NHTSA Complaint #10150051 — 1999 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER

WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 MOTOR HOME ON THE HIGHWAY IT ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED TO MAKE A VERY LOUD POPPING SOUND. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND AFTER PUZZLING OVER THE PROBLEM CALLED AAA TO GET TOWED. THE MOTOR HOME WAS TOWED TO COURTESY FORD IN POULSBO, WA. I SPENT THE NIGHT IN THE PARKING LOT AND THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THEY OPENED I TOLD THE MECHANIC WHAT I HAD EXPERIENCED. IT TOOK HIM LESS THAN 5 MIN TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. HE DIAGNOSED A BLOWN SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FORD V10 ENGINE. HE INDICATED TO ME THAT HE HAS SEEN MANY OF THESE AND EVEN SAW ONE THAT CAME IN WITH ABOUT 10,000. MY ENGINE HAS 43,000 MILES. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND HAVE NEVER HAD THE SPARK PLUGS WORKED ON AS FORD DOESN'T RECOMMEND A TUNE UP FOR AN ENGINE WITH LOW MILES LIKE MINE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS QUOTED ME A PRICE OF JUST UNDER $5000. AFTER SPENDING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME RESEARCHING THIS I FIND THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS ENGINE AND CLEARLY NHTSA SHOULD PRESSURE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO COMPENSATE AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. *JB