NHTSA Complaint #10185531 — 2002 FORD F-250 SD

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX 65 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A POP AND LOST ENGINE POWER. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK AND OBSERVED A SPARKPLUG LYING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE WIREHARNESS FOR IT WAS TORN LOOSE. IT WAS CLEAR THAT A SPARKPLUG HAD ROTATED LOOSE CAUSING IT TO COME OUT OF ENGINE WHICH CAUSED SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE SPARKPLUG WHICH ROTATED LOOSE, TORE OUT THE LAST 3 THREADS OF THE SPARKPLUG HOLE IN THE CYLINDER HEAD AND DESTROYED THE SPARKPLUG WIRE HARNESS. THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A FLAT BED TRUCK. THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD TO BE REMOVED AND A HELICOIL PUT IN TO REPLACED THE TORN OUT THREAD FOR THE FAILED SPARKPLUG HOLE. ALL SPARKPLUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES. A NEW SPARKPLUG WIREHARNESS WAS INSTALLED. I OBSERVED THAT THE CERAMIC PORTION OF THE SPARKPLUG ROTATED INDEPENDANTLY OF THE TREADED PART OF THE SPARKPLUG BODY WHICH WOULD ALLOW ROTATION OF THE SPARKPLUG BODY INDEPENDANT OF THE CERAMIC PORTION. I DO NOT HAVE THE SPARKPLUG THAT ROTATED LOOSE.