NHTSA Complaint #10443528 — 2004 FORD F-150

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND HAD JUST PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE SUDDEN SMELL OF GAS INSIDE THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. WHEN I GOT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE HEAD AND THE COIL PACK WAS DAMAGED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD THAT FORD DECIDED TO USE ONLY HAD THREE THREADS TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUG IN PLACE AND THAT THE PLUGS SEEMED TO BLOW OUT OF 1997-2004 MODELS. THEY COULD USE A HELICOIL TO REPAIR THE THREADS BUT THEY COULDN'T MAKE ANY GUARANTEES ABOUT THE REPAIR. AFTER I HAD IT REPAIRED I DISCOVERED THOUSANDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE OF SPARK PLUGS BEING BLOWN OUT OF THE HEADS AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVING TO REPLACE THE HEADS ON THEIR VEHICLES. I SPOKE TO A BUDDY OF MINE IN TOPEKA WHO TOLD ME OF HIS NEIGHBOR WHO JUST BOUGHT A USED 2004 MODEL FORD TRUCK AND HAD AN ENGINE FIRE BECAUSE OF THIS SAME ISSUE. I GOT LUCKY WITH THE COST OF THIS REPAIR BUT BECAUSE OF THE POOR CONSTRUCTION DESIGN OF THIS HEAD, THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY OF COURTESY COVERAGE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE SERIOUSLY LOOKED AT AS A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL OF A FIRE HAZARD AND A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF SOMEONE IS LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THIS OCCURS, THEY CAN BE SERIOUSLY HURT BY FLYING DEBRIS. *TR