NHTSA Complaint #10367243 — 2002 FORD F-150

MY 2002 FORD F150 WITH A 5.4 L TRITON V8 ENGINE SPIT OUT A SPARK PLUG FOR NO APPARENT REASON. MY F150 HAS 117,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OVER IT'S LIFE. IT IS SERVICED REGULARLY AND IS USED FOR ROUTINE DRIVING. I HAPPENED TO BE 30 MILES FROM HOME WHEN I HEARD A LOUD TAPPING COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. KNOWING A LITTLE ABOUT ENGINES I CHECKED TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND NOTICED THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN PUSHED OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD, CAUSING THE COMPRESSION TO CAUSE IT AND THE COIL PACK TO CONTINUALLY STRIKE THE FUEL RAIL. FORTUNATELY I KNEW A MECHANIC IN THE AREA 1/4 MILE FROM MY LOCATION AND SLOWLY DROVE TO HIS SHOP. HE SAID THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD 4.6, 5.4 AND 6.8 TRITON ENGINES. HE ADDED THAT THE ALUMINUM USED FOR THE HEADS WAS TOO SOFT CAUSING THE SPARK PLUGS TO SPIT OUT. THERE WAS NO WAY OF PREVENTING THIS FROM HAPPENING OR PREDICTING WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN. THE HOLE FOR THIS SPARK PLUG HAD ALL THE TREADS BLOWN OUT WHEN THE PLUG CAME OUT SO I HAD TO LEAVE MY TRUCK AT THE GARAGE FOR REPAIR. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF HAVING TO PUT A STEEL THREADED INSERT INTO THE HEAD IN ORDER TO SECURE THE NEW SPARK PLUG / COIL PACK. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT I SHOULD DEFINITELY NOT DRIVE IT SINCE IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I COULD SMELL THE GAS FUMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FULLY BELIEVE THIS TO BE A GOOD POSSIBILITY. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF SOMEONE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH ENGINES AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH THIS CONDITION WITH THE POSSIBLE RESULT OF A FIRE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE THEIR FAMILY IS ABOARD. I THINK FORD NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THESE ENGINES TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED IN A SAFE FASHION TO PREVENT A TRAGEDY OF A FIRE WHILE IN OPERATION. UPON A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THIS TOPIC IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF THE SAME TYPE OF INCIDENTS WITH THESE ENGINES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR