NHTSA Complaint #10546820 — 2005 FORD F-150

THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME A SPARK PLUG HAS POPPED OUT OF THE ENGINE ON MY 2005 FORD F-150 WITH THE 4.6 LITER V8 ENGINE IT. THE FIRST SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT IN AUGUST 2011 AND NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2013. I HAVE HEARD THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS IS HAPPENED TO. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM IN NOT ONLY THE 4.6 LITER V-8 BUT THE 5.4 LITER V-8 AND THE 6.8 LITER V-10. WITH THIS PROBLEM HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHY HASN'T FORD DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FORDPROBLEMS.COM SUGGESTS THAT FORD INSISTS THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO IMPROPER TORQUING OF NEW PLUGS OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER REASONS. HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE ORIGINAL FACTORY SPARK PLUGS EJECT FROM THE ENGINE, WHICH INDICATES THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE & CYLINDER HEAD DESIGN. THE REPAIR IS RELATIVELY EASY - DO NOT BE FOOLED BY A DEALER OFFERING TO REPAIR THE ISSUE FOR $700 OR MORE. AN INEXPENSIVE HELICOIL KIT WILL DO THE TRICK. ALSO, WE DO NOT RECOMMEND SIMPLY RE-TAPPING THE SPARK PLUG THREADS BECAUSE THE THREADS ARE PROBABLY TOO DAMAGED ALREADY & THE SPARK PLUG MAY JUST BLOW OUT AGAIN CAUSING MORE DAMAGE. SPARK PLUG EJECTION IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE FUEL VAPOR STARTS COMING OUT THE SPARK PLUG HOLE, WHICH IS CLEARLY A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE FUEL VAPOR CAN BE IGNITED BY THE LOOSE SPARK PLUG AND IN FACT THERE HAVE BEEN A SMALL NUMBER OF CASES REPORTED OF ENGINE FIRES DUE TO SPARK PLUG EJECTION/BLOWOUT. I AS WELL AS OTHER FORD OWNERS WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO AND FORCE A RECALL ORDER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO GET THESE ISSUE FIXED, REPAIR, AND REMEMBERS ALL AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE. *TR