NHTSA Complaint #11174650 — 2006 FORD F-150

THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO FORD 5.4 LITER TRITON V8 24 VALVE ENGINES AND FREQUENT FAILURES OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS. A SEARCH OF ONLINE LITERATURE FROM AUTOMOTIVE EXPERTS AND MECHANICS REPORT AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF THESE MANIFOLDS WARPING, CRACKING, AND BREAKING THE MOUNTING STUDS. REPAIRS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, IN THE RANGE OF $1000 - $2000 PER MANIFOLD. LAST FALL 2018, MY 2006 F-150 5.4 TRITON, WITH ONLY 83,000 MILES, BEGAN LEAKING EXHAUST FROM THE RIGHT SIDE MANIFOLD. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER FOR REPAIRS. (SOME INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS STATED THEY WILL NOT WORK ON THESE FORD MODEL MANIFOLDS ANYMORE.) THE TOTAL COST TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD WAS OVER $1800. THE PARTS AND MATERIALS WERE ONLY ABOUT $300. THERE WAS A LOT OF LABOR INVOLVED BECAUSE 6 OF 8 MOUNTING STUDS HAD TO REMOVED AND REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE LEFT SIDE MANIFOLD BECAUSE THE MOUNTING STUDS ON THAT SIDE WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF IMPENDING FAILURE. IN FACT, SOME OF THE STUDS MAY BE BROKEN ALREADY, BUT THE LEFT MANIFOLD IS NOT YET LEAKING, SO I DID NOT REPLACE THE LEFT MANIFOLD AT THAT TIME. I AM A RETIRED MINE ENGINEER/MANAGER. I WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM IN THESE MANIFOLDS AND/OR THE HEADS THEY MOUNT ON. (THESE ARE THE HEADS THAT PROMPTED THE 5.4 TRITON SPARK PLUG SETTLEMENT.)