NHTSA Complaint #10005724 — 2000 FORD FORD TRUCK

I OWN A '00 FORD LIGHTNING AND IT RECENTLY LAUNCHED A PLUG OUT OF THE HEAD. I AM OUTSIDE OF THE FACTORY WARRANTY, SO I AM FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO A FAULTY MECHANICAL DESIGN OF THE 5.4L ALUMINUM HEADS THAT FORD PUTS ON IT'S 5.4L V8 TRUCKS. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM ONLY ON LIGHTNINGS, IT IS INHERRENT TO ALL OF THE 5.4L HEADS. I AM A MEMBER OF SEVERAL MESSAGE BOARDS AND HAVE INCREASINGLY HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM WITH LIGHTNINGS AS WELL AS REGULAR F150'S. THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD IS FATALLY FLAWED. IT IS AN ALUMINUM HEAD, SO IT EXPANDS/CONTRACTS WITH HEAT, NOT TO MENTION THE SPARK PLUGS ARE STEEL THAT SCREW INTO THESE HEADS. THE BIGGEST FLAW ABOUT THEM IS THAT THEY ONLY HAVE3-4 THREADS TO HOLD IN THE SPARK PLUG(WHICH HAS 8-9 THREADS). THE SPARK PLUGS BASICALLY WORK THEIR WAY LOOSE AND EJECT FROM THE HOLE, RIPPING OUT THE REMAINING 2-3 THREADS, THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE INOPERABLE AND RENDERING THE HEAD USELESS AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. TO THIS DAY FORD REFUSES TO OFFICIALLY ADMIT THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS, EVEN THOUGH I COULD GO ONLINE AND FIND 50 INSTANCES OF THIS ISSUE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF 4 OTHERS WITHIN 30 MILES OF ME THAT HAVE SUFFERED THIS SAME ISSUE. FORD DOES KNOW THE ISSUE EXISTS, BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY HAVE COME OUT WITH A REVISED HEAD THAT HAS THE MORE APPROPRIATE 8-9 THREADS. THEY CAME OUT WITH THIS IN LATE NOV '02. IT'S NICE THAT THE FUTURE 5.4L ENGINES WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THIS DOES LITTLE FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ALREADY SHOT OUT A SPARK PLUG OR WILL IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY DESIGN. WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THIS VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE (AT LEAST INSIDE THE COMMUNITY) ABOUT THESE HEADS, BETTER KNOWN TO SOMEONE WHO COULD POSSIBLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE WOULD LIKE FORD TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND REPLACE THE FAULTY HEADS THAT HAVE SHOT OUT A PLUG AT THEIR EXPENSE UNDER WARRANTY.