Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
0517311/14/20050522610018741Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code p1131 and/or p1151 - 4.2l engine. *tt01/12/2006
04160111/14/20050522810018745Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt01/12/2006
05171310/07/20050524910018062Coolant degas bottle overflow. *tt12/14/2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
TSB-08-18-206/01/200910029205Ford/mercury/lincoln: vehicles may exhibit one or more of the following symptoms: drive away hesitation, loss of rpm on deceleration, difficulty starting, and/or idle rpm less than desired. the f53 motorhome chassis is included. *06/26/2009
0721210/01/200710023943Some 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. *pe02/20/2008
0615210021048Spark plug removal instructions - 5.4 3v. *kb02/27/2007
06191210020792Diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) p0340, p0344, p0345, p0349. are found. *kb01/16/2007
05101501/01/200505255100189355.4l 3v with p030x and/or p0316 accompanied by spark knock. *tt01/25/2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - OTHER FUEL TYPES - TURBO-CHARGER
2022804/01/2008100248651999-2008 7.3l/6.0l/6.4l/4.5l diesel f-super duty - clean the charge air cooler (cac) system after certain turbo or engine failures - service tip. *nj06/03/2008

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
09/27/2012597641
 The truck just stopped got it going lasted 3 weeks now the engine light came on and it is in the shop and the can not figure it out the engine is a lemon i can not afford to spend alot of money i don't have. *tr
02/09/2010120000
 Since approximately 120,000 miles, this vehicle has experienced spark plug failure at a rate of about two each 5,000 miles. prior to this period, the vehicle had no history of spark plug failure. the plugs were changed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended service schedule around 101,000 miles. between 120,000 and 142,000 miles, eight spark plugs and two coils failed during normal driving conditions. an additional tuneup and complete spark plug replacement was performed at 142,000 miles after two failed during normal freeway driving conditions. another spark plug blew out and was replaced at 148,000 miles. in addition to spark plug failure, several of these plugs have broken while being extracted, causing needlessly expensive repairs.
01/05/201289000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while driving approximately 40 mph, a loud clicking noise emitted from under the vehicle. the failure progressed and could be heard whenever the vehicle was in operation. the noise would increase as the speed was increased. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised the contact that the exhaust manifold would need to be replaced. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 89,000. kmj
01/05/201289000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while driving approximately 40 mph, a loud clicking noise emitted from underneath the vehicle. the failure progressed to whenever the vehicle was in operation and the greater the speed an increase of the noise would occur. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the exhaust manifold would need to be replaced. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 89,000. js
03/07/2012105000
 I purchased the truck used with an odometer reading of 86,782miles. i was not told that i needed to replace the sparkplugs or that there is a major issue with the sparkplugs breaking. i assumed that if there was any issue of this nature the dealership would have to disclose this problem on the purchasing agreement. i went to the dealership last week due to the window motor seizing/breaking. i paid for the service to repair that issue, which is another problem as well. during that visit i was informed about the spark plug problem, which ford has issued a tsb report about. the plugs become fused to the engine block at 100,000 miles, and i am now at 105,000 and just finding out about this! the problem that i am experiencing is that the dealership wants to charge an absorbent amount of money to change the spark plugs, and if any break, its an extra $100 to remove each broken plug. that could potentially be an additional $800 extra to change the spark plugs. that is absolutely ludicrous for ford to charge an owner for such a task! also it is important to note that the dealership that i purchased the truck from obviously knew about this issue and neglected to inform me in any fashion. i am considering taking legal action as i believe the dealer should be liable to cover the cost of this task, as they did not disclose these problems that according to the dealer had to be addressed within 10,000 additional miles. that is a very short amount of miles to drive for such a major expenditure. i do believe that i should have to pay a typical fee for parts and service to replace the sparkplugs as they are a maintenance item. however, i believe that if the dealer has any problem changing the sparkplugs, it should rest on their shoulders to cover those costs.
09/27/201116256
 I was stopped at a red light and had just put my foot on the accelerator when there was a loud pop and the sudden smell of gas inside the cab of the truck. when i got it to the dealership i was told that the spark plug had blown out of the head and the coil pack was damaged. i was told that the head that ford decided to use only had three threads to hold the spark plug in place and that the plugs seemed to blow out of 1997-2004 models. they could use a helicoil to repair the threads but they couldn't make any guarantees about the repair. after i had it repaired i discovered thousands of other complaints on the internet about the same issue of spark plugs being blown out of the heads and other people having to replace the heads on thier vehicles. i spoke to a buddy of mine in topeka who told me of his neighbor who just bought a used 2004 model ford truck and had an engine fire because of this same issue. i got lucky with the cost of this repair but because of the poor construction design of this head, that it should have been covered under a warranty of courtesy coverage. this issue needs to be seriously looked at as a recall because of the potential of a fire hazard and a safety issue because if someone is looking under the hood when this occurs, they can be seriously hurt by flying debris.
12/17/201196000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for service and a tune-up. six of the eight spark plugs that were being replaced fractured during the repair. the dealer informed the contact that the failure was common in the particular model because the manufacturer recommended that the sparks plug be replaced every 100,000 miles but the dealer stated that spark plugs should never be in a vehicle for that long of a period before being replaced. the failure and the current mileage was 96,000. kmj
12/17/201196000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer for service and a tune up and six of the eight spark plugs broke when being replaced. the dealer informed the contact that this is a known problem on this model because the manufacturer recommends the sparks plug be replaced at 100,000 miles and that the spark plugs should never be in a vehicle for that long. the failure mileage and current mileages were 96,000.rl
11/21/201175246
 I just had to pay my ford dealership $1,270.00 to replace the spark plugs on my 2004 f-150,the ford motor company states that they have an issue with the spark plugs in their technical service bulletin 08-7-6 in ford f-150 trucks, ford mustangs, ford explorers, ford expeditions, lincoln navigator,lincoln mark lts, and mercury mountaineers model years 2004-2008. the plugs will break or snap during the removal process in turn the owner is expected to eat the cost of their labor and material to correct the problem. the owners manuals state that the plugs will last for 100,000 miles before replacement, i spoke to the relations department with the ford motor company and they state that they know that the problem exists but that is all they will say.
09/10/2011145000
 Truck blowed out plugs from # 3 at 50 mph truck shut off,i got a h coil got it put in,it blowed it out i done that 4 more times,then got repair kit from ford put in it didn't stay in 1300 miles and blowed out.
10/11/2010110000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated that the vehicle would make an abnormal noise while in motion. the dealer diagnosed that the cam-phasers would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 117,000. kmj
10/11/2010110000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated that the vehicle would make noise, while the vehicle was in motion. the dealer diagnosed that the cam-phasers would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified, but denied any assistance with repair to the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 117,000. nw
07/14/2011120833
 The engine has ejected a spark plug twice in two months.
09/24/201050000
 Failure of both cam phasers resulting in engine problems and decreased gas mileage along with emission failure.
09/01/2011130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance when four out of eight spark plugs fractured while the technician attempted to remove them to tune up the engine. the contact stated that the failure occurred due to a design flaw. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000. kmj
09/01/2011130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. while at the dealer for routine maintenance four out of eight spark plugs fractured while the technician attempted to remove them to tune up the engine. the contact stated the failure occurred to a design flaw. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000. ds
08/31/201156456
 Spark plugs failing. ford say they should be changed even though they are rated for 100,000 miles. cost starts at $300 and can go up to thousands of dollars. the fault is that ford installed spark plugs that can gaul or react with the al block. this means the plugs might break on removal leaving park of the spark plug in the block. the block would then need to be drilled out to remove the remaining part of the spark plug. it is also a known fact that some of the spark plugs are blowing out of the block on their own.
06/24/2011110000
 I purchased this vehicle used from my brother in law when it was 2 or 3 years old. all maintenance has been done timely. the 5.4 triton engine started running very rough. i immediately went to my mechanics shop. it was late so he gave me a ride home. on the following monday he called to say that he ran a scope and found that the piston was gone and it would not be cost effective to repair. he looked at buying a used engine from reputable dealers who specialize in used engines only to be told that they won't buy that particular engine because their defective and they've yet to see a good one. i've been waiting in the hopes of buying a used wreck with low mileage. a rebuilt engine runs $5,905.00 installed with a 3 year 100k warranty. in my conversation with jasper the woman immediately told me that this engine was rebuilt with the upgrades to the weak timing chain problem that ford had designed into the engine. i called ford and of course this was the first they had ever heard of such a problem. my mechanic says that year truck and engine are dropping like flies. he had one in is lot already and saw an add in the local paper of an 04 f-150 for sale with blown motor. he thought it was me but someone else has the same truck and problem. i don't know if this is the right place to discuss this issue but i was wondering if you have heard of anyone else with this problem? if so, how many and what does it take to force a company to remedy a problems they created? my maintenance of my vehicles is second to none. the 97 chevy truck i'm currently driving was purchased new buy me in may of 97. i just turned 358k miles yesterday and it's the same engine with no major repairs. i've never gotten less than 250k out of a vehicle because of my maintenance.
06/01/2011115428
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while driving approximately 25 mph, the contact heard a knocking noise coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer where the contact was informed that the variable time cam phaser tensioner needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and a report was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 115,428.
06/01/2011115428
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while driving approximately 25 mph the contact heard a knocking noise coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer where the contact was informed the variable time cam phaser tensioner needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and a report was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 115,428. ds
05/30/2011214000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked outside of his residence when he was informed that the vehicle was on fire. the police and fire department were called and a report was filed. the manufacturer was not contacted nor was the vehicle inspected by a dealer for the cause of failure. the failure mileage was approximately 214,000. the vin was unavailable.
05/30/2011214000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated that his vehicle was parked in his driveway and was awoken by someone banging at their door. when outside he noticed that his vehicle was on fire. the police and fire department was called and a report was available. the manufacturer was contacted nor has it been inspected by a dealer as of yet. the failure mileage was approximately 214,000. the vin was unavailable. tb
03/15/200520000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. while the vehicle was parked the contact stated the engine was extremely loud and made a ticking noise. the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician stated the cam phasers needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
03/15/200520000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while parked the contact stated the engine was extremely loud and stated there was a ticking sound coming from engine. the contact stated the check engine light had illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician stated the camp phasers needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000. ds
04/04/200492000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. the contact had taken the vehicle to an authorized dealer for routine maintenance. while the technician was performing the repair, the spark plugs fractured. the technician stated that the spark plug failure was a common issue due to the design of the engine. currently, the vehicle was being repaired. the failure mileage was 92,000. the vin was unavailable.
04/04/200492000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. the contact had taken the vehicle to an authorized dealer for the 100,000 mile engine tune up. while performing the repair the spark plugs fractured. the technician stated that the spark plug failure was a common issue due to the design of the engine. currently, the vehicle was being repaired. the failure mileage was 92,000. the vin was unavailable. js
11/16/201088200
 While traveling on i-70, westbound through illinois, my ford f-150 began shaking violently and was barely controllable. there was no previous warning of any kind that there was a problem with the truck. i managed to get to an exit and got the truck to the nearest ford dealer, in the small town of greenville, il. the ford mechanic diagnosed the problem as catastrophic engine failure. at least two valve stems had broken and the valves had fallen into the cylinders. they could not tell me what caused the failure but showed me a few of the parts they had removed (a broken valve spring, pieces of valve stem and a frozen rocker arm). the engine had been scrupulously maintained and the oil and filter were changed at least every 5000 miles. the engine was clean and there was plenty of oil. i have since seen several on-line posts about this engine (ford's 5.4 liter v-8 gas) failing due to faulty valve springs failing. i believe this engine has serious flaws that might cause serious problems if engine failure happens at high speed in traffic. fortunately, i was in very light traffic when the failure happened.
02/01/201193000
 2004 ford f150 with 5.4 liter v-8. engine problems, stalling when slowing down, hestitation, spark plugs ratcheted down that they break when removing. engines that need to be replaced because of design. ford aware of problem but techs at ford tell people its bad gas until it is too late. check f150forum.com and you will see how big the problem really is. i believe ford knew of this problem and is trying to bury it. my engine failed in a snowstorm going up hill. i was almost in a terrible accident with snow covered roads. mechanics know its a flawed engine, and i want to know why the nhtsa didn't do anything about it. you are told it is bad gas and to keep changing your fuel filter. my truck would not go over 85 miles an hour since i bought it new. i was told it was bad gas. i kept changing the filter every six months as i was told. i think they knew this engine had a bad design and kept people in the dark hoping the engine would last until it was out of warranty.
01/11/2011100000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they recommended the replacement of the spark plugs, and they also informed that the spark plugs may possibly fracture when removing from the engine, as a result to an additional repair cost for the removal process. the contact had concern of the potential defect with the spark plugs and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000. js
01/06/201195000
 Spark plug blew out of engine. happend once in 2009 right side of engine. had head repaired with heli-coil kit. replaced plugs, plug wires, coil. repairs cost in excess of $700. happened again in january of 2011. same side of engine, same plug. not repaired yet. this is a tremendous fire/safety hazard. gas vapors trapped in engine comaprtment with the firing plug dangling free. could start an engine fire. very dangerous!
12/29/201083000
 Driving on highway at 40mph, engine misfired, and stopped running. had vehicle towed to dealer for diagnosis. was told spark plug was blown out of engine, damaging ignition coil. was quoted $620 to repair. went back to dealer 2 days later to pick up vehicle and was told that the repair did not work. was quoted at least $2000 to replace head. after researching problem, thousands of other owners of ford vehicles have had the same problem. why is this not being recalled? ford has not remedied this problem and is still guilty of fraud by selling vehicles with a known problem.
01/06/201195000
 Spark plug blew out of engine. happend once in 2009 right side of engine. had head repaired with heli-coil kit. replaced plugs, plug wires, coil. repairs cost in excess of $700. happened again in january of 2011. same side of engine, same plug. not repaired yet. this is a tremendous fire/safety hazard. gas vapors trapped in engine comaprtment with the firing plug dangling free. could start an engine fire. very dangerous!
12/29/201083000
 Driving on highway at 40mph, engine misfired, and stopped running. had vehicle towed to dealer for diagnosis. was told spark plug was blown out of engine, damaging ignition coil. was quoted $620 to repair. went back to dealer 2 days later to pick up vehicle and was told that the repair did not work. was quoted at least $2000 to replace head. after researching problem, thousands of other owners of ford vehicles have had the same problem. why is this not being recalled? ford has not remedied this problem and is still guilty of fraud by selling vehicles with a known problem.
01/03/2011
 I have a 2004 ford f -150 with a sound in the top end . it sounds like a rod knocking but since it is a over head cam that isnt possible. i have looked on line and asked around about this for some time now with no good answers!
01/06/201195000
 Spark plug blew out of engine. happend once in 2009 right side of engine. had head repaired with heli-coil kit. replaced plugs, plug wires, coil. repairs cost in excess of $700. happened again in january of 2011. same side of engine, same plug. not repaired yet. this is a tremendous fire/safety hazard. gas vapors trapped in engine comaprtment with the firing plug dangling free. could start an engine fire. very dangerous!
12/29/201083000
 Driving on highway at 40mph, engine misfired, and stopped running. had vehicle towed to dealer for diagnosis. was told spark plug was blown out of engine, damaging ignition coil. was quoted $620 to repair. went back to dealer 2 days later to pick up vehicle and was told that the repair did not work. was quoted at least $2000 to replace head. after researching problem, thousands of other owners of ford vehicles have had the same problem. why is this not being recalled? ford has not remedied this problem and is still guilty of fraud by selling vehicles with a known problem.
01/03/2011
 I have a 2004 ford f -150 with a sound in the top end . it sounds like a rod knocking but since it is a over head cam that isnt possible. i have looked on line and asked around about this for some time now with no good answers!
12/29/201083000
 Driving on highway at 40mph, engine misfired, and stopped running. had vehicle towed to dealer for diagnosis. was told spark plug was blown out of engine, damaging ignition coil. was quoted $620 to repair. went back to dealer 2 days later to pick up vehicle and was told that the repair did not work. was quoted at least $2000 to replace head. after researching problem, thousands of other owners of ford vehicles have had the same problem. why is this not being recalled? ford has not remedied this problem and is still guilty of fraud by selling vehicles with a known problem.
01/03/2011
 I have a 2004 ford f -150 with a sound in the top end . it sounds like a rod knocking but since it is a over head cam that isnt possible. i have looked on line and asked around about this for some time now with no good answers!
11/24/2010128870
 Accelerating through 60mph, heard loud engine noise, with subsequent rough running and heavy vibrations. vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who found three broken/blown out spark plugs/coils, which were replaced. approximately 8 months preceding this incident, two spark plugs disintegrated under similar circumstances. all spark plugs had been installed about 30,000 miles before the first incident.
11/21/2010144988
 Returning from a trip to northeast alabama, my 2004 f-150 4x4 with a 4.6 liter engine, blow the # 2 spark plug out of the engine. i got the truck back to my girlfriends home in northeast ga. and this is where i'm still at. the dealer i called told me that the plug was at fault before i could even finish telling him what had happened and that it would cost me about $2,800.00 to replace the head on that side... i asked him if it was the plug at fault and you haven't even seen the truck yet, how do you know it's going to take a replacement head and the cost of it? he put me on hold and after 20 minutes i hung up and called back and no one would talk to me about it..!! since then, i have researched this and found that not only has it happened to others, but it has happened to alot of others...!! i have also found that this problem has been reported to your agency many times and to date, nothing has been done about it. when this plug blow out of the head, fuel was being pushed out of the head and could have caused a fire under the hood. at speeds on interstates as high as they are, my girlfriend, myself and out 2 dogs could have been killed..!!!! so why is your agency not doing anything about this problem...!!!?????!!!!
02/01/201097000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while driving approximately 60 mph the vehicle lost power the engine stalled, the check engine light illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the garage diagnosed located the failure at the spark plugs detached causing the engine to fail. the manufacturer advised to have the dealership diagnosed the failure. the vehicle wasn't taken to the dealer. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileage were 97,000. li
09/22/2010104000
 I own a 2004 ford f150 with 5.4l v8 engine. mileage is 104000. had spark plugs changed and all 8 spark plugs broke off resulting in a very high cost to me. there are numerous complaints of this on the internet. i believe this is a manufacturing defect and cost is being past on to consumer.
07/12/200999000
 Ford f-150 with triton engine. i serviced spark plugs at 99,000 miles per ford manual. plugs snapped off when mechanics tried to remove them even with special tools. the garage said i was lucky that it only cost $1200 to change the plugs. they didn't have to pull the heads on the engine which could have cost thousands. garage said this defect was common on triton engines. i called ford. their reply was that they wouldn't do anything because this is a maintenance part. interesting to note that ford now supplies the new plugs with a tube of grease so the plug threads don't lock up in the engine head. other posts on this site detail similar problems plus plugs blowing out of the heads. one needs to wonder if ford didn't transfer their blow out problem to the rest of us by tightening the plugs too tightly at the factory.
06/03/200972000
 I was driving the truck at about 45 mph when i felt the engine missing. i rolled down my window and could hear the engine missing and running very rough. i was about 30 seconds from my house, so i continued. right before i got to my house i shut off the engine and coasted into my driveway. i tried cranking the truck the next morning and it idled rough for about 10 seconds and then the engine failed. i towed it to the ford dealership where they diagnosed that it hydrolocked. there was a lot of gas and water in the oil pan (the entire coolant system had dumped there). it was then that i found out that there was a recall on 2005 f150's for the same problem, a faulty fuel injector that caused hydrolocking. i called ford and asked if i was covered under this recall since i had the same part. they informed me it was only for 2005, not for 2004 regardless of the part #. they offered me no help since my truck was at 72k miles. the truck was impeccably maintained with the oil being changed every 3k miles.
08/28/200958000
 My 2004 f-150 (a $34,00 vehicle)ford pickup truck (58,000 miles) blew a spark plug out of the head in august of 2009. a ford dealer fixed the problem by putting in a helicoil into the plug to repair the issue. ($580) this past feburary it blew a plug again, the dealer told me that the only reliable fix was to put in a new engine head. the cost for this was $3,000 dollars. if you look at this web site you will see the thousands of consumers that have face this defect. it is apparent that ford is turning their back and ignoring the issue that these vehicles should be recalled. if they will not address the issue i am sure that your agency should look into this issue. http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/ford/tr7hfu0vd0n2u9kpd thousands of examples of this recallable failure
04/05/2010105000
 Ford f-150 with triton v-8 spark plug blowout.
03/03/2010150000
 I own a 2004 ford that the spark plug edjected from the head. i took the truck into a garage and they put a helicoil in, that lasted 1 week and blew out again. now i need a new head.
02/25/20101122501
 The 'engine fuel control module' on my 2004 ford f-150 4x4 extended cab, 6 3/4ft bed, 5.4l 3v engine 4x4 has failed due to poor design. the module is located under the bed of the truck, and cracks when hit by pebbles that are inevitably kicked up. water then gets into it and it fails causing the vehicle to stop and not run at all. once the mechanic found out what the issue was, he then tried to order the part. the module is on national back order, 3 months i'll have to wait to receive it. this is my only source of transportation and i do not know what to do. i paid over $30.000 for this vehicle and now i cannot drive it because of a $77 part that i cannot get. ford should be held responsible for this issue and the time that i will not be able to use it. if it is on 'national back order', then obviously there is a design issue and a recall should be issued. 3 months back order is not acceptable. is ford motor co going to give me a ride to work, the doctors, etc while i wait for the part to come in? something has to be done. please do your best to look into this and find a solution. thank you again for your time and consideration. *tr
01/01/2010603001
 Plug failure in v8-triton engines they break off in the heads of the engines is one problem causing a 300 dollar tune up to sky rocket all the way up to 2800 dollars this is all triton 3 valve motors ford said the fixed the problem they did not and they still break . the other problem is that some of the plugs blow out the heads causing a sudden power loss and possible accidents when i contacted the dealer all they would do is give me a price quote against broken plugs trying to take them out they said it falls under warranty restrictions and that's not fair because one of the selling points about the truck was no need for a tune up for 100.00 thousand miles you can't hit that number 3 years 3600 miles there are a lot angry people out there because of this me included and i believe it falls under a dangers vehicle problem i no they have fixed other people trucks over the warranty and i had to fix my on truck after it stop running and i couldn't get a attorney i am handicap and don't have the money it took at least week to get the plugs out by my self the new plugs cost a $103.00 and the time crawling around because my legs or bad i figure 100,000 would be fair or may plugs paid and a trade for new tires. *tr
10/21/20091001401
 Had tune up on vehicle at 100,140 miles, per manufacture requirements. incurred additional costs due to two spark plugs exploiting in block. mechanic said this is a regular problem, see technical bulletin. ford has a special way or tool for fixing this problem . q: i am requesting research be done to see if recall should be in place for this issue in the ford f150. q: how many ford owners have had same repair? q: what are requirements by this agency for issuing recalls? *tr
10/20/2009517771
 I have a ford 2004 f150 5.4 l triton engine (3 valve) and it has 51,777 miles on it as of today. i called dave sinclair ford to check on having the spark plugs changed. they informed me that this job is has been a major problem because the spark plugs designed and made for the 2004 model break off because of poor design. this breaking of the spark plugs has been adding on 1000 to 2000 extra dollars because they have to take special measures and use special tools to fix this issue. ford motor co. has had the spark plug redesigned as of 2006 and has also issued a tsb special instruction for removing the defective plugs. the tsb 06-15-2 can be found on www.etoolcart.com/06152.pdf . ford has acknowledged that their is a problem however, they will not offer to cover all of the extra chargers that are added on due to this defective spark plug issue. a recall should have been issued as soon as they changed out the spark plug design, added the tsb bulletin, or when they started having special tools made for the job. ford needs to take care of its consumers and offer a recall for all of the 5.4 l triton engines that are having this problem. i have contacted mike detwiler, service manager, at dave sinclair ford. i have contacted ford motor corp. and made two complaints and they were sent to engineering. everybody acknowledges that this is a major problem, however; ford will not cover this issue and i cannot even use my extended warranty that i purchased extra to help cover unjustly expenses. *tr
09/01/20091406161
 2004 ford f150 with 4.6 engine. 140,616 miles. #2 spark plug blew out of head. had to have heli-coil insert installed. *tr
06/13/2009706521
 Own 2004 f150 while taking off from stop in traffic herd load pop and power loss.blew out number #3 spark plug. took to dealership for repair they told me they see this alot installed insert for repair 534.00 told me not to use truck for towing anything anymore. called ford about problem was told that this was a service problem. found over 1000 complaints on line for same thing someone is going to get killed if this is not resolved a loss of power like this or fire from fuel blowing out of the cylinder and nhtsa calling this not a safety problem. someone needs to wake up! *tr
06/02/20091500001
 2004 ford f150 caught on fire while driving. burned to a total loss.
03/30/20091040001
 Ford f150 spark plugs breaking. *tr
03/30/200990000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. when the contact inspected the vehicle, he noticed that a spark plug was loose and created a hole on top of the cylinder. the spark plug was defective and caused all the other spark plugs to come out of place. the manufacturer stated that they would not assist with the repair. the vehicle will not be repaired. the current and failure mileages were 90,000.
05/31/2008161151
 The vehicle wrench light came on and the engine quit. had i been on a freeway, a serious accident might have occurred. i called the warranty service for a wrecker as it was still in warranty. about 40 minutes later, the wrecker arrived and the driver asked me if i had tried to restart the engine. i hadn't, tried, and it started. i researched the internet and found some information including a suggestion to disconnect the battery to reset the computer. unfortunately, i did that and when i took it to the dealer the following tuesday they couldn't tell what caused the problem. it happened again on march 25, 2009. again, i was glad i was on a side street. i will take the truck to the dealer tuesday even though the warranty has expired as this could be a very serious problem on a highway. *tr
02/10/2009800001
 I have a ford f150 and one of the spark plugs just jumped out. this is the original plug from the factory. the service man at the ford dealer said he had never seen that happen before. checking the net there are many complaints about the problem. they wanted to replace the head for 4k. i called around and found out about putting a sleeve in for four hundred. *tr
03/11/200946000107/28/2004
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. approximately thirty minutes after parking the vehicle in the garage, the contact heard a noise and found the vehicle on fire. the fire department arrived, but could not determine the origin of the fire. a report was filed. the flames were located in the rear cab of the vehicle. the insurance company declared the vehicle to be destroyed. there were no injuries. the failure mileage was 46,000. updated 4/23/09 *cn updated 04/27/09.*jb
11/13/2008634001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. while driving approximately 60-65 mph, the contact heard several loud pops. the vehicle began jerking and idling roughly. he shifted into neutral and allowed the vehicle to coast to stop at an intersection. the vehicle was driven back to his residence and then towed to a local repair shop. the mechanic stated that the number 1, 3, and 5 spark plugs detonated and destroyed the heli-coil for the number 5 cylinder. the vehicle was repaired. the dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. the current mileage was 63,424 and failure mileage was 63,400. updated 02-18-09 updated 02/18/09. *jb
10/06/20081
 I bought the ford truck f 150 5.4 motor 2004 new. i went into the ford house to get plugs and wires changed. about two hours later they come out holding a sparkplug, saying they need to keep my truck for a couple days because these size of motors blow out spark plugs and part of your plug has fallen into the motor. they said this happen all the time, but it has not been recalled yet. i sent ford a letter also, i just don t know where to go from here. thanks for your help! *tr
08/11/20081170001
 2004 ford f150 5,4 camshaft failure been waiting 2 months on part ford says unavailable could take another 2 months ford says over 800 camshafts on back order there are no aftermarket parts even available there are 3 trucks in the same ford dealership with same problem. *tr
04/23/200740601
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle sporadically stalled and the engine warning light illuminated on the instrument control panel. speed was not a factor. the dealer replaced the fuel throttle sensor and cleaned the throttle body. several days later, the failure recurred. the dealer stated that she would have to pay for ten hours of diagnostic fees before they could determine the cause of the failure. the technician stated that the vehicle had a history of stalling prior to the contact making the purchase. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact called the manufacturer and was referred back to the dealer. the failure mileage was 40,601 and current mileage was 57,700.
01/03/200645001
 Constant engine noise that sounds like lifters, very loud....have had numerous people look at the problem, no one can seem to locate the issue, or repair it in any way or diagnose the problem. *tr
04/27/20081000001
 We took our vehicle in for service immediately after we experience the engine missing. the service center diagnosed the problem would be corrected by replacing the ignition coil, plugs and wire boots. this seemingly simple service job has literally turned into a nightmare. after almost 4 weeks our vehicle is still in the shop. in the process of changing the plugs, 2 plugs broke. the dealership needed a special tool to remove the broken plugs and had to order it. when they got the tool, the still couldn't remove the plugs and said they would drill them out. and then - the biggest blunder of all happened - while they were drilling some pieces of porcelain fell into the engine and scarred the cylinder(s)which could potentially cause the entire engine to fail. now we're being told because of this we need to replace the engine!! each time they called it was about something else going wrong and more money!! we're loyal ford customers! these adtl repairs should not be at our cost! *tr
12/25/20071
 I want to preface this by saying that before this problem occurred i had my f-150 iat a ford dealership in raleigh nc two says before because the vehicle would randomly shut off when i was driving it about 600 miles before the extended warranty was up. they said they could not find anything wrong with it so i was forced to take the vehicle back i was driving home from my parents house in ohio on christmas day. as i was heading through virginia to north carolina i heard a noise coming from under the hood. i stopped to see what it was and eventually found out that the spark plug had blown away from the head. apparently this is a common problem with this make and model vehicle along with many others. after horrible customer service i was forced to pay almost 3500 dollars in order to get my truck back. ford said that they could not do anything about it. 1d *tr
04/10/2008119000509/07/2006
 Engine stalls when turning corners. unless i have it towed to a repair shop this vehicle is not safe to be driven. *tr
11/14/200770000208/14/2006
 2 spark plugs fowled up, seizing in block and breaking inside. *tr
02/06/200844000202/08/2004
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. while driving approximately 50 mph, the contact noticed that the engine warning light illuminated on the instrument control panel. the power began decreasing simultaneously and prevented the vehicle from traveling above 35 mph. the dealer replaced the coil pack and spark plugs in the number five cylinder. the contact heard a knocking noise when he started the vehicle and the failure recurred. the dealer stated that the spark plugs blew out of the aluminum head. they also stated that there were only five threads holding the plugs to the aluminum head, and, even if they made the repair, the vehicle could still fail. the manufacturer would not assume any liability. the failure and current mileages were 44,000. updated 03/25/08. *lj
02/06/200837640106/11/2007
 Out of the blue the truck just starts shaking, never know when or where. i have to pull off road and shut it off ,wait a bit, then start and leave and seems to be ok till next time. it has 37,800 miles . last time on i-94 at 65mph it scared me to death it started shaking so bad . i also had a 2005 f150 that did this. its not the tires, or engine but i think the drivetrain . very bad safety issue as i am finding i am not alone with this problem. someone needs to make ford admit what this is and fix these trucks. *tr
12/15/2004811/02/2004
 Motor would begin to surge and then the check engine light would come on. took to dealer and they changed spark plugs after only 5,706 miles. we have since changed the spark plugs 7 more times with in 80,000 miles. some thing occurs each time. *tr
11/23/20070103/19/2004
 Engine has had a ticking noise in engine since day i bought the truck. talked to dealership and they said normal noise from 04 f-150 trition they have since closed. went to another dealership was told same thing. broke down went to hometown mechanic replaced cam gears after another dealership asked if it sounded like a diesel. also pulled valve cover off to find valve spring and rocker arm on cam. total discounted cost from friend was $2400 not counting machining heads. *tr
07/25/2007102000104/06/2006
 2004 ford f-150 with 5.4l gas engine. manual says change spark plugs at 100k miles. dealer broke all 8 plugs off in heads. the heads had to be removed. bill is $2,000, just to change spark plugs. *jb
04/10/200730000109/01/2004
 Started with engine noise. ford diagnosed it as cam shaft. cost $1700.00, my cost would be $800.00. local dealer is now out of business. i have talked to 3 other people with the same problem. there must be a lot more.*ak
03/16/200712000311/07/2003
 Engine surges without touching gas pedal while in gear
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
07/02/2011114000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while driving 40 mph, the contact stated that the vehicle began to shake excessively and he was unable to continue to drive. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was inspected. the dealer informed the contact that the timing belt tension had fractured and that he needed to replace the engine and performed the repairs. the manufacturer was aware of the failure. the current and failure mileages were 114,000. bw
11/22/2010147312
 I was driving on a highway at 55 mph in my 2004 ford 150 when i heard a loud noise from the engine. found a spark plug had been completely blown out of the engine. i have done some reading and found this to be a common problem with ford's triton engines. coil pack was sparking which could have led to a serious engine fire. please have ford fix the problem.
08/06/2010140000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 ford f150. while the contact was driving approximately 62 mph, the engine warning light illuminated with a slight loss of engine power. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where they informed that one or more of the spark plugs detached from the engine. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired at an estimated cost of $600. the contact had concern of a potential fire hazard due to the defect. the failure mileage was approximately 140,000. the vin was unavailable. js
07/12/200999000
 Ford f-150 with triton engine. i serviced spark plugs at 99,000 miles per ford manual. plugs snapped off when mechanics tried to remove them even with special tools. the garage said i was lucky that it only cost $1200 to change the plugs. they didn't have to pull the heads on the engine which could have cost thousands. garage said this defect was common on triton engines. i called ford. their reply was that they wouldn't do anything because this is a maintenance part. interesting to note that ford now supplies the new plugs with a tube of grease so the plug threads don't lock up in the engine head. other posts on this site detail similar problems plus plugs blowing out of the heads. one needs to wonder if ford didn't transfer their blow out problem to the rest of us by tightening the plugs too tightly at the factory.
04/26/201062833
 Engine started knocking at 62,000 miles leading to total catastrophic engine failure while driving. engine shut down and i had limited control of the vehicle while driving.
03/15/2010102/16/2010
 2004 ford f150 with issue during spark plug replacement. consumer states that it is impossible to remove spark plugs without breaking them causing more money to be spent to get the dealer or mechanic to fix it. *kb the consumer stated once that happens it involves removing the head and incurring charges of $2,000 to $2, 5000 in labor costs. *jb
02/06/2010996861
 Ford spark plugs fail and are unable to be removed without damage, requiring special tool or significant cost. *tw *tr
12/11/200948000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. upon vehicle inspection, a technician from the dealer stated that the spark plugs would fractured soon, if they were not repaired. shortly after the advisement, the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician stated that the sparks plugs would have to be replaced at the owners expense because they have fractured. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure and current mileages were 48000.
11/29/20091080001
 Spark plug was ejected from the engine stripping the threads in the head, and causing the truck to die in the middle of the road. dealership gave a bulletin reporting that there is a problem, and reports that it happens all the time. ford refusing to help. according to the dealership repair will cost $2,100. i was picking up my 3 yr. old daughter, and if this problem would have happened 10 minutes later i would have been crossing a busy intersection with my daughter in the truck. once i get me truck fixed who is to say that one of the other cylinders won't do the same thing! i feel the truck is unsafe to have my daughter in it. what if this would have happened when pulling onto the interstate. the bulletin says that this has been an issue since 1997, when is someone going to make sure that they are held responsible. how do i even know that this is not a problem that is still ongoing? *tr
09/01/20091406161
 2004 ford f150 with 4.6 engine. 140,616 miles. #2 spark plug blew out of head. had to have heli-coil insert installed. *tr
08/04/20091
 2004 f150 5.4 triton 88,000 miles. fomoco recommends spark plug change at 100,00 dealer changed 8 plugs broke 6.i was charged a plug extraction fee of $85 per plug in addition to the $320 initial quote.internet research and word of mouth shows many,many instances with the same problem.fomoco quotedwe are not assisting customers at this time.definite engineering flaw they deny.fomoco even invented their own extraction tool to aid in removal of plugs. *tr
06/01/2008162351
 On a sunday, i was on a side street when the engine went dead. i noticed the wrench light was on. i called the wrecker service as it was still in warranty. the wrecker driver arrived and asked if i had tried to restart it, which i didn't. i started it and drove home. i took it to the dealer on 06/04/08. they could not duplicate the error nor find anything in the computer module. on 03/29/09, the same thing happened. if i had been on a highway or freeway, i might have had a serious accident. i waited a few minutes, then the truck started up again. i took it back to the dealer on 04/01/09. they kept it overnight doing various tests. the computer showed nothing. they finally suggested to replace the throttle body and reprogram the pcm. i agreed even though it was out of warranty and cost me $484 to repair. i was leery of driving on a highway and freeway as if it happens there, i'm sure if i can't pull over i will surely cause an accident. subsequent checks on the internet found the is a common occurrence. the engine is supposed to go into limp mode to allow one to slowly, but safely drive to a safe spot. my truck, and many others, do not go into limp mode; they just go dead. i strongly suggest this be investigated before a serious accident occurs due to this default. *tr
06/03/20091070001
 Ford 2004 supercrew pickup with 5.4l engine. factory spark plugs break off when trying to do normal factory service and ford wants customer to pay labor charges for the removal of the broken spark plugs. i was quoted $800. spark plugs should not break off from the factory. *tr
03/08/2009760001
 Driving my truck on my lunch break i noticed a pop sound which followed with a bad idle, a check engine light, and a loud mis-fire sound... i pulled into my jobs parking lot and notice that my 2004 ford f150 shot spark plug number 2 out of the cylinder head and shattered the coil boot into many pieces this was with only 76,000 miles. being in the auto parts business i know that they are known for this and deal with many people daily having this issue yet ford has still not made a recall to help us with this problem... i had to replace one spark plug, and one coil boot.. so far my coil has managed to hold up however from what i have noticed it is just a matter of time before this happens again and i would like to have some sort of info on why or how this happens and what ford plans to do about this issue. *tr
03/23/2009769021
 On my 2004 ford f150 with a 5.4l 3 valve engine, the spark plugs all broke off when a tune-up was attempted. this is due to a know defect in the head design on the 04/05 models. the dealer charged me $904 dollars to change them. ford is not reimbursing customers for this outrageous charge even though they know it is a design flaw, and are doing nothing to fix the problem. my understanding is that all of these engines will have this problem. *tr
03/01/20091120001
 Went to change the spark plugs. ten days and $1000 later i have the truck back. if i had to do it all over again, i would sell the truck well before the 100,000 mile mark. idiotic design leads to spark plugs breaking. do not change plugs without discussing with dealer first. they have a special tool for extracting the broken part. it says a lot about the situation that ford had to come out with a tool to fix their poor engineering. ford needs to recall these vehicles with this defect and make good on it. i will never buy ford again. if you have this problem, speak up and lets get them to fix it. *tr
02/07/20091000001
 Went to have spark plugs changed at 100,000 miles in accordance with manufacturer's factory maintenance schedule. spark plugs are stuck due to factory not seating plugs correctly and not using anti-seize compound during factory installation. it requires a $10,000 machine to negatively polarize the engine so that the plug threads can be decarbonized and hopefully removed. this is an unacceptable factory defect and ford needs to address the issue immediately and re-imbursed the unreasonable costs and burden placed on the consumer. no where in the literature provided by ford was this issue discussed had it been openly discussed or presented in the literature i would not have purchased the vehicle. this is fraud. *tr
11/15/2008660001
 Changing out spark plug at 65000 because an employee of a ford garage advised me to do so because of them getting stuck at 100,000 miles. i started to change them only to find the shaft below the threads of the spark plugs stuck anyway. i hauled the truck to boyd county ford where the service man stated that this was pretty common and that it would take about 500 dollars to fix. well 1000.00 dollars later they removed the stuck spark plugs and replaced them with some new ones. *tr
02/09/2007339581
 At ~ 30,000 miles, the engine (a 5.4 triton v8) began sounding like a diesel engine. took the truck to the dealer. the dealer ..recalibrated the cam sensor... and stated the sound(s) were normal for this engine. i called ford motor company and they customer service rep told me same thing. the noise is getting louder indicating the problem is worsening. is there anything that can be done to correct this issue before the engine suffers a catastrophic failure? *tr
10/26/2008410001
 Ford motor company has designed a defective head design that causes spark plugs to get stuck in the head when service is attempted. the 100k mile interval is too long, even sub 50k miles is unacceptable. the carbon buildup around the long 2 piece spark plug causes the lower, crimped on part to stay in the head while the top 2/3 and electrode come out when changing the plug. this design has been put in use for 4 years on all 5.4l 3valve motors. ford has a tsb that acknowledges the problem, but their remedy still does not help. once the plugs, broken and unbroken, are removed, putting nickel anti-seize on the threads still does not remedy the issue because the threads on the plug are not what is sticking. the lower part of the spark plug is what causes the trouble. ford has even designed a tool to remove the often broken plugs. this just ridiculous and a solution needs to be made before a very large class action suit is drawn upon fomoco. *tr
07/31/20081060001
 My 2004 ford f150 with 106,000 miles started to have an engine knock which we thought was just a stuck lifter. we took it in to the local ford dealership and was told that the timing guide broke and wrapped up in the engine causing it to be deprived of oil and now we will have to replace the engine. *tr
04/09/2007530001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford f-150. the contact stated that the engine head detached while changing the spark plugs on the vehicle. the dealer stated that the engine must be disassembled in order to remove the spark plugs. the contact will be responsible for the repair cost. the current and failure mileages were 53,000.*ak
03/03/200435900103/03/2004
 Vehicle 2004 f150 5.4l triton problem: you cannot service the spark plugs without breaking them off in the head. even when using ford written tsb, spark plugs will break off leaving ground shield in cylinder head. per ford's owners manual spark plugs should be replaced at the 100,000 mile mark. i replaced mine at 35,000 and broken one off in the cylinder head. i used the ford issued tsb to extract them and was still not successfully. this issue will only grow in magnitude as more people become aware and more vehicles start to approach the 100,000 mile mark. this issue is begin well documented at the ford dealers and ford has also acknowledged by writing a tsb for this failure mode. i ask that nhtsa get involved and force ford to design a spark plug that is capable of begin extracted at any mileage interval without the threat of them breaking off. thank you for your time. *jb
10/02/200680053102/10/2004
 My vehicle is f150 supercrew lariat. the vehicle has 80kmil. it has been running very sluggishly and idles hard in a complete stop. the auto repair shop has diagnosed the problem with the truck engine as 2c oils burned and 2pzt2fe spark plugs split in half--white middle cover of plug plug still lodged into engine. *jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
11/21/200793500101/04/2004
 Ford recommends changing the spark plugs on my 2004 f150 5.4 3-valve at 100,000 miles. mileage was getting close so i tried to change them. unfortunately ford did not tell owners that there is a huge problem with the spark plugs breaking-off in the cylinder causing a massive repair bill. engine had must be removed to take out broken plug. ford did produce a tsb, but did not inform owners that this routine service should be done by dealer. upon checking internet, there are scores of reports of the plugs breaking when both owners and dealers attempt the routine maintenance. *tr
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
09/15/20076
 My vehicle has low power, stutters, and cuts off. a service bulletin was said to has come out about possible defective pushrod or rocker arms am not sure but i am sure that the problem come from the point of original assembly and i should not have to pay for an issue that starts from manufacturing. *tr
10/02/200680053102/10/2004
 My vehicle is f150 supercrew lariat. the vehicle has 80kmil. it has been running very sluggishly and idles hard in a complete stop. the auto repair shop has diagnosed the problem with the truck engine as 2c oils burned and 2pzt2fe spark plugs split in half--white middle cover of plug plug still lodged into engine. *jb