NHTSA Complaint #10148310 — 2002 FORD F-150

MANUFACTURER USES FAULTY ELECTRONIC COMPONENT IN VEHICLE IGNITION SYSTEM. NO PART OF SYSTEM PROVIDES FOR INDICATION OF POTENTIAL FAILURE OR COMPLETE FAILURE. ONCE PART FAILS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES RANDOM MISFIRING IN CYCLINDER WHICH CAUSES DAMAGE TO SPARK PLUG THREADS OF ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD. EVENTUALLY SPARK PLUG IS BLOWN FROM CYCLINDER HEAD RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER AND FUNCTION. RESULTING DAMAGE TO ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD REQUIRES REPLACEMENT AT COST OF @ $3,000. REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE IDENTICAL TO FAILED PARTS AND POTENTIAL REPEAT FAILURES CONTINUE. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PARTS HAS BEEN REPORTED AND NO IMPROVEMENTS TO VEHICLE SENSING SYSTEM HAVE BEEN MADE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DISCLAIMS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGES EXCEPT THOSE COVERED UNDER INITIAL VEHICLE WARRANTY OR THOSE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. IF WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THEN FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COVER COLLATERAL DAMAGES ( FAILURE OF CYLINDER HEAD SPARK PLUG THREADS). FORD MOTOR COMPANY PUBLISHED INTERNAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPAIR FACILITIES THAT REQUIRES USE OF OSCILLISCOPE TO DETERMINE IF ELECTRICAL PART IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEM. FORD REPAIR FACILITY REFUSED TO RETURN DAMAGED CYLINDER HEAD AND FAULTY COIL-ON-PLUG ASSEMBLY STATING THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED CORE RETURNS. *NM