2001 FORD F-150 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

EXPERIENCED SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT DURING REGULAR DRIVING, OCCURRED ONCE IN ONE CYLINDER OF A 2001 FORD F150 5.4 TRITON DUAL FUEL FACTORY PROPANE. USED A HELICOIL KIT AND REPAIRED THE DAMAGE AND OTHER CYLINDERS TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. AFTER DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HER DRIVEWAY. MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE NEIGHBOR'S VEHICLE AND THE LANDLORD'S FENCE. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED A RECALL RELATING TO THE FIRE. THE DETECTIVE AT THE SCENE BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE RECALL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

MY 2001 FORD F150 BLEW A SPARK PLUG RIGHT OUT OF THE ALUMINUM HEAD ON 8-17-08. VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 90,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS A COMMON AND REPEATING FAILURE OF THE 5.4L V-8 ENGINE AND FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A PROBLEM. I OPTED FOR THE HELICOIL REPLACEMENT OPTION ($640) OVER A COMPLETE NEW HEAD ($3000). FORD WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY OF THIS EVEN THOUGH IT IS THEIR DESIGN FLAW. LATER MODELS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. IF IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM THEN WHY WAS IT CORRECTED? *TR

2001 FORD F150 WITH V8 4.6 LITER ENGINE BLOWS SPARK PLUGS OUT OF THE HEAD. HAD 2 DO THIS IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. HAD TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE ENGINE WILL NOT RUN, CALL TOW TRUCK AND DELIVER TO REPAIR SHOP. THEY REDRILLED THE HOLE AND INSTALLED AN INSERT BOTH TIMES. ALOT OF FORD ENGINES OF THIS TYPE DO THIS AS I NOW KNOW. AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS TRUCK AND ALOT OF MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET!!!!!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ONE HOUR, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED. TWO VEHICLES NEXT TO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

I HAVE A 2001 FORD F 150 W/A TRITON V8 ENGINE. IT BLEW A PLUG OUT AND FORD KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WON'T FIX THE ISSUE. I AM HAVE TO PAY $1,000.00 TO REPAIR AN ENGINE THAT IS DEFECTIVE RIGHT OFF THE FACTORY FLOOR. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SOME HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. WILL PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DIE BEFORE FORD IS REQUIRED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? *TR

WHILE LEAVING A STOP SIGN UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION MY 2001 F 150 WITH 113,000. MILES BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE / THIRD CYLINDER BACK . IT BROKE THE COIL AND THE PLUG WAS JUST LAYING ON THE HEAD . THE SPARKPLUG THREADS WERE NOT DAMAGED. *TR

MY 2001 F-150 HAD #4 CYLINDER SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. ACTUALLY MELTED THE METAL PORTION OF THE SPARK PLUG. I HAVE 56,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK. SALES MAN TOLD ME THE TRUCK DID NOT REQUIRE ANY TYPE OF TUNE UP UNTIL 100,000 MILES. I GUESS HE WAS WRONG. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 FORD F150 LARIAT SUPERCREW WITH THE 5.4 LITER ENGINE. MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON VACATION WHEN THE 3RD SPARKPLUG BACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE AND LEFT US STRANDED. IT DESTROYED THE COIL IN THE PROCESS AND NICKED THE FUEL RAIL. WE HAD TO HAVE A FORTY MILE TOW TO A MECHANIC WHO COULD PUT IN A HELICOIL TO HOLD THE NEW SPARKPLUG AND ALSO PUT IN A NEW COIL. THIS COST US $600 INCLUDING THE TOW. THIS WAS THE 2ND FORD WITH A 5.4 LITER ENGINE IN A WEEK THAT THIS MECHANIC FIXED WITH A BLOWN SPARKPLUG. THE NEAREST FORD DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEAD AT MY EXPENSE FOR $3,300 NOT INCLUDING A TOW. THIS TOOK PLACE IN KALISPELL MONTANA. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO CHECK AND RETIGHTEN AT LEAST ONE OF MY SPARK PLUGS EVERY 3,000...

#3 SPARK PLUG DRIVERS SIDE BLOWN OUT , DAMAGED COIL AND POSSIBLY FUEL RAIL. 5.4 TRITON ENGINE IS IN A 2001 F-150 4X4 WITH 126,000 MILES, NOT VERY SAFE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPARK RIGHT NEXT TO THE FUEL RAIL. *TR

'99 - '08 FORD 5.4L V8'S ARE EQUIPPED WITH 100,000 MILE SPARK PLUGS FROM THE FACTORY. THEY ARE FAILING IN LARGE NUMBERS AT WELL UNDER 50,000 MILES. MOST TIMES PULLING THE THREADS OUT OF THE ALUMINUM HEADS OF THE MOTOR. OTHER TIMES THE SPARK PLUGS BREAK LEAVING PART OF IT IN THE BLOCK. MY PROBLEM WAS THE #7 PLUG BREAKING IN HALF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. WHEN I TOOK MY '01 F-150 SUPER CREW TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T REPLACE THE REST OF THE SPARK PLUGS BECAUSE THEY WOULD PROBABLY STRIP THE THREADS OUT OF THE HEADS WHEN THEY REMOVED THEM. *TR

HAD MINOR TICKING NOISE - WAS TOLD THIS IS TYPICAL IN THIS FORD ENGINE. 16 MONTHS AGO I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS, TICKING WAS STILL THERE, AND JUST LAST WEEK ONE OF THE PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. THIS COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS HAVING A PLUG SPARKING WITH FUEL VAPORS ESCAPING FROM THE HOLE WHERE THE PLUG USED TO BE. AFTER TALKING TO A NUMBER OF F150 OWNERS - FOUND THIS IS A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM. WHY NO RECALL? DEALER INSTALLED SPACER INSERT RATHER THAN HELICOIL. RATHER EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AND IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, WILL NEED NEW HEAD. *CN

FORD 2001 F150 CREW4X4 REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AFTER #4 COIL PACK WENT BAD THEN NUMBER2 COIL PACK WENT BAD AFTER ONLY 65,000 MILES. THEN AT 142,000MILES #6COIL PACK AND SPARKPLUG BLEW OUT OF MOTOR. *TR

DROVE MY FORD F150 TO WORK, PARKED IT AND 30 - 40 MINUTES LATER THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE. I ENTERED THE TRUCK 30 MINUTES AFTER I PARKED TO REMOVE MY CHECK BOOK, BUT I DID NOT SEE OR SMELL ANYTHING THAT RESULTED IN THE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS NOT INSURED, BUT APPEARS TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. ON JULY 27, 2007, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A FIRE AND POLICE REPORT WERE FILED. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER OF ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE WAS SCORCHED DUE TO THE FIRE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT HER VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. AS OF AUGUST 3, 2007, THE DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A LETTER TO THE CONTACT WITHIN TWO WEEKS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 119,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD SVT LIGHTNING, WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. NO SIGN OF A PROBLEM WHATSOEVER. WHILE PASSING A BIG TRUCK, POP........AND THEN I LOST POWER AND ALMOST DIDN'T COMPLETE THE PASS IN TIME. ONCE I PULLED OVER, I FOUND THAT A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT, AND TOOK OUT A COIL ON IT'S WAY. THE FORD DEALER WANTS BIG MONEY FOR THE REPAIR (NEW HEADS), AND I CAN'T AFFORD IT RIGHT NOW. I'VE FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, AND FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY PLUGS ARE ORIGINAL, SO NOTHING WAS DONE BY ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FAILURE. NOW MY TRUCK IS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, AND IT CAN'T BE DRIVEN. HOPE MY OTHER FORDS DON'T SPIT OUT A PLUG. *TR

ON TUESDAY MORNING, 05/29/2007 AT 1:30AM, I WAS AWAKENED BY A LOUD BOOM AND A BRIGHT FLASH FROM OUTSIDE OF MY BEDROOM WINDOW. WHEN I JUMPED UP TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I SAW MY TRUCK ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I GRABBED MY CELL PHONE FROM BESIDE MY BED AND DIALED 911 AS I RAN TO THE FRONT PORCH. BY THE TIME I REACHED THE FRONT PORCH THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED, THE HOOD WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND THE FRONT TIRES WERE ON FIRE. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE FROM THE FRONT BUMPER TO THE REAR BUMPER. THE INSIDE OF THE TRUCK WAS COMPLETELY IN FLAMES AND ALL OF THE WINDOW GLASS HAD EITHER MELTED OR BEEN BLOWN AWAY FROM THE TRUCK BODY. IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT THE FIRE BEGAN INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN DRY CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. INITIALLY, THE CONTACT THOUGHT A TIRE WAS BLOWN AND PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE IN NORMAL CONDITION, BUT THE SCENT OF GAS WAS DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO DISCONNECTED THE FUEL INJECTOR TO THE NUMBER SEVEN CYLINDERS, SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE DRIVEN HOME. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SHOP CLOSER TO HOME, AND WAS CHARGED $1,863 FOR REMOVING BOTH HEADS, AND HAD THE MACHINE FLAT AT THE NUMBER SEVEN CYLINDER. THE FORD MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENGINE REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,750, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,075. *AK THE CONSUMER FEELS THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRITON...

A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF MY FORD F-150. DID NOT KNOW UNTIL RECENTLY THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS A LOT IN FORD TRUCK MOTORS. ENGINE DOES NOT REALLY RUN NOW BECAUSE IT WOULD PROBABLY CATCH ON FIRE FROM EXHAUST FLAMES. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED, BUT AFTER READING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS, I AM LED TO BELIEVE I WILL BE PAYING ROUGHLY $5,000 TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POPPING SOUND SIMILAR TO A TRUCK BACK FIRING. THE MECHANIC STATED THE SPARK PLUG AND COILS WERECAUSING THE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON 2 PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. THE RECENT FAILURE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR BY CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS, THE DAMAGEWAS MORE ADVANCED AND COSTLY. MOST FORD TRUCKS EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE AT 8 YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 93000.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THROUGH A LIGHT, AND MAKING A LEFT TURN UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A POP COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER PULLING OVER TO INSPECT UNDER THE HOOD, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE THIRD SPARK PLUG HAD POPPED OUT OF PLACE FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WOULD NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALER VIA REFERENCE FROM THE WARRANTY COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED BY THE DEALER, AWAITING THE RESULTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DENIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE RECALL LIST AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT NOTICED CONSUMER COMPLAINTS VIA WEBSITE SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE HAD. ONE SIMILAR COMPLAINT WAS ODI #10033248.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED ON VARIOUS ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PROVIDED AN INCORRECT DIGITAL DISPLAY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT. 2ND. TIME. *JB

DT: 2001 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED, ON OCTOBER 16, 2005 THE SPARK PLUG FLEW OUT OF HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AT THAT TIME. IT WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP. THE MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS OCCURRED. ACCORDING TO FORD, THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AT THIS TIME. THE HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS A RESULT.*AK

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. ON 9-2-05 WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HE HEARD A LOUD POP AND LOST POWER, PULLED OVER AND FOUND THAT A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT THE ENGINE HEAD WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST WOULD BE OVER $3000. THE CONSUMER HAD IT REPAIRED AT A COST OF $33000. THE CONSUMER TALKED TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *AK (11/17/05) *SC

WELL AT FIRST MY 2001 F-150 SUPERSCRIPT AT 55000 MILES STARTED TO LAG, WHEN I WOULD PRESS THE GAS IT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO PICK UP SPEED OR CHANGE GEARS. THEN ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK GOING ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN I HEAR A LOUD POP, I LET GO OF THE GAS PEDAL BECAUSE IT REALLY SCARED ME I HAD TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE ONCE I DID I TRIED PRESSING ON THE GAS AND IT WOULDN'T GO ANYWHERE SO I DECIDED TO PULL OVER AND HAVE TO TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP, IT WAS THERE THAT THEY TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO COST ME 2500 HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX. NOW I HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS UNTIL IT GETS REPAIRED. *JB

ON OR ABOUT 4/21/05 I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD F-150 TAKING MY SON AND NEPHEW TO SCHOOL. AS I MADE A RIGHT TURN AT THE SCHOOL MY ENGINE STALLED. I LOST ALL STERING CONTROL AND HAD JUST ENOUGH BRAKE POWER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. I PUT THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE AIR INTAKE CONTROL VALVE. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER AT THE EXACT SAME SPOT AND TIME THE ENGINE AGAIN STALLED ON ME. AGAIN, I LOST ALL STERING AND HAD JUST ENOUGH BRAKES TO SLOW SO I COULD PUT THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND START THE ENGINE. MY FORD DEALER IS TELLING ME THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM WITH IT AND STATED I COULD PICK THE TRUCK UP AND DRIVE IT IF I WANTED TO. NOT WANTING TO HAVE MYSELF OR MY FAMILY KILLED...

VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF THE GARAGE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DRIVER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

2001 FORD F150 CREW CAB. 4.6 V8 HAS A LEAKY HEAD GASKET. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE IS A SERVICE BULLITEN. ARTICAL NO.03-6-2 DATED 03/31/03. I FEEL IF THERE ARE MANY LIKE THIS WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL. *AK

THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND HEARD THE HORN HONKING, WHEN THE OWNER WENT TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE HAD GONE UP IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND THE FIRE CHIEF SAID THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD AND THAT IT WAS A MECHANICAL DEFECT WHICH IGNITED THE FLAMES. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

FORD F 150 SAFETY ISSUE. *BF (BUILT WITH MAGNESIUM RADIATOR SUPPORTS) THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED DUE TO A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND LATER FOUND THE VEHICLE SMOKING. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *SC *JB

CONSUMER POPPED THE SECOND SPARK PLUG. THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING ROUGH. THERE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN THE PLUG AND THE ALUMINUM HEAD THAT MADE THE PLUGS POP OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *JB

2001 F150 LIGHTNING.BLEWOUT A PLUG FROM THE HEAD 24030 MILES ON ENGINE. *AK

SPARK PLUGS/COILS GOING BAD AT 13,000 THEN 18,000 AND 39,000 MILES ON 2001 FORD F150 SUPERCREW 5.4L. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKS. *AK

SPARK PLUG EXPLOSIVELY BLOWN FROM CYLINDER HEAD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE MANNING FOLD BRACKET FELL DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. BUT BEFORE IT FELL HIT THE GAS CABLE ACCELERATOR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

ENGINE REBUILT DUE TO IT CONSUMING OIL THROUGH THE RINGS ON THE PISTONS. TRUCK WAS STILL BURNING OIL. IF LET TO SIT FOR MORE THAN 10 MIN. IT WOULD BLOW A HUGE CLOUD OF BLUE/GRAY SMOKE AND ACCORDING TO TOWNE FORD BLUE SMOKE WAS OIL. *TT

RE: 2001 FORD SVT LIGHTNING MY VEHICLE VIOLENTLY EJECTED A SPARK PLUG FROM THE ENGINE'S HEAD, WHILE MERGING ON A HIGHWAY ON-RAMP. UPON FAILURE, THE VEHICLE OBVIOUSLY STARTED MISFIRING, BUCKING, AND WAS A HANDFUL WHEN PULLING OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. FORD ONLY USED 4 SETS OF THREADS ON THEIR LIGHTINING HEADS FROM 1999 TO EARLY 2003. CONVENTIONAL HEADS TYPICALLY USE BETWEEN 8 AND 10 THREADS TO HOLD A PLUG, BUT FORD DESIGNED THEIR HEADS WITH ONLY 4 THREADS ON MANY MODULAR 5.4-LITER V8 MOTORS TOO (NOT JUST THE LIGHTNING). THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, AS THEY HAVE CHANGED THE HEAD DESIGN IN EARLY 2003 TO A NEW PART WITH 8 THREADS. BUT FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR OLDER LIGHTNINGS (AND OTHER F-150'S), EVEN THOUGH THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM (FIRE, LOSS OF CONTROL, ETC.). I HAVE ALREADY HAD MY HEAD REPLACED...