NHTSA Complaint #10259115 — 2002 FORD EXPEDITION

I DRIVE A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A 5.4 TRITON V8 ENGINE. I HAVE HAD 2 OF THE EXACT SAME FAILURES ON THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE. THEY BOTH WERE BLOWN OUT SPARK PLUGS! THE FIRST WAS APRIL 24, 2007 AND THE SECOND WAS FEB. 10, 2009. THE FIRST ONE OCCURRED AT 77,402 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE SECOND HAPPENED AT 91,651 MILES. I AM LIVID WITH RAGE AT AN PROBLEM THAT I HAVE NOW LEARNED IS VERY COMMON WITH THIS ENGINE. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE AND SOMETHING THAT CAN CONTINUE TO OCCUR OVER AND OVER SINCE THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT ACCORDING TO THE FORD DEALER SHOP SERVICE MANAGER WHO REPAIRED THE PROBLEM ON FEB. 10, 2009. I HAVE SPENT A TOTAL OF $569.75 FOR THESE 2 REPAIRS! AND OBVIOUSLY FEEL IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. HOW CAN IT NOT? THERE WERE NOT ANY EVENTS OR WARNINGS THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! IT JUST BLEW OUT THE SPARK PLUG AND OF COURSE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN AND REQUIRED TOWING. THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED/REPAIRED WERE ON BOTH CASES A COIL ASSEMBLY AND SPARK PLUG, RETHREADING FOR THE PLUG. I HAVE NO OLD PARTS AND WAS NOT GIVEN ANY. WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED IS BEYOND MY UNDERSTANDING SINCE IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN DUE TO THE ALUMINUM HEAD THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES WHEN THEY WERE BUILT BY FORD. THAT IS WHAT THE FORD DEALER SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME, IN FACT. IT HEATS UP AND GETS WAY TO HOT THAN IT BLOWS THE SPARK PLUG! I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING/REPLACING THE HEAD IN CASE THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN WHICH IT COULD. FORD SCREWED UP ON THIS ONE. MAKE THEM PAY TO FIX THIS ONGOING PROBLEM PLEASE! I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW CAR. *TR