NHTSA Complaint #10261383 — 2002 FORD F-150

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY HOME. ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD BANG HAPPENED UNDER THE HOOD THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY A CONSTANT PUFFING SOUND. THE TRUCK LOST POWER AND STARTED MISSING. ALL I COULD SMELL WAS GASOLINE. I PULLED OVER TO FIND A COIL ON PLUG SITTING ON TOP OF ENGINE, ALSO HAD A SPARK PLUG SITTING 7 INCHES AWAY FROM COP. I WAS VISITED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT PLUGS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE COME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND WAS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT FORD WAS NOT FIXING THIS PROBLEM, BUT HAD A FORD APPROVED WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE COST WOULD BE AROUND 500 DOLLARS FOR INSERT AND AROUND 3500 DOLLARS FOR NEW HEADS WITCH IS THE ONLY GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. FORD PLANS NOT TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM, THEY ARE FULLY AWARE THAT THIS HEADS HAS 4 THREADS HOLDING THE PLUG IN, WHEN THEY COME LOSE THE THREADS ARE DESTROYED FROM THE POUNDING CAUSED BY THE COMPUSTION PROCESS. THIS VERY DANGEROUS, COIL SPARK CAN IGNITED FUEL SPRAYED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING FIRE, LOSE OF CONTROL AND PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE. I HAVE A FAMILY AND THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANY ONE ELSE, AND BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE. THE COIL ON PLUG OS LOCATED UNDER THE FUEL RAIL AND HAS ENOUGH FORCE TO DAMAGE THE FUEL RAIL CAUSE IT BREAK AND SPILL GASOLINE ALL OVER THE ENGINE, WHICH COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION. I HAD A INSERT INSTALLED AND A NEW PLUG INSERTED WAS TOLD THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THE SPARK PLUG WOULD STAY IN. *TR