/21/2003 | 10003744 | Engine misfire or rough running condition with coil on plug (cop) ignition systems may be more accurately diagnosed using the optional worldwide diagnostic system (wds) coil on plug (cop) kit. 2003 super duty f series included. *tt | 10/29/2003 | |
| 03164 | 08/18/2003 | 10003118 | Some vehicles, equipped with the 4.6l 2v engine, with an engine build date prior to 8/29/03 may exhibit an engine tick noise that is present at all temperatures during idle. 2004 models included. *tt | 10/08/2003 | |
| 0322 | 02/03/2003 | 10002472 | Streamlined diagnostic procedure for vehicles with malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0401, p0402, p1400 or p1401, or runs rough, lacks power, surge, poor fuel economy, and the above listed dtcs without | 09/03/2003 | |
| 16683 | 03/01/2003 | 10001937 | False failure of the vapor management valve (vmv). *tt *jb | 07/28/2003 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 02108 | 05/27/2002 | 636083 | Some vehicles equipped with the 5.4l 2v engine may exhibit a whistling noise fromthe formed nylon tube inthe idle-air bypass flow circuit. *tt | 11/05/2002 | |
| 15630 | 02/01/2002 | 630679 | Concerns with vehicles with a 5.4l 2v engine exhibitingng a lack of power condition. *tt | 04/19/2002 | |
| 01246 | 12/10/2001 | 630515 | Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure. *tt | 04/18/2002 | |
| 15431 | 11/01/2001 | 630452 | Exhibiting lack of power condition when vehicle is operated in ambient temperatures. *tt | 04/17/2002 | |
| 15517 | 01/01/2002 | 630043 | Subject regarding exaggerated engine braking on deceleration. *yd | 04/12/2002 | |
| 0214 | 01/21/2002 | 630001 | Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant and/or oil from the cylinder head gasket area. *tt | 04/11/2002 | |
| 01205 | 10/15/2001 | 627927 | Some vehicles may exhibit vacuum or air leaks in the intake manifold and / or engine system causing diagnostic trouble codes p0171 and or p0174. *tt | 02/26/2002 | |
| 15259 | 09/01/2001 | 625807 | Concerns with the lower power in high ambient temepratures. *tt | 12/03/2001 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||||
| 05417 | 03/07/2005 | 10014666 | Intermittent rough idle - non-commanded egr (exhaust gas recirculation valve) flow. *tt | 05/05/2005 | |
| 02M01 | 06/01/2004 | 02M01 | 10007207 | Customer satisfaction program 02m01 supplement #4. certain ford 2000 through 2003 vehicles equipped with a tube-mounted egr pressure sensor - additional egr pressure sensor warranty coverage. *tt supplement #3. *mj supplement #6 | 06/03/2004 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||||
| 0554 | 03/21/2005 | 10014685 | Use of stainless steel exhaust studs in service for 5.4l 2v engine. *tt | 05/05/2005 | |
| 17320 | 11/01/2003 | 10008169 | Broken exhaust manifold studs. *tt | 07/22/2004 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
| DP05005 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/22/2005 | 01/04/2006 | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | ||
| On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi | ||||||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | ||||||
| DP05005 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/22/2005 | 01/04/2006 | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | ||
| On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi | ||||||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | ||||||
| DP05005 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/22/2005 | 01/04/2006 | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | ||
| On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 12/29/2011 | 156000 | ||
| I have had six occurrences of a spark plug blowing out of the cylider head. each time, it blew the coil off also. the dangerous popping and vapors that blow from the now open head are a serious ignition hazard in the engine bay. it is not always the same plug that has blown out. three times this has happened, the threads that the plug goes into are stripped. through research, it appears this is a common problem and although i did not encounter a fire due to the vapors under the hood, it has happened to others before. this is a problem that the manufacturer knows about and is unwilling to do anything about. each time the repair is expensive and the uncertainty of if/when it will happen again is unacceptable. | |||
| 04/14/2012 | 80000 | ||
| Engine blew out #3 spark plug. ford dealer said that this is normal! could cause engine fire by igniting fuel vapors from cylinder. | |||
| 11/09/2011 | 80000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 ford expedition. while driving approximately 55 mph, the engine stalled with an illumination of the warning indicator. the engine restarted after waiting a few moments and resumed as normal. the failure occurred on three different times while driving various speeds. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and they were unable to detect a trouble code. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000. js | |||
| 06/18/2010 | 110000 | ||
| I'm not sure this is going to do any good, because i am not the first to lodge this complaint. nothing has been done so far. this is the 5th time that this particular incident has happened to me. the most recent was yesterday 2/29/2012. i am very grateful that i was driving each time and not my wife or kids. i have a 2002 ford expedition and on 5 different occasions over a two year period, while driving on the highway and around the neighbourhood, the spark plugs have blown out of the cylinder heads. it has not always been the same plug. on 3 of the occasions the coils broke off. i don't understand why me or anyone else as consumers has to pay for the mistakes of ford's poor design flaws. there is no reason why this has not been a recall item. it is clearly a safety issue. if they can recall a running board light, then why have they not been forced to recall this item? i hope that it doesn't come down to someone losing their lives, before something is done. | |||
| 01/05/2012 | 79000 | ||
| # 3 spark plug blew out of head. i was told my ford dealer its common and ford will not issure a recall. triton engines are faulty and ford knew they sold a bad engine for years, the goverment must step in. i need a refund. | |||
| 08/08/2011 | 145000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. the contact was accelerating from a stop when the vehicle exhibited an abnormal noise and smoke was seen coming from under the hood. the contact stopped the vehicle and found that a fire had started in the engine. the contact was able to extinguish the fire and drive the vehicle home. the contact found that a spark plug had blown and caused the engine fire. the spark plug was replaced but the failure recurred four times and each time, the spark plug was replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the vehicle. a complaint was filed with the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 145,000 and the current mileage was 149,000. kmj | |||
| 08/08/2011 | 145000 | ||
| The contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. the contact stated the spark plug blew and the engine caught on fire. after taking off from a stop sign and acclerated there was a noise and smoke started coming from the hood. the contact merged to the side of the road looked under the hood and saw the engine on fire. the contact distinguished the fire and then drove the vehicle home. this failure has happen four times after installing four different spark plugs. the manufacturer was notified who informed him there are no recalls and informed him to file a complaint with nhtsa. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 145,000 and the current mileage was 149,000. mw | |||
| 06/11/2011 | 120000 | ||
| Ford triton 4.6l engine spark plug blow-out occurred turning a corner at 30. the vehicle immediately started sputtering and lost power. i had to immediately pull over and get the vehicle off the road. the spark plug had been completely blown out of the engine block and taken some additional head with it. | |||
| 04/27/2011 | 162000 | ||
| While driving my 2002 ford expedition (5.4l) on the interstate, i heard a loud pop and the vehicle immediately lost power and decelerated in heavy traffic. the nearby ford dealer determined that the no.7 spark plug had blown out. the dealer indicated that they see this all the time with this engine. the vehicle was at the same dealer a few weeks prior, and had the no.8 spark plug replaced (while addressing an ignition coil problem). | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 137000 | ||
| I own a 2002 ford expedition with a triton 5.4l v* engine. while driving i heard a loud ticking type noise from the engine. i immediately pulled the vehicle over. my mechanic stated that a spark plug had been ejected from the block. he stated that this is a common problem with the ford triton engines. i feel that ford should make this right with the consumers that have had trouble with this. i have yet to find a mechanic that will do the repairs for a reasonable amount. the truck has been sitting in the driveway for 3 months, un-driveable. i have not been able to get the repairs done and fear driving it due to the risk of fire and engine failure. | |||
| 01/27/2011 | 104000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. while driving approximately 20 mph the contact heard a loud boom coming from under the hood. the vehicle was towed to the contacts home. the contact stated he inspected the vehicle and noticed the spark plug blew out of the cylinder head. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 104,000. ds | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 120000 | ||
| While driving my youngest daughter to school there was a loud bang from under the hood and a noticeable loss of power. it sounded like the car had a severe exhaust leak. when taken to my local dealer i was informed that a spark plug had blown out of the engine and that this was a very common occurance with the 2002 5.4 liter engine. i was told that repairs would run anywhere from $700 to $3500. | |||
| 04/26/2010 | 200010 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. after parking the vehicle, the contact came outside to see the vehicle engulfed in flames which were coming from under the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 200,010. | |||
| 04/17/2010 | 10800 | ||
| The # 5 spark plug ejected from the head of a 2002 ford expedition 4.6 litre while exiting the freeway. the repair involved tear down of the top of the motor to properly fix at a cost of about $600.00 in parts and a weekend of my time. repairs included repairing the plug hole by removing the head. this means that the radiator, fan, throttle body, intake, valve covers, exhaust manifold and head all be removed, resulting in gasket replacement as well. | |||
| 04/09/2010 | 148592 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. the contact observed while the vehicle was parked in the driveway flames and smoke expelled from the vehicle. immediately, the fire was extinguished with the fire extinguisher, and the fire department was not called to the scene. the manufacturer was notified and stated there would be forms mailed concerning the failure which had not been received at the time of the complaint. the vehicle was in the process of being investigated by the insurance company. the failure mileage was 148,592. the current mileage was 148,592. | |||
| 02/10/2010 | 75000 | 1 | |
| Spark plug explode,when driving at 45mph, car warranty insurance deny claim due that they said is for a bad torque, however those were installed at factory. *tr | |||
| 03/08/2010 | 115000 | 1 | |
| We own a 2002 ford expedition with about 115,000 miles on it. right when we rolled over 100,000, we have had multiple instances of the spark plugs blowing right out of the engine. each spark plug repair has cost us between $300-$500 plus towing. the car will have no real sign that it's about to blow a plug. which is scary of where you may be stuck when the thing decides to go. the last time (yesterday) that this happened, we were told that the car would need new heads ( a $3500 repair). we have researched this problem, and it is not unique to us as ford owners. complaint upon complaint can be found of the same problem at around the same mileage. ford claims to not be responsible, however they have since repaired the spark plug flaw in newer ford cars and trucks. the problem lies in that the spark plugs don't have enough threading, which causes them to shoot right out of the engine. if they have realized their flaw enough to change it, then they should take on the responsibility in repairing the cars/trucks that are on the road with this problem, and repairing people's pocket books that have already had to shovel out the funds to pay the repairs. *tr | |||
| 12/06/2009 | 150000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. after being parked for two hours, he was advised that his vehicle caught on fire. the fire dept stated the fire initiated within the engine compartment. the fire report number was not available. the manufacturer took report number 0589603419. the manufacturer stated an investigator would be sent within fifteen days to inspect the vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 150,000. | |||
| 12/24/2007 | 69000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. the contact stated that the spark plugs caused the engine to fail. the vehicle began to smoke occasionally; however, he was able to continue driving it. prior to filing the complaint the failure occurred three times. it also seemed to occur once every year since 2007. the first failure was repaired by the dealer according to the extended warranty. the second time, the dealer repaired it at the owners expense. the vehicle was being diagnosed at the dealer at the time the complaint was filed. the manufacturer stated that they were not responsible and that there were no existing recalls. the current mileage was approximately 89,000. the failure mileage was approximately 69,000. | |||
| 09/02/2009 | 41000 | 1 | |
| Ford triton engine spitting spark-plugs out of engine resulting in gasoline being sprayed all over engine. costly repairs are minimum $400+. this has happened 4 times to me and i can anticipate it happening on the remaining 4 cylinders in my 2002 ford expedition. as a result of this problem ford is aware of, gasoline is being sprayed on 1000's of engines when this happens. bad design by ford. aluminum heads on iron engine. duh. my investigation has determined that there are 1000's of ford owner who have experienced this same problem yet ford is unwilling to do anything about it. their repair shops will charge anywhere from $400 to $1600 to repair the problem. please address this issue before my remaining 4 cylinders go and i will have to pay to get this bad design repaired. thank you. *tr | |||
| 08/26/2009 | 106000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford expedition - back passenger side spark plug blew out. car was pushed to mechanic who was luckily close by at time of blow out. spark plug was completely blown out, the coil was broken and the intake manifold had to be removed to facilitate repair. total bill: over $1300. ford knows about this problem - it is widely reported on the internet - but yet they do nothing to help their consumers. *tr | |||
| 07/18/2009 | 75000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 ford expedition and have now twice in the last 6 months have had to have it repaired for the spark plug ejection fro, the motor. the vehicle gave way with its power right in the middle of the intersection. i feel this is a defect and that ford should take some ownership, it only has 75 thousand miles on it. *tr | |||
| 02/09/2009 | 91651 | 1 | |
| I drive a 2002 ford expedition with a 5.4 triton v8 engine. i have had 2 of the exact same failures on the exact same vehicle. they both were blown out spark plugs! the first was april 24, 2007 and the second was feb. 10, 2009. the first one occurred at 77,402 miles on the vehicle and the second happened at 91,651 miles. i am livid with rage at an problem that i have now learned is very common with this engine. this is an obvious defect with this vehicle and something that can continue to occur over and over since there is nothing to be done about it according to the ford dealer shop service manager who repaired the problem on feb. 10, 2009. i have spent a total of $569.75 for these 2 repairs! and obviously feel it will happen again. how can it not? there were not any events or warnings this was going to happen! it just blew out the spark plug and of course could not be driven and required towing. the parts that were replaced/repaired were on both cases a coil assembly and spark plug, rethreading for the plug. i have no old parts and was not given any. why this has not been recalled is beyond my understanding since it will happen again due to the aluminum head that was installed on these vehicles when they were built by ford. that is what the ford dealer service manager told me, in fact. it heats up and gets way to hot than it blows the spark plug! i do not think i should be responsible for repairing/replacing the head in case that would ever happen which it could. ford screwed up on this one. make them pay to fix this ongoing problem please! i cannot afford to buy a new car. *tr | |||
| 02/11/2009 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Hello we have a 2002 ford expedition with the 5.4 yesterday it blew a plug. we have kept very good care of this vehicle and should not have had this problem we are a family of 5 and the only thing ford wants to do is put in a new motor or sale me a new car this is not right, this is a on going problem with these motors to fix this problem it will be $500 to try and retap the hole for the spark plug that may or may not hold or $5000 to rebuild the motor. can someone help us. tim *tr | |||
| 12/31/2008 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Spark plug #3 blew while traveling with children on the highway resulting in engine damage, repairs of $4000. *tr | |||
| 12/29/2008 | 128000 | 1 | |
| My wife and i were going to eat and the vehicle started running rough. i told her to pull over and pop the hood. i got out, opened the hood and there was a fire on the drivers side of the engine compartment. i attempted to put it out but was unsuccessful. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2008 | 77997 | 1 | |
| Spark plug ejected from engine. *tr | |||
| 02/25/2008 | 1 | ||
| On three separate occasions, my 2002 ford expedition has blown a spark plug. this is a well documented, albeit unacknowledged by ford, issue with the triton engines. each time, i incurred the direct cost of an independent mechanic correcting the issue using after market repair kits. websites such as consumeraffairs.com are replete with others encountering the same problems. why ford has not been forced to recall and fix these vehicles is beyond me. there is a very real danger with the blown spark plug igniting vapors and starting an engine fire. each time the spark plug blew, it was while the car was in motion, causing rapid deceleration and jerking of the car. i am using the second date of incident for purposes of this report. the most recent occurrence happened on sunday, nov 30, 2008. *tr | |||
| 11/23/2008 | 105000 | 1 | |
| # 3 spark plug blew for the second time and destroyed the motor head. now have to replace head and have been quoted around $3000 to fix a problem ford has known about and has had many complaints about as well as consumer affairs. *tr | |||
| 09/11/2008 | 117000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 ford expedition with a 5.4l engine that has just recently experienced a blown out spark plug and coil. in more than half of the 5.4l engines produced by ford between 1990 - 2005 have experienced a blown out spark plug and coil. the plug thread within the cylinder head are inadequate resulting in replacement of your heads or to temporarily fix the problem with the lock-n-stitch method which is ford approved. the reason i am raising this concern is that this situation has affected so many vehicles yet ford still continues to produced equipment set up to fail. i always see recalls on items that are definitely safety issues but are a cheap fix but when it comes to complex problems that are costly to repair and very common among the same style and size engine it should be addressed as well. at this time i am not sure of the result in damage or injury except for maybe the person working on the vehicle. *tr | |||
| 09/11/2008 | 67000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 eddie bauer ford expedition, and it just blew out a spark plug at 66 thousand miles or so. dealer says it isn't covered under warranty. i am seeing a huge amount of these v8 triton engines blowing out spark plugs on the internet, and attempted class action lawsuits. it looks like the engine threading is messed up and the plugs blow out. all the plugs are original factory. i smelled fuel after a loud pop happened, and i was worried the engine might explode from gas vapor, but i wasn't on the freeway thank god. *tr | |||
| 06/26/2008 | 61258 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford expedition threw out a spark plug(#3) after i started it. the car showed no signs of any problems prior to the event. from the number of complaints i've seen online, this is not an isolated incident. the dealer recommended a head replacement but i could not afford the $3,700 they wanted. i had to choose the helicoil fox at $600 and was informed that there would not be any guarantee on this fix or how long it would last. *tr updated 07/17/08 | |||
| 06/13/2007 | 142748 | 1 | |
| Engine backfired blowing out no. 7 spark plug stripping out cylinder head. has backfired before splitting no. 3 spark plug. causing the vehilcle to be unusable until repaird. *tr | |||
| 04/15/2008 | 92000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford expedition - out of the blue, the car blew a spark plug. it was towed, did full tune up and new spark plug. was informed that there have been many problems with blown plugs and faulty aluminum heads in my year and make. it was $500.00. 2 weeks later same plug blew out. had to tow again. my choice was either new car or drop a new engine in the car. a new head would have been a band-aid. i had to put a new engine in, the engine and the labor were $6,000.00. i should have never had to do this for a 2002 that i paid over 30,000.00 for. several mecanics said they are seeing more and more of these coming in their shops from years 2000-2002 in different fords. *tr | |||
| 06/12/2008 | 107000 | 1 | |
| Spark plug ejected from engine. original spark plugs in the vehicle. ejected at start up of engine. heads will need to be removed and heli coil inserts installed. *tr | |||
| 04/11/2008 | 1 | 01/25/2007 | |
| My 2002 ford expedition exploded, last night on april 11th. *tr | |||
| 03/26/2008 | 115000 | 2 | 02/10/2005 |
| #1 spark plug ejected from cylinder head damaging coil and plug wiring this is 2nd incident costing over 4000 dollars to repair head replaced. *tr | |||
| 03/15/2008 | 78841 | 1 | 07/15/2004 |
| 2002 ford expedition with 5.4l trition engine suffered spark plug blow out. *tr | |||
| 03/02/2008 | 131000 | 1 | 11/11/2001 |
| The #3 spark plug on my 2002 ford expedition ejected from the cylinder. i was told by a mechanic that this failure could have resulted in a fire in the engine compartment. i am now looking at a $2,200 repair bill! *tr | |||
| 07/03/2007 | 84500 | 2 | 02/01/2003 |
| On 7/3/2007 i heard a loud banging sound and smelled gas coming from under my engine. when i had it towed to sioux falls ford, they said a spark plug had blown out. when i asked if that was a factory defect, i was told that the plug may have been put in incorrectly. i have never had the spark plugs replaced, so i knew it was a factory plug, but the technician said that they had no way of knowing that. i spent $800 to have the it re-thread. 4 weeks later, a different spark plug did the same thing. at that time, they told me that they would check all of the spark plugs to ensure that they were tight. 4 weeks after that, the ignition coil needed to be replaced in that plug and the plug needed to be replaced. they claimed that their repairs had not caused this, but i feel like i have been getting the run-around on all of this simply because i am a woman. *tr | |||
| 09/21/2007 | 76400 | 1 | 12/01/2001 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. the contact heard a clinking noise coming from under the hood when the vehicle was started. she inspected the vehicle and noticed that the spark plug blew off. the mechanic confirmed the failure, but was unable to determine the cause. the consumer stated dealer informed her this is a common problem with expeditions, the mechanic had not repaired the vehicle. the powertrain was unknown. the current is 82,362 and the failure mileages was 76,400. eq-10203932-4200, date received 12/12/07. updated 12/12/07 *tr | |||
| 08/20/2006 | 1 | 08/25/2002 | |
| We were traveling at about 30-40 mph on a sharp curve on a freeway on-ramp. we experienced a loss of power and a very loud popping noise. we pulled over since driving at freeway speeds seemed impossible. we were stranded in a very dangerous spot about 100 feet in front of the freeway on-ramp. after aaa informed us it would be about an hour for a tow truck and an accelerating vehicle came within inches of our car, my family and i decided to abandon the vehicle and climb a very steep and dangerous embankment. i feared for my three kids and wife's the whole time waiting for the tow truck. we were towed to a ford dealer where they told us( a week later) the number three spark plug had blown. the usual problem with these engines. the plug blows because there are only five threads for the spark plug in these aluminum heads. the new design from ford now has 12 threads. we decided to have the whole engine replaced since this cost less than having two heads replaced. its 5500 for the engine and 3500 per head. we wanted both heads since the other head would be prone to the same problem. i think ford should own up to this problem because eventually there are going to be serious consequences to someone as a result of this. we were only inches away from this happening. *nm | |||
| 04/23/2006 | 120000 | 1 | 12/30/2001 |
| An original equipment never changed spark plug on my 2002 ford expedition suddenly and without warning blew off my engine, stripping the threads on the engine block. prior to this failure, the engine was running well and without problems. *jb | |||
| 04/04/2006 | 36046 | 1 | 07/06/2005 |
| Blown spark plug on a 2002 ford expedition. mileage:36046 cylinder number 3 i took the truck to ford 4 days before the incident as i had been hearing a slight ticking nose coming from engine. ford dealer told me to keep driving it until something bigger happened as my extended warranty might not cover all labor costs if they couldn't find the problem. turns out it was small exhaust leak around the threads of the plug. once the plug blew on the highway approximately 65 mph loud noise and loss of power. now the vehicle needs a new head and will be with dealer for over a week. *jb | |||
| 02/08/2006 | 46000 | 1 | 02/25/2005 |
| My repair is as described in service bulletin # 041601 and nhtsa # 10018745. my coil was replaced. *jb | |||
| 04/06/2003 | 21500 | 01/26/2002 | |
| On several separate occasions the engine has revved upon depression or release of the brakes. this causes the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly. the radio also becomes louder as if the speed sensitive volume is affected as well. i have notified the dealer but as they have been unable to duplicate the problem, they have not responded. please help as i fear that this will eventually cause an accident. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 09/24/2009 | 1 | ||
| Spark plugs blow out of head two in two months last one burn a hole in head beside number 7 spark plug and was on fire. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 05/06/2011 | 123400 | ||
| 1. driving, 35mph 2. spark plug blew out of #2 cylinder, damaging coil 3. vehicle currently waiting for mechanic to check seals and head to determine extent of damage | |||
| 05/17/2010 | 114000 | ||
| 2002 ford expedition, original factory spark plug was violently ejected from the engine during normal operation. spark plug smashed through fuel injector and dented the hood. had someone been servicing the engine the injuies could have been severe. ford motor company refuses to call this a defect and area dealerships want to charge $700 to $3300 to fix this issue. there have been thousands of complaints and this motor design problem should be recalled and fixed by ford motor company. | |||
| 05/16/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Spark plug blowout of ford v8 triton motor. recently replaced motor due to old motor failure. 5/16/2010 loud pop noise and gas leak, motor sounded like a harley davidson motorcycle stopped dead in its track in the middle of the road. two children and myself in the vehicle. strong gasoline smell and horrible sound, unable to drive vehicle. | |||
| 01/28/2010 | 100024 | ||
| After pulling out from a stop sign i had a spark plug blow out of my 5.4l v8 in a 2002 ford expedition | |||
| 04/21/2010 | 109500 | ||
| I have had two spark plugs blow out of my 2002 ford expedition 5.4l v8. the first blew out after pulling out of an intersection from a dead stop. the second was the #2 plug. i was pulling a travel trailer through mountains on a highway. first noticed was a reduction in power for about 60 miles. then after rounding the top of the mountain, letting off the gas to go down the hill, the plug blew out. | |||
| 03/17/2010 | 81909 | ||
| March 17, 2010 i was stopped at a traffic light on leland and loveridge with my 4 small children in the vehicle. the light turned green, i stepped on the gas and heard a pop. then a continous extremely loud popping noise. i turned into the arco and had the vehicle towed. the car was taken to rivera auto repair inc. on march 22, 2010. the #3 spark plugged had popped out. they had to do a sleeve and replaced the spark plugs along with the ignition coil on the plug. after my research, this is very common in the 2002 expeditions because of a defect in the engine. at the time of incident, i had 81909 miles on the vehicle. i do have the old parts. it seems that ford is aware of this problem but refuses to do anything about it. i am glad i was not on a freway. they must be waiting for someone to get killed from this defect. here is a website with several complaints like mines, spark plugs popping out on their own. including # 3 like mines. http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2002/ford/expedition/engine consequences to such problem can be loss of power, fuel spurting out of the plug opening into the engine compartment, fires can start from vapors being ignited by loose spark plugs. ultimate consequence would be death. i don't feel i should be responsible for the repair bill when ford has been aware of this defect in their engine. there is consensus that the spark plug threads on the engine are not strong enough to hold the spark plugs because they're aluminum. please investigate this complaint before someone gets seriously injured or dies from the result of a blown spark plug since it appears to be very common on these types of vehicles. thank you! | |||
| 02/22/2002 | 145900 | 1 | |
| While sitting inside car at convenience store with the expedition idling the number 3 spark plug shot out the cylinder head. the car started popping and had to have the auto towed. there are numerous drivers having these problems with ford tritron 5.4l engines. had to place a heli coil to hold a new spark plug. *tr | |||
| 12/02/2009 | 69977 | 2 | |
| Spark plug pooped out of my truck twice now...lost power....fuel spurting out of the plug opening into the engine compartment....very costly repairs. it is happening all over the united states....probably worse issues then the current toyota recall in progress now. go to this web-site and learn more:http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_spark.html . i am afraid of driving this truck now since this issue is dangerous...to lose power while driving on the highway and gas coming out into the engine compartment. *tr | |||
| 01/17/2010 | 48380 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford expedition with less than 49,000 original miles blew a spark plug and blew a hole in #3 cylinder on january 17, 2010. the vehicle was towed to jack madden ford in norwood, massachusetts and was repaired by repairing spark plug hole and replacing spark plug, ignition assembly coil and installing a helicoil at a cost of $813.00 plus $21 towing fee. after going on-line i saw that this is a common problem with the engine in my vehicle which is a ford triton 5.4 v-8. i've also since learned this problem can lead to fires due to fuel vapor being ignited by loose spark plugs. all engine work on my vehicle is always done by ford dealers! i believe there should be a recall. there is consensus that the spark plug threads on the engine aren't strong enough to hold the spark plugs because they're aluminum from what i am reading from different web-sites on the internet. if you blow one plug you can blow any of the remaining plugs at any given time. any plugs ever installed in my vehicle or replaced were done by ford certified mechanics at ford dealers so there shouldn't be any complaints of incorrect torqueing of plugs as ford seems to be claiming. i understand this would be a costly recall for ford but one that should be initiated by nhtsa. *tr | |||
| 12/26/2009 | 97000 | 1 | |
| The #3 spark plug blew out of the engine of my 2002 ford expedition while traveling at 65 mph on a crowded four lane highway. we could have easily been in a severe accident but were able to safely navigate our way to the side of the road. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 163127 | 1 | |
| 6 days after having sparkplug #5 blow out of the cylinder #4 blew out. *tr | |||
| 12/04/2009 | 162176 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford expedition blew two (2) sparkplugs out in one week. had #5 fixed at a ford dealer, 6 days later #4 blew out. *tr | |||
| 08/27/2009 | 78000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford expedition spark plug ejection. #3 spark plug shot out of engine stripping threads and requiring an expensive repair. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2009 | 125500 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford expedition spark plug blow out. what the | |||
| 07/18/2009 | 182000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. while driving 40 mph, one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 182,000. | |||
| 06/09/2009 | 1 | ||
| Ford spark plug blow out defect. it is a known defect thousands have experienced. it is where the spark shoots out of engine head stripping threads and damaging the head and sometimes causing fire. my car had this happen and now i am stranded. there are some temporary fixes but no permanent fix. the helicoil can come out. you can replace the engine but it will have the same defect. my car is a 2002 ford expedition 4.6 triton v8. it is affecting 1997 through 2004. ford is aware but says they wont fix it. i am going to try class action. this can cause fire. this is a 9 passenger vehicle used to carry my kids if it catches fire from it i may not get everyone out in time. *tr | |||
| 11/25/2008 | 94600 | 1 | |
| The spark plug in my 2002 ford expedition blew out while i was driving the speed limit on the highway. after this happened, i tried unsuccessfully to get my car repaired at a non-dealer mechanic. every mechanic i called said that they would not touch my car because of the engine and the threads being insufficient. and that most of the repairs are not lasting so the situation escalates to the point where they are losing money to fix this problem that they did not create. the dealer fixed my car and said that the fix has no warranty even though it cost me $1116.98 to repair. i was also told that the problem is common. and that 1 in 100 of the repairs do not hold. the spark plug repair is recommended at the 100k tune-up mark. my car has had all maintenance recommended by the manufacturing including the every 3k mile oil changes. this should not have happened to my car. it was near but not over the 100k mark. and even if the spark plugs had been changed as recommended, the coil would have still blown because the problem is with the thread on the engine, not the plug itself. this item should be recalled and ford knows that they are responsible for putting safe cars on the roads. thank you, vicki bezio *tr | |||
| 10/29/2008 | 98000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford expedition with 5.4l - july, 2008 spark plug/coil are blown out of #6 cylinder. october, 2008 spark plug/coil are blown out of #3 cylinder. with coil still firing near exposed cylinder being injected with fuel, chance of fire is substantial. spark plugs were replaced and coils replaced. apparently need to install heli-coil kits to prevent it from happening again. *tr | |||
| 12/22/2007 | 97433 | 1 | 10/22/2001 |
| On december 22, 2007 while traveling we heard a 'pop' in the engine compartment and then the sound an smell of exhaust escaping the engine. when taken to bob tomas ford in mckinney texas i was told the the #3 sparl plug had been ejected from the engine head which had stripped the threads. i was then told that this has been an ongoing problem but that ford has not issued a recall and was not providing any financial assistance for those customers who were no longer covered by a warranty. my vehicle had 97,433 miles when this problem occurred. the total repair bill was $3375.20 to replace the right head. i requested assistance from ford after pointing out that the maintance schedule that came with the vehicle did not require a check of the spark plugs until the vehicle had reached 100,000 miles. ford stated they would not assist in any way.*cn | |||
| 10/17/2007 | 71000 | 1 | 10/16/2002 |
| My 2002 ford expedition 4x4, 5.3l engine with 71k miles had the #3 spark plug became dislodged as i was driving on the highway at ~65 mph. turns out the threads on the cylinder head are stripped. my car had to be towed to the dealer and is awaiting being fixed. if i choose to have the cylinder head replaced, it will cost ~$3000. i've read other articles and complaints on the internet that lead me to believe there are thousands of people who've experienced the same thing with their ford trucks. i believe there is sufficient data to suggest ford should do a recall on these trucks for this problem. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2007 | 85990 | 1 | 01/29/2002 |
| My 2002 ford expedition (83,000 miles) on the way home from lake powell blew a spark plug out of the cylinder head. we were 350 miles from home on vacation and had to obtain assistance and added expense to return home in time for our jobs. the vehicle is still in st george, utah at a ford dealership being repaired. it was explained that the spark plug issue is well known. there is no assistance from ford for repairing the well known design flaw. *tr | |||
| 08/27/2007 | 62000 | 1 | 08/01/2003 |
| Vehicle threw a spark plug without warning while at highway speeds. this stripped out the plug socket requiring rebuilding of the engine heads to really fix it correctly to be sure it wouldn't happen again. mechanic expressed that this was common on these vehicles. destroyed the spark coil and wiring as it blew out. could easily have caused a severe accident at highway speeds, towing a trailer. we were lucky it was late and traffic was light. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 106000 | 3 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. when the contact started the vehicle, he noticed smoke coming from the engine. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that the cause of failure was due to a blown spark plug cylinder. the dealer replaced the spark plug cylinder. approximately two weeks later, while driving 65 mph uphill, the vehicle lost power. the mechanic replaced the spark plugs and performed a tune up. the following day, while driving 65 mph uphill, the vehicle lost power again. the dealer stated that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. as of july 11, 2007, the engine has not been replaced. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage is 106,710 and failure mileage was 106,000. | |||
| 06/12/2007 | 68000 | 1 | 01/29/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford expedition. while driving 30 mph, the spark plugs blew out from the side of the engine. the contact pulled over and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the vehicle is currently waiting to be repaired. the current and failure mileages were 68,000. | |||
| 05/04/2006 | 81000 | 2 | 10/04/2001 |
| Started with pinging noise from engine 1 day before spark plug on #3 cylinder blew out. broke coil-over-plug module & required repair to head. another failure recently occured on #8 cylinder involving head replacement. | |||
| 06/23/2006 | 54269 | 1 | 01/26/2006 |
| Today i had the spark plug blow out of my ford expedition when i was on the freeway with my 3 kids. come to find out this is a common problem and ford won't do anything to fix this problem. *jb | |||
| 09/16/2005 | 62000 | 3 | 09/06/2001 |
| On sept. 16th, 2005, as i was driving in my ford 2002 expedition, my engine blew a spark-plug out of the engine which caused me to swerve out of my lane and loose all power on the highway. it was a very dangerous experience for me and my family and other drivers around me. i have since learned that ford is aware of this obvious manufacturing defect and has done nothing to prevent this from happening and does not stand behind its product. the attached letter was sent to ford motor company. i purchased a 2002 ford expedition brand new from syosset ford on long island. after four years and 62 thousand miles, i was told by tower ford of great neck that i blew a spark-plug out of the engine head. they requested that i change the entire engine since there maybe cylinder damage, and also i would now have a new warranty for my engine. before spending $5,253.34, i looked into the problem with other customers on the national highway traffic and safety administration and found out that other purchasers of this engine have had the same problem and ford has done nothing to compensate them or fixed the engines problems. they know this is a problem in this particular engine and continue to use it, even though, ford states that no tune-up is need on this engine for 100,000 miles. it is obvious that this is a manufacturer | |||
| 01/06/2006 | 49300 | 2 | 07/06/2002 |
| Started as small oil leak. after placing dye in crankcase found drivers side head gasket leaking. i am having both head gaskets replaced for 17k. there is only 49k on this truck with all normal driving. from other complaints that have been posted i do not understand why ford has not been made to respond to the problems with their product line. this problem has been in complaints since '98. isn't time that some accountability be taken by the manufacturer? *jb | |||
| 12/19/2005 | 63000 | 1 | |
| Dt: the contact stated while driving at approximately 25 mph heard a loud boom. the vehicle sputtered and jerked. he pulled the vehicle to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to a dealership, where they found the problem to be a blown out spark plug. no repairs were made. *ak | |||
| 12/24/2005 | 62955 | 1 | 11/23/2001 |
| 2002 ford expedition (eddie bauer) with 63000 miles on 12/24/05, at approximately 1530 hours, we loaded up our infant and toddler into their car seats. i started the engine and immediately heard a loud thumping noise from under the hood and could smell gasoline. i immediately shut off the engine and looked under the hood and noticed that a spark plug coil pack was moved out of place and the retaining screw bracket was broken off the coil pack on the passenger side of the engine. i pulled the coil pack out and realized that the spark plug was no longer screwed into the head. there was no damage to the threads on the spark plug. it was obvious that the spark plug had blown-out of the head. i did a google search and found that there are numerous complaints of the same problem for the triton engine for 1998-2002 model years. i also found that ford is not paying for any repairs. to repair the problem, the head and head gasket will need to be replaced. i got a price quote of $2954.10 (including tax, parts, and labor). had i left the engine run longer, the spark plug will still be firing with gasoline being discharged into the engine compartment, a severe fire hazard. *nm | |||
| 11/22/2005 | 72000 | 1 | 11/08/2003 |
| Blew spark plug. *jb | |||
| 07/29/2005 | 70000 | 1 | 06/01/2002 |
| Dt: the contact owned a 2002 ford expedition and on friday a spark plug blew out the side of the engine through the right cylinder head and caused the vehicle to lose power. *ak *jb | |||
| 03/18/2003 | 20000 | ||
| The vehicles engine missed, lost power and made a banging noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the entire engine was replaced. about 100 miles later the banging returned. *nlm | |||
| 11/08/2002 | |||
| While traveling down the hill the vehicle shut down without prior warning. please fill in addtional information. dealer is aware of the problem. ts | |||
| Motor mount belt separated from vehicle ,causing engine to sputter and lose power. please provide further information.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - DIESEL | |||
| 07/06/2006 | 8600 | 2 | |
| On july 6, 2005, my of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 2002 expedition triton v-8 the spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine. i heard a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound. the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power. the vehicle did stall and i was not able to drive it upon starting it due to the loud noise i also smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.*jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 03/28/2008 | 81222 | 1 | 05/06/2002 |
| A factory installed original sparkplug in my 2002 ford expedition blew out of the engine for no particular reason. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2007 | 97000 | 1 | 03/25/2005 |
| Timing chain and tensioners. *tr | |||
| 08/20/2002 | 1 | 04/08/2002 | |
| While driving the vehicle misfired and stalled. the dealer rewired and retorqued the front end to correct the problem. *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 01/08/2010 | 74000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford expedition. the spark plug popped out of the engine head on two occasions. the first time it happened was on thanksgiving, 11/26/2009. the engine was smoking and it smelled like gasoline. my mechanic said this is happening to fords all over the country and that it is documented all over the internet if you do a google search on ford spark plugs popping. the repair cost me $500. on january 8, 2010, another spark plug popped out from a different cylinder. the truck is in the shop now. my mechanic advised me not to put new ford heads on the truck because the new heads will have the same defect. i expect this new repair to cost $500 as well. ford needs to be ordered to issue a recall. this is a dangerous defect that can cause a fire or an explosion under the hood due to the gas vapors being pumped into the engine compartment while the popped out plug is still sparking. i was fortunate to shut down the engine when i started to smell the strong gas fumes. *tr | |||
| 07/04/2005 | 6 | 02/28/2005 | |
| Dt: the contact stated the inside of the vehicle occasionally had a strong smell of gasoline when driving at 75 mph. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic, but the mechanic could not duplicate the problem. the contact only used the vehicle for driving her children to school, which was about 5 or 6 blocks away. due to her fears about the smell she tried to exchange the vehicle for another but the dealer denied her request.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 08/22/2006 | 102 | 1 | 02/25/2003 |
| We owned a 02 ford expedition which gave me no problem and i loved and owned it out right. in august of 07 the expedition blew out a spark plug from the engine while stopped at a stop light. when i took it to the mechanic they speculated right away what the problem might be and upon checking it out found there speculation to be true. i phoned other mechanics who immediately said they were aware of the problem with that year engine and those surrounding it. it has obviously happened enough times for several mechanics to be aware of the problem and state that ford was doing nothing about it. my husband went to speak to the ford dealership who responded that it was not a problem and they were only aware of a few incidents and were going to do nothing about our problem. we ended up heli coiling the plug and having a temporary fix. we no longer have the vehicle because i could not trust that it would not blow a spark plug again and we have children and need a reliable vehicle. i'm very discouraged by the fact that i now have a car payment when i didn't before. i don't know if any other complaints have been made but the mechanics here seem to believe it is happening far to often and nothing is being done about it. again i owned the expedition out right and am very upset about the fact that i had to buy another vehicle because of something that never should have happened. vehicles don't just blow a spark plug from the engine. thank you tanya bishop *tr | |||