NHTSA Complaint #10146073 — 2002 FORD EXPEDITION

2002 FORD EXPEDITION (EDDIE BAUER) WITH 63000 MILES ON 12/24/05, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HOURS, WE LOADED UP OUR INFANT AND TODDLER INTO THEIR CAR SEATS. I STARTED THE ENGINE AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND COULD SMELL GASOLINE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT A SPARK PLUG COIL PACK WAS MOVED OUT OF PLACE AND THE RETAINING SCREW BRACKET WAS BROKEN OFF THE COIL PACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED THE COIL PACK OUT AND REALIZED THAT THE SPARK PLUG WAS NO LONGER SCREWED INTO THE HEAD. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE THREADS ON THE SPARK PLUG. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN-OUT OF THE HEAD. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE TRITON ENGINE FOR 1998-2002 MODEL YEARS. I ALSO FOUND THAT FORD IS NOT PAYING FOR ANY REPAIRS. TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, THE HEAD AND HEAD GASKET WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I GOT A PRICE QUOTE OF $2954.10 (INCLUDING TAX, PARTS, AND LABOR). HAD I LEFT THE ENGINE RUN LONGER, THE SPARK PLUG WILL STILL BE FIRING WITH GASOLINE BEING DISCHARGED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, A SEVERE FIRE HAZARD. *NM