NHTSA Complaint #10427121 — 1999 FORD EXPEDITION

WHILE MOVING ACROSS COUNTRY MY 1999 FORD EXPEDITION EJECTED THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG. THIS SITUATION PLACED MY FAMILY IN HARM'S WAY AS IT OCCURRED ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS QUITE STARTLING. THE SERVICE REP WAS ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE AS SOON AS TOLD HIM THE MAKE AND MODEL. THE REPAIR COST IS SIGNIFICANT, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR AN UNDER HOOD FIRE CAUSED BY THE FUEL VAPORS BEING IGNITED BY THE EJECTED PLUG IS OF GRAVE CONCERN. FORD IS KEENLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS DESIGNED A REPLACEMENT HEAD FOR THE VEHICLE, BUT REFUSES TO DO THE HONORABLE THING AND REPLACE IT AT THEIR EXPENSE. THEY INSTEAD CHOOSE TO PROFIT FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS BY CHARGING THEM FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE CYLINDER HEADS. I FIND IT PREDATORIAL THAT A CAR COMPANY WOULD MAKE A FAULTY PRODUCT AND THEN PROFIT FROM THE REPAIR OF SAID PRODUCT. THIS COULD START A NEW PRECEDENT BY SIGNALING TO OTHER CAR COMPANIES THAT IF YOU SELL A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, YOU CAN MAKE MONEY ON THE BACKSIDE BY CHARGING FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THAT PART. THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE ARE RELATED TO THE LOUD AND SUDDEN POPPING SOUND WHEN THE PLUG EJECTS, THIS COULD EASILY DISTRACT A DRIVER AND COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A FATAL ACCIDENT. THE FUEL VAPORS COULD BE IGNITED SHORTLY AFTER THE PLUG EJECTS AND COULD ALSO CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSIDERING THE EXPEDITION CARRIES UP TO 9 PEOPLE THE RISK OF A TRAFFIC FATALITY IS INCREASED GREATLY. PLEASE HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ERROR AND LETS HOPE NO ONE GETS HURT OR KILLED UNTIL THEN. *TR