NHTSA Complaint #10356593 — 2005 FORD F-150

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, I FELT LIKE MY TRANSMISSION MIGHT BE SLIPPING IN MY 2005 FORD F-150. I TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO A LOCAL AND REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO TESTED THE TRANSMISSION AND SUBSEQUENTLY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THE ENGINE, SPECIFICALLY THE SPARK PLUGS. IN THEIR INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT 4 OF MY 8 SPARK PLUGS WERE BROKEN. THEY HAD TO USE A SPECIAL TOOL, DEVELOPED BY FORD JUST FOR THIS "PROBLEM", IN ORDER TO EXTRACT THE BROKEN PLUGS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE TO RECALL THESE OR FORCED TO REIMBURSE CONSUMERS FOR THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS DUE TO A DESIGN ERROR. UPON RESEARCHING ON-LINE, I WAS TOTALLY AMAZED AT HOW MANY AND HOW MUCH A PROBLEM PEOPLE HAVE HAD WITH THESE PLUGS AND THE CONSUMER IS PAYING FOR THEIR DEFECT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THE TOTAL COST FOR THIS REPAIR FOR ME WAS $358.55. TELL ME HOW MANY OTHER CARS OR TRUCKS REQUIRE THIS TYPE OF REPAIR TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS? I WOULD L LIKE FOR YOUR AGENCY TO INVESTIGATE THE NUMBER OF REPAIRS CONSUMERS HAVE HAD TO MAKE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. [XXX] SC DRIVERS LICENSE NO. [XXX] VIN [XXX] THANK YOU FOR INVESTIGATING THIS DEFECT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR