NHTSA Complaint #10407585 — 2008 FORD F-150

THIS WEEKEND WE HEARD A LOUD POP UNDER THE HOOD FOLLOWED BY A LOUD TICKING SOUND WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. WE PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE OUR CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS EXAMINED TODAY. WE LEARNED THAT THIS COMMON ISSUE IN FORD F150 TRUCKS WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $1000 (LOW END) TO $3500 (HIGH END) TO FIX. A SPARK PLUG SIMPLY "POPPED OUT", TEARING UP THE THREADS IN THE CYLINDER, CAUSING THE DEALER TO RECOMMEND CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAN BE A LESS EXPENSIVE FIX TO THE PROBLEM, BUT FORD DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT FIX. MY VEHICLE IS 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS 70K MILES ON IT. WE ARE VERY METICULOUS ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE ON OUR VEHICLE AND AS THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED, THIS IS A DEFECT IN THIS ENGINE DESIGN AND NOT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM. THEY RECOMMEND A TUNE UP TO REPLACE ALL SPARK PLUGS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. AFTER DRIVING MY LAST FORD F150 FOR 200K MILES WITH NO ISSUES, I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME PAYING $4,000 WHEN IT IS ALL SAID AND DONE ON A VEHICLE THAT I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THAT IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. *TT