NHTSA Complaint #10343843 — 2006 FORD F-150

MY VEHICLE IS SHOWING EXTREME HESITATION IN ACCELERATION WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY OR PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE. DURING THESE PROCESSES, MY VEHICLE WILL START BACKFIRING AND MISSING. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON AT THIS TIME. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT STATE LICENSED MECHANICS, AND CHAPMAN FORD DEALERSHIP IN PHILADELPHIA. ALL THREE TOLD ME THE PLUGS SHOULD HAVE LASTED 100,000 MILES OR BETTER AND THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE AND THESE PLUGS ARE VERY COMPLICATED TO REPLACE. SPECIAL TOOLS WOULD BE NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM. THEY ALSO SAID IT IS VERY COMMON THESE PLUGS WOULD BREAK OFF WHEN BEING REMOVED. THE COST TO REPLACE THE PLUGS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $400 TO $550, WITH AN ADDITIONAL COST IF ANY PLUGS BREAK. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL WHEN THERE SHOULD BE. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER, AS WELL AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I REALIZE SPARK PLUGS ARE NOT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE COST TO REPLACE THEM IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE AS THE MECHANICS STATED, IT WAS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE PLUGS AND THEY CORRODE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. FORD REALIZED THIS AND CHANGED THE PLUGS IN NEWER VEHICLES TO A NON-CORROSIVE PLUG. I FEEL THE CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A POOR DESIGN FROM FORD. I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE THIS WORK COMPLETED ON JULY 21, 2010 AT CHAPMAN FORD IN PHILADELPHIA BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IS USING AN ACCESS AMOUNT OF GASOLINE. *TR