NHTSA Complaint #10016794 — 1998 FORD EXPEDITION

NUMBER THREE SPARK PLUG AND ASSEMBLY BLOWN OUT OF HEAD. I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE COMMON WITH MANY 5.4 LITRE MOTORS SINCE EXPERIENCING THIS. LOCAL FORD DEALER TOWNE FORD IN REDWOOD CITY WANTED $2,000.00 TO INSPECT AND THEN START TO TALK ABOUT REPAIR COSTS. TOWED VEHICLE TO MISSION VALLEY FORD IN SANTA CLARA WHERE SERVICE ADVISOR OBTAINED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM FORD TO HAVE HEAD REPLACED DUE TO NUMEROUS SIMILAR PROBLEMS. REPAIR COST $1900.00 FOR WICH I HAD TO PAY $750.00. THE MOTOR MUST BE PULLED FROM TRUCK TO REPLACE THE HEAD. I HAD BEEN INFORMED BY ONE FLEET OWNER OF TRUCKS WITH SEVERAL OF THESE MOTORS THAT HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME MOTORS AS MINE, THAT ONE VEHICLE BLEW OUT A SPARK PLUG ON THE DRIVER SIDE AFTER REPLACING THE HEAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD BOTH HEADS REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT FORD HAD CHANGED THE PART NUMBERS OF THE HEADS INDICATING THAT A CHANGE HAD BEEN MADE TO THE NEW HEADS SUPPLIED FOR REPLACEMENT. THE TOTAL COST WAS $2,500.00 FOR BOTH HEADS REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE HEADS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SURFACE AREA IN THEM TO PROPERLY HOLD THE SPARK PLUG SECURELY.