NHTSA Complaint #10098146 — 2000 FORD F SERIES

A FEW WEEKS BACK, I NOTICED A SLIGHT TICKING SOUND. IN CHECKING INTO THIS, IT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A LIFTER OR ROCKER ARM. TWO WEEKS AGO WHILE TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 55 MPH, I BLEW THE #4 PLUG RIGHT OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SUTTON FORD IN MATTESON, IL, WHERE I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $3668 PLUS TAX TO FIX THE ENGINE. THIS IS LUDICROUS! I AM EXPECTED TO PAY THIS MUCH MONEY FOR A FORD DESIGN ISSUE! I CAN GET ANOTHER ENGINE FOR SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THAT! HECK, I CAN GET A DECENT COMMUTER CAR FOR THAT MUCH MONEY! IN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORDS TRITON ENGINES. I ALSO FOUND AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF FIXING THE ENGINE WHICH ONLY COST ME $350, OF WHICH $300 WAS IN THE COST OF THE TOOLS. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT FORD WILL NOT ADMIT TO THIS ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM AND ASSIST THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LOYALLY SUPPORTED THEM FOR YEARS. I GUESS IF PEOPLE ARE NOT DYING, IT IS JUST SEEN AS AN EASY WAY TO OVERCHARGE PEOPLE AND MAKE EXTRA MONEY VIA THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS!*AK