Complaint 754181

Complaint Summary

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Owner Narrative

I HAVE A 1999 CHINOOK CLASS C WITH A FORD E-350 CHASSIS POWERED BY A TRITON V-10. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING IT USED WE HAD A SPARK PLUG POP OUT. IT WAS AN ORIGINAL PLUG. WE HAD THEM CHANGED AND TOOK A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP. AS WE WERE COMING UP ON MEMPHIS TN. ANOTHER PLUG BLEW OUT. WE WERE ON AN INTERCHANGE IN A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE. WE COULD NOT GET OUT AS THERE WAS A FREEWAY ON BOTH SIDES. IT TOOK 3 1/2 HOURS TO GET US OUT OF HARMS WAY. JUST LAST WEEKEND IT HAPPENED AGAIN THOUGH I DROVE OFF THE FREEWAY. I HAVE SINCE READ THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE AS THE GAS IS GETTING PUSHED OUT THE PLUG HOLE AND THE PLUG IS OUT AND FIRING. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FORD SAYS THE PLUGS WERE NOT TORQUED TO SPEC WHICH CAUSED IT TO HAPPEN. WE HAD OUR ORIGINAL PLUGS WHEN IT 1ST HAPPENED. I ALSO READ ONLINE WHERE A DEALER HAD A VERY LOW MILEAGE V-10 WITH ORIGINAL PLUGS AND IT HAPPENED TO HIM. I THINK THESE HEADS ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. I CANNOT FIND AFTERMARKET HEADS SO I WOULD FEEL SAFER. IT HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY. THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP WHERE IT IS SAYS HE HAS A FORD KIT TO REPAIR THE HEADS. HE SAYS IT IS THE ONLY KIT FOR THIS HE HAS EVER SEEN YET FORD DENIES THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM. I JUST FEEL LUCKY I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD EACH TIME. THESE ENGINES ARE IN MANY RV'S AND LARGER TRUCKS WHICH ARE HARDER TO MANEUVER I.E. MORE DANGEROUS. *TR

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