NHTSA Complaint #10461357 — 2002 FORD F-150

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE WHEN I HEARD AN EXPLOSION-TYPE SOUND, SIMILAR TO THAT OF A GUNSHOT. THE SOUND STARTLED ME AND CAUSED ME TO VEER OFF THE ROAD CRASHING INTO A BUSH ON SOMEONE'S FRONT LAWN. I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A VERY LOUD AND RAPID "POPPING" SOUND FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, WHICH BECAME WORSE AS I ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO SHAKING VIOLENTLY AS I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE HOME, WHICH WAS ONLY 1 MILE AWAY FROM WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I INSPECTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE 2ND SPARK PLUG IN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE (#6 CYLINDER) WAS BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING, I WAS INFORMED THAT "BLOWN SPARK PLUGS" ARE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD TRITON 4.6 AND 5.4 LITRE ENGINES. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE SPARK PLUG HOLE WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-TAPPED AND A HELI-COIL KIT INSTALLED. THIS WORK WAS PERFORMED ON 06/08/2012 WITH A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $449.81, NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF THE TOW. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT FORD HAD ISSUED THE FIRST OF SEVERAL TSB'S (TECHNICAL SAFETY BULLETINS) TO ALL OF IT'S SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE US IN MARCH OF 2006 INFORMING THEIR TECHNICIANS OF THE DEFECT IN THE ENGINE'S ALUMINUM HEAD AND THE INCREASING FREQUENCY OF THIS "BLOWN SPARK PLUG" ISSUE. INCLUDED IN THIS TSB WERE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REPAIR BY USING A HELI-COIL, WHICH IS NOT A FORD PART, NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND NOT GUARANTEED TO STAY IN PLACE. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED. PLEASE SEE THE LINK; I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AND I FEEL THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE INCURRED UNNECESSARY COSTS DUE TO FORD'S DEFECT SHOULD BE MADE WHOLE. HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML. *TR