Complaint 1788521

Complaint Summary

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED TO MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY CONTINUOUS POPPING LOUD POPPING NOISE LIKE A BROKEN EXHAUST MUFFLER, SOUNDED LIKE A MOTORCYCLE. AFTER INVESTIGATING, FOUND OUT THAT THE #3 SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT (EJECTED) OF THE HEAD CYLINDER, BROKE THE SPARK IGNITION COIL. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I SMELLED FUEL, AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, SO I DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR AND TOWED THE CAR HOME. I HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUG AND REINSTALLED THE SPARK PLUG BUT IT SEEMED TO BE STILL LOOSE, SO I TOOK IT OUT AND PUT THREAD LOCK AND REINSTALLED IT BUT DID NOT TIGHTEN IT TO THE MAX AND DID NOT START THE CAR TILL AFTER 24 HOURS SO THE THREAD LOCK WILL HOLD IT IN PLACE. YESTERDAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO #8 SPARK PLUG, IT ALSO BROKE THE COIL, AND WHEN I TRIED TO INSTALL THE NEW SPARK PLUG, FOUND OUT THAT THE THREADS ON THE HEAD CYLINDER WILL NOT GRAB THE SPARK PLUG, AND NOW I AM STUCK WITHOUT A CAR. WHEN I ASKED AROUND, PEOPLE SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE FORD EXPEDTION. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD KILL SOMEONE IF THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, BECAUSE I SMELLED GAS AND SMOKE. IF THIS IS A COMMON DANGEROUS PROBLEM ON THE FORD EXPEDTION, HOW COME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR IT???? ARE WE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE DUE TO ENGINE / VEHICLE FIRE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE ASAP AND LET FORD FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. SPARK PLUGS EJECTING OUT LIKE THIS? I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE ONLY 4 THREADS ON THE HEAD CYLINDER HOLDING THE PARK PLUG, BUT THE SPARK PLUG HAS 10 OR 11 THREADS AND OFCOURSE ONLY 4 OF THOSE THREADS ARE BEING HELD BY THE HEAD CYLINDER. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WAITING TO HURT OR KILL SOMEONE, PLEASE ASK FORD TO FIX THIS BIG PROBLEM, THANK YOU....

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.