NHTSA Complaint #10136115 — 2002 FORD F-150

SPARK PLUGS BLOWN OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE DESERT. THE FRONT AND REAR SPARK PLUG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE BLEW OUT WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. I WAS DIVING TO OREGON EARLY FRIDAY MORNING WHEN THE REAR SPARK PLUG ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE BLEW OUT. I WAS STUCK IN THE DESERT FOR 9 HOURS. CALLED AAA AND WAS TOWED BACK TO WINNEMUCCA ON FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. NO REPAIR FACILITIES AVAILABLE BUT THE TOW YARD GUY HAD SOME JB WELD. I PUT SOME ON THE THREADS OF THE SPARK PLUG AND SCREWED IT BACK INTO WHAT LITTLE THREADS REMAINED IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT WORK THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY MORNING. I LET THE JB WELD SET FOR 5 HOURS. WHEN I LEFT WINNEMUCCA IT WAS 1:30 AM SATURDAY. I DROVE FROM WINNEMUCCA NEVADA TO AUBURN CALIFORNIA , NEARLY 270 MILES WHEN I BLEW ANOTHER SPARK PLUG THIS TIME THE FRONT ONE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THEN I HAD TO BE TOWED TO SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA. OBVIOUSLY I MISSED WORK THAT SATURDAY, BUT MY BOSS WAS KIND ENOUGH TO RESCHEDULE THE WORK FOR SUNDAY. THE FACT THAT THE SPARK PLUG THAT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED (THE FRONT PLUG) BLEW OUT WHILE THE REPAIRED ONE DID NOT BLOW OUT TELLS ME THAT ALL OF MY SPARK PLUGS ARE PROBABLY HANGING ON BY A THREAD. IF I DID NOT HAVE A CELLULAR PHONE WITH SERVICE WHEN THE FIRST PLUG BLEW OUT, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE MADE IT OUT OF THAT DESERT 70 MILES NORTH OF WINNEMUCCA ON I-80. THERE IS NOTHING OUT THERE. NOTHING. NO PHONE, NO WATER, NO PEOPLE, EXCEPT FOR THE BIG TRUCKS THAT BLOW BY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AT 90 MPH WHILE YOUR TRYING TO FIX YOUR P-O-S BROKEN DOWN 2002 FORD F-150 LIGHTNING ON THE SIDE OF A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. *NM