NHTSA Complaint #10596811 — 2004 FORD F-150

WE ALWAYS TAKE OUR TRUCK TO THE FORD DEALER FOR SERVICE. RECENTLY THEY GOT NEW MANAGEMENT AND THEY SAID OH BY THE WAY SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU EVEN THOUGH THE SPARK PLUGS ARE 100,000 MILES YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD THEM CHANGED ALREADY BECAUSE THEY GET STUCK. SO I WENT TO THE INTERNET AND READ THE NIGHTMARES ABOUT MY 5.4 ENGINE SPARK PLUGS. TOOK IT TO A 3RD PARTY MECHANIC AND ALL 8 GOT STUCK AND WERE NOT EASY TO REMOVE USING FORD'S SPECIAL TOOL THEY DEVELOPED BECAUSE THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. I APPARENTLY MADE PUT A LOT BETTER THAN MOST, MY BILL WAS ONLY A WHOPPING $700 FOR HAVING SPARK PLUGS CHANGED WITHIN 100,000 MILES THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR. MECHANICS ARE RECOMMENDING GETTING THEM CHANGED AT LEAST EVERY 50,000 MILES NOW AND SOME WON'T EVEN TOUCH THE FORD 5.4 ENGINES. MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD BILLS IN THE THOUSANDS FOR THIS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ALL DUE TO FORD'S BAD DESIGN. THERE HAVE EVEN BEEN MULTIPLE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS BUT WHEN I CALLED FORD FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM AND WHY I WASN'T NOTIFIED TO JOIN, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION. I DON'T MIND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE BUT A KNOWN ISSUE LIKE THIS THAT FORD REFUSES TO ASSIST CONSUMERS WITH IS RIDICULOUS. *TR