NHTSA Complaint #10407829 — 2002 FORD EXCURSION

WAS STARTING FROM A STOP TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN DRIVER HEARD A LOUD POP. THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND SOME SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DIAGNOSED. THE #3 PLUG ON THE RIGHT BANK HAS BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT AND DAMAGED THE COIL PACK. A PHONE CALL TO THE DEALER YIELDED NO HELP OTHER THAN WE CAN HAVE IT TOWED THERE TO BE REPAIRED, AS IT LIKELY NEEDS A NEW HEAD. SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND TALKING TO OTHER FORD OWNERS DEFINITELY SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE ALUM HEADS BLOWING OUT SPARK PLUGS, AND THE #3 R PLUG SEEMS TO BE COMMON. THIS COULD CAUSE FUEL/VAPORS TO BE EXHAUSTED AND SPRAYED ON A HOT MANIFOLD AND CAUSE A FIRE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOME FIRES ATTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS SOUND LIKE A CASE WHERE THE DEALER/FORD REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT IT IS A PROBLEM AND FIX IT FOR OWNERS. BEFORE THERE ARE SERIOUS INJURIES FROM A CRASH OR A FIRE, FORD SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. ITS UNLIKELY THAT FORD WILL ANSWER THE CALL WITHOUT PRESSURE FROM NHTSA. THERE SEEM TO BE FAR TOO MANY OF THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS 5.4L MOTOR FOR IT TO BE A COINCIDENCE.