NHTSA Complaint #10341298 — 2003 FORD F-250 SD

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE ON MY 2003 V10 TRITON F250 TRUCK. IT HAS 86,000 MI. AND STILL HAS THE FACTORY SPARK PLUGS IN IT AT THE FACTORY TORQUE SETTINGS. THE SPARK PLUG EXPLODED OUT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUGHT THE ENGINE ON FIRE (I READ IN SOME CASES WHERE IT DID CATCH THE ENGINE ON FIRE WITH THE SAME INCIDENT). IT CAUSED SOME INTERNAL DAMAGE WHEN BLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE, BUT THE PLUG WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. I HAVE NOTICED THAT FORD HAS A PROBLEM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND OTHERS, WITH THE SPARK PLUGS EJECTING OUT OF THE HEAD, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR ENGINEERING DEFECT. I NOTICED THAT THE HEAD ONLY HAS THREE THREADS HOLDING THE SPARK PLUG IN PLACE AND THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD ONE IN PLACE WITH AN ALUMINUM HEAD. THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS PROBLEM IS HIGH AND VERY SEVERE. I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO REPLACE ALL THREADS AND SPARK PLUGS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. IF ONE SPARK BLEW OUT THAN IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ANOTHER ONE BLOWS OUT POTENTIALLY CATCHING FIRE AND/OR CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. *TR