NHTSA Complaint #10135810 — 1999 FORD EXPEDITION

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY MY 6 YEAR OLD FORD EXPEDITION BLEW A SPARK PLUG RIGHT OUT OF THE HEAD. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS COMING HOME FROM A FAMILY VACATION WHEN THIS OCCURRED IN NEW JERSEY. WE WERE LUCKY IN THIS CASE BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND OFF THE ROAD. THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE HEAD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNUSABLE FOR OVER TWO WEEKS WHILE THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WORKED ON THE PROBLEM. THAT HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN WITH THE HEAD ON THE RIGHT SIDE. BETWEEN THE REPAIRS TO THE ENGINE AND THE RENTAL CAR FOR THE TIME OF REPAIR, THIS WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE (5000 $) PROBLEM. WHICH I STATED EARLIER APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR. *JB