NHTSA Complaint #10389927 — 2003 FORD F-150

I BOUGHT A 2003 FORD F150 WITH A 4.6L TRITON V8 ENGINE , WHILE DRIVING IT STARTED MAKING A POPPING NOISE, LIKE A MINI BACKFIRE. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY FOUND THE COIL PACK ON THE #3 CYLINDER WAS MELTED. THEY REPLACED THE COIL PACK, AND WE DROVE DOWN THE ROAD TO TEST DRIVE THE TRUCK, WITHIN 2 MILES THE POPPING NOISE RETURNED, BUT EVEN LOUDER THIS TIME. WE GOT IT LIMPED BACK TO THE SHOP, AND HAD TO LET IT COOL DOWN OVERNIGHT, SO THE MECHANIC COULD INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. HE HAD A TIME GETTING THE MELTED "BRAND NEW" COIL PACK OUT OF THE SPARK PLUG RECESS IN THE ENGINE HEAD, AND AN EQUALLY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE SPARK PLUG ITSELF OUT OF THE HOLE. APPARENTLY THE PLUG HAD COME LOOSE IN THE SHORT THREADED ALUMINUM HEAD, THEN THE COIL PACK MELTED AROUND THE PLUG SEALING IT IN PLACE , AND THE ENGINE BURNT A HOLE THE SIZE OF A PENCIL RIGHT THROUGH THE ALUMINUM HEAD NEXT TO THE SPARK PLUG HOLE. THE COIL PACK WAS STILL PUTTING OUT SPARK, BUT NOT TO THE PLUG, AS THE BOOT THAT HELD IT ON THE PLUG WAS GONE, IT WAS JUST SPARKING AGAINST THE SIDES OF THE RECESS IN THE HEAD. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE EITHER CAUGHT FIRE OR BLOWN UP, I GUESS THAT IS LUCKY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT SO NICE FOR ME WITH THE REPAIRS STARTING AT $2600 TO REPLACE THE HEADS ON THE SAME ENGINE, OR PUT IN A USED ENGINE IF WE CAN FIND ONE FOR $3900, OR PUT IN A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE FOR $5200, THAT HAS SUPPOSEDLY HAS ADDRESSED THE ISSUE WITH THESE FORD ENGINES BLOWING OUT SPARK PLUGS. FORD SAYS THERE ISN'T AN ISSUE, BUT THEY'VE CREATED A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM THAT DOESN'T EXIST?? WHAT TO DO NOW WITH MY WORTHLESS PILE OF METAL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY , I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX? BUILT FORD TOUGH ?? AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, SIMPLY GOOGLE "FORD TRITON SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT" , AND YOU'LL FIND THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FOLKS LIKE ME DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE , AND FORD CONTINUES TO DENY IT'S A PROBLEM, WHY? *TR