NHTSA Complaint #10244919 — 2003 FORD EXPEDITION

AS I WAS DRIVING, MY VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POP, AND THEN A RATTLING SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND POPPED THE HOOD TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND NOTICED THAT MY SPARK PLUG HAD EJECTED OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. I THEN HAD TO WALK APPROX 1/2 MILE (WHILE I WAS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT) TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE PLUGS THAT WERE IN WERE FACTORY, AND INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG FORDS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE PLUGS WITH A HEALING COIL, AND THEN INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT A GUARANTEED FIX, IT WAS MORE LIKE PUTTING A BAND AID ON THE PROBLEM, IF I WANTED TO GUARANTEE THE ISSUE WAS FIXED, THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE HEAD. I OPTED TO REPLACE THE PLUGS BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSIDERABLY CHEAPER, AND ABOUT 5 MONTHS LATER, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. SINCE I WAS QUITE A WAYS AWAY FROM THE MECHANIC THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON IT, I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY PUTTING AN INSERT IN, AND CHARGING ME AN ADDITIONAL $300. *TR