NHTSA Complaint #10068261 — 1999 FORD F-150

MY 1999 F-150 5.4 LTR 4WD STARTED MAKING LOUD TICKING NOISE @ 39,000 MILES.TOOK TRUCK TO BURCH FORD FROM WHOM I PURCHASED VEHICLE & THEY DIAGNOSED TICKING NOISE AS A BAD CAT. CVRTR!!! THEY ALSO ADVISED ME OF LEAKING HEAD GASKET FROM (R)REAR HEAD AND A REPAIR COST OF $3,200 W/ (12 MO./12,OOO MI.WARRANTY !!! )ON REPAIR.WHEN I PICKED UP VEHICLE & STARTED ENGINE,THE SAME LOUD TICKING NOISE (ONLY WORSE) WAS STILL THERE!!! BURCH FORD & FORD MOTOR CORP REFUSED TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM OR WARRANTY THEIR REPAIR.WHILE TRYING TO GET ASSISTANCE, I DROVE VEHICLE BARE MIN AND APROX. 300 MILES AFTER THE "REPAIR",THE ENGINE BLEW # 3 SPARK PLUG OUT OF (R) HEAD LIKE LIKE A ROCKET & MASSIVE LOSS OF POWER WHICH NEARLY LEFT ME IN DIRECT PATH OF A LOADED SEMI TRUCK !!!(THOUGHT I WAS GOING BE CRUSHED TO DEATH).I HAD TRUCK TOWED BACK TO BURCH FORD & THEY FAXED ME A ESTIMATE OF $3,200. MORE TO REPLACE HEAD (NOW TOTAL IS $ 6,400. FROM THE TWO REPAIRS!!!) AND IN BOLD PRINT @ BOTTOM OF EST. SAY'S ....NO WARRANTY!!! VEHICLE NEEDS NEW ENGINE & NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP OR FORD MOTOR CORP ARE WILLING TO OHNOR THEIR ORIGINAL REPAIR,OR ASSIST IN THIS CATASTROPHIC PROBLEM THAT RESEARCH SHOWS HAS OCCURING BY THE HUNDREDS ON 4.6 ,5.4 & NOW MANY V-10 ENGINES FROM 1996 TO 2004........ (8 YRS.)!!! MY TRUCK IS MY PRIDE & JOY & WITH APROX. 39,000 MILES ON IT,MY $ 40,000.00 RIDE MAY BE A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO CURRENT BOOK VALUE & CONTRAVERSIAL $$$$$COST OF REPAIR!!! THIS IS MY 6TH FORD VEHICLE(ALL OF WHICH WERE PAID OFF IN FULL 1-2YRS.EARLY!!!)IN THE LAST 9 YRS.I'VE BEEN A MORE THAN LOYAL FORD CUSTOMER,...BUT WITH BLATENT DISSREGARD FOR THEIR BREAD & BUTTER,(LOYAL FORD CUSTOMERS) FORD SEEMS TO BE FOR 8 YRS. NOW; GROSSLY AND W/O ANY REMORSE, FAR LESS THAN A LOYAL AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER !!!...RESPECTFULLY,...J.L. *AK