NHTSA Complaint #10219853 — 2001 FORD E-350

TWICE WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AT REASONABLY LOW SPEEDS, AND A SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT OF MY ENGINE ,WITH NO ADVANCE WARNING . TWICE I HAVE HAD TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALER . HE NOW TELLS ME ,AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY CONFIRMED IT ,THAT THE HEADS FOR THE 5.4 LITRE ENGINE WERE NOT MILLED PROPERLY (ONLY 4 THREADS FOR EACH SPARK PLUG, CAUSING THE PLUG TO STRIP AND COME OUT OF THE ENGINE) AND THAT THIS IS AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE . THE LAST REPAIR COST OVER $4,000 BUT SINCE THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING OUTSIDE OF THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY THAT FORD PROVIDES, FORD HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT AND IN FACT, IT HAS GENERATED MUCH BUSINESS FOR THE DEALERSHIPS. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY CONFIRMED THIS. *TR