NHTSA Complaint #10293247 — 1999 FORD EXPEDITION

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI, I HEARD A LOUD "POP" UNDER MY HOOD AND THEN MY TRUCK SOUNDED LIKE A STEAM ENGINE. I ALSO BEGAN TO SMELL RAW GASOLINE. I PULLED TO THE CURB AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVERS SIDE REAR SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT, BREAKING OFF THE COIL PACK. GAS HAD SPRAYED ONTO THE SIDE OF MY ENGINE. MECHANIC ADVISED THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. MANUFACTURED WITH AS FEW AS 4 THREADS TO HOLD IN A SPARK PLUG. THIN WALLED ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS ARE A VERY POOR DESIGN. FORD ADVISED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAD NO INTENTIONS OF A RECALL. *TR