NHTSA Complaint #10186821 — 2002 FORD EXCURSION

OUR 2002 FORD EXCURSION, WITH THE 5.4L MOTOR, HAD JUST TURNED 59,000 MILES LAST WEEK WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM PICKING UP THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL. MY WIFE CALLS TO TELL ME THAT SHE HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE TRUCK BEGAN EXPERIENCING SEVERE POWER LOSS AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A MAJOR EXHAUST LEAK. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THE SERVICE WRITER TELLS ME IT'S MOST LIKELY A BLOWN SPARK PLUG AND THE REPAIR WILL BE IN THE $500 RANGE. THE SERVICE WRITER CALLS BACK THE NEXT DAY AND CONFIRMS THE BLOWN SPARK PLUG AND TELLS ME IT'S A $725 REPAIR. HE GOES ON TO TELL ME THAT HE'S BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM LATELY ("JUST HAD ONE LAST WEEK"). AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS OF HAGGLING, I GOT THE COST DOWN TO THE ORIGINAL $500 RANGE. THE NEXT DAY I CHECK WITH MY TRUSTED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON THE PROBLEM TO SEE IF I SHOULD HAVE HIM CHECK THE OTHER SEVEN PLUGS. HE TELLS ME HE WON'T EVEN TOUCH THE PLUGS BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY WITH THESE HEADS AND THE BLOWN SPARK PLUG PROBLEM. HE GOES ON TO TELL ME THAT THE PROBLEM WILL MOST LIKELY OCCUR WITH THE SEVEN REMAINING CYLINDERS. UPON CONDUCTING A QUICK WEB INVESTIGATION, I LEARN THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT FORD IS NOT STEPPING UP TO HELP RESOLVE. HELP?!*JB