NHTSA Complaint #10306128 — 1999 FORD F-150

SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT ON 1999 FORD F150 WITH 5.4L TRITON V8. IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD MODULAR ENGINES. TODAY, I HEARD A LOUD POP COME FROM MY ENGINE BAY AS I ACCELERATED AND THEN THE SOUND OF WHAT SEEMED TO BE A MASSIVE EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE SPARK PLUG ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE HAD EJECTED AND BROKE THE COIL WITH IT. I WAS LUCKY THAT IT HAD ONLY DAMAGED THE THREADS ON THE SPARK PLUG AND SHEARED THE COIL AT ITS MOUNT, INSTEAD OF DAMAGING THE THREADS ON THE HEAD, BUT FROM READING THE MULTIPLE OTHER STORIES ONLINE ABOUT THIS HAPPENING, IT SEEMS THAT I AM LUCKIER THAN MOST. I WAS ABLE TO REPAIR IT BY REPLACING THE SPARK PLUG, BOOT, AND COIL, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, MOST PEOPLE HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEAD WHEN IT HAPPENS. I DON'T SEE WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL SINCE IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SCARING A DRIVER WHEN THEY HEAR A LOUD EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE WHEN IT HAPPENS, OR POSSIBLY KILLING SOMEONE AS FUEL/AIR VAPORS ESCAPE THE ENGINE AND THE SPARK PLUG COULD POSSIBLY IGNITE IT OUTSIDE THE ENGINE, AND BEING RIGHT NEXT TO THE FUEL RAIL AND INJECTORS, POSSIBLY CAUSE MASSIVE FIRE DAMAGE WITH ITS OCCUPANTS STILL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. PLEASE TELL FORD TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM. I SEE THE FIX BEING AS SIMPLE AS PUTTING STRONGER THREAD INSERTS TO PREVENT THE SPARK PLUGS FROM EJECTING. ITS RIDICULOUS US AS CAR OWNERS SHOULD HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PAY BIG BUCKS FOR A FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN THAT FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR FIX. *JB *TR