8.4
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $740
- Average Mileage:
- 151,100 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 65 complaints
Most common solutions:
- helicoil kit (25 reports)
- not sure (16 reports)
- redrill and replace spark plug (7 reports)
- replaced spark plug (4 reports)
- ford says pull the engine and replace the entire head (3 reports)
- got same response from local auto mechanic. cost $4000 (3 reports)
« Read the previous 20 complaints
I took it to Richards Car Care Center in OKC and they did not fix it correctly but charged me 500 dollars and told me I need a new engine due to some lower engine noise. I got a second opinion and they fixed some other problems with the engine but blew another plug. The second garage asked if I had a plug replaced before and said the first garage didn't put the plug in all the way which caused it to blow again. It's going to cost $1,400 for a new head thanks to the first garage, Richards Car Care Center, I recommend to never take your vehicle there. But only having 65000 miles on my truck I wouldn't have expected all this trouble.
- Brian L., Oklahoma City, OK, US
The #3 plug came flying out, it happened when I was slowing down. What do you do? Retired not much money, budget tight......
- tomia, Sioux City, IA, US
I know it says report it everytime it happens but we have replaced ALL 8 plugs at this time(7-2-2014) the one I listed really stands out in my mind because we had just arrived at our vacation destination when the damn thing blew....so adding insult to injury on top of the cost of getting the car fixed we also had to rent a CAR. And got a dang little subcompact to drive..so there was another un-planned for cost. This has happened over the course of 3 years and is quite expensive not to mention aggravating!!!!
- maryfirsdon, Summerville, GA, US
The first time it happened was two years ago. The truck started spitting and jumping, so to the shop it went. They said a blown spark plug that took the coil with it. That will be 300.00 dollars. Two weeks later another one blew and back to the shop I go. I said you didn't fix too good and they said they did to, it was a different plug. I said ok if its going to start blowing them all, just replace all of them. They replaced seven more coils and plugs for about 1500.00. I thought the problem was solved until two months ago when it blew another along with the coil. Another 300.00. Last week on June 12, 2014 another goes and back to the shop I go. Made it about two miles headed home and "boom". made a u-turn and back to the shop I go. This morning I went to have a heart to heart talk with the mechanic about a solution. They say there is none. I have been a fan of Ford all my life,but that is changing rapidly. Ford needs to admit their mistake and fix the problem or start a loan program so people can afford to get them fixed and pay a taxi fare for the many times the owners won't have transportation because what they thought was a reliable vehicle is not!!
- tmmcmullan, Forsyth, GA, US
Hi my name is James and I have a 2001 F150 Harley Davidson truck and I have had 4 spark pluges blow out of the cylinder heads. l think it's time for Ford to step in and fix this problem with their trucks. I'm a Ford man but if they don't step in and fix this problem I will be driving something else.
- jamesdawes, Elcajon, C.A, US
In the last couple years I have had to replace 1 ignition coils and now have a spark plug blow out of the engine.
- Dario S., Easton, PA, US
this is ridiculous and obviously happens a lot. I doubt i will be buying another ford and i have had a lot of them. After i got it back the engine has a lot of vibration at 52 mph. Time to get another truck.
- Rick L., Great Bend, KS, US
After reading those with the same problem I highly doubt anything will be done about the matter. Seems like ford needs to pull their heads from their ass and fix this problem. Nice work for not accepting a government buyout and continually to ignore the complaints.
- jackhammer0511, Amarillo, TX, US
I have had this truck since new and take very good care of it. In the last couple years I have had to replace two ignition coils and now have a spark plug blow out of the engine. Searched online and it didn't take long to figure out I am not the only one.
- Tom Y., Frisco, TX, US
ford has not addressed the problem. they claim it does not exist.
- housewright1, Anacortes, WA, US
Ford should have ever put aluminum heads without a steel insert in every plug, this is a common problem with Ford Engines. I love my truck and take very good care of it, oil changed every 3500 miles, clean every week. This truck is my livelyhook I use it for my work, I've been without a vehicle for a week, that means no money coming in. Why doesn't Ford recall this type engine block and fix the problem. I was considering buying another Ford pickup, but this just might have changed my mind.
- pptaylor, Henderson, KY, US
Ford has to know there is a problem with the 1999 to 2005 engines, or they are total idiots. I have owned seven Ford trucks since 1979. Once I am over this fiasco I will probably chose another Make. Someone at Ford needs to "grow a set" and "man-up" and address this problem.
- Richard G., Dameron, MD, US
My son traveled 350 miles from college to be home for thanksgivings. When at home, the spark plug blew and the threads were stripped. We have to give him another car to return while we fix this issue. I will fix it and then sell it because it looks like this issue could reoccur. I also have a 2006 expedition but it looks like ford fixed the issues since then. I am very disappointed in such a serious issues not being addressed. Now I know why the resale on the F150s are so low. I will avoid them in the future.
- djohnmore, Georgetown, TX, US
Spark plug blew out. Now that I know how wide spread the defect is, I'm concerned about the other plugs. As the engine ages and the other threads accumulate addition stress cycles, it is very likely they will fail too. I'm not sure if Ford performs life cycle fatigue analysis on threads or just uses a design standard with an assumed margin designed in. Either way, the standard needs to be revisited or the analysis revised (this is of little help to me). This is certainly a design flaw. Even if some of the occurrences have been aggravated by over torqueing, a good design would have adequate margin to accommodate such variation.
- Jay B., Littleton, CO, US
Found out this was a common problem for Fords. I never thought I would experience owning a vehicle that had a reputation for spitting out spark plugs. All plugs were torqued to specification, which Ford says causes the problem.
- Todd P., Marietta, GA, US
For the second time in a month my truck blew a dam spark plug out of the engine. What the hell? So just to be safe I spent an extra 200 buck (which I don't really have) and had Ford fix the other two cylinders before they could blow out. Now I do have an after market warranty but they don't cover everything. They will not cover some of the labor and they don't cover the coils when the spark plugs take them out. That right there cost me 250 bucks times two, so 500 bucks in a month plus the extra 200. Ford needs to put there big girl panties on, step up and do what is right by there customers.
- bulldog11m, Redlands, CA, US
This needs to be a recall or some remedy from Ford, this is the second time this has happened. 2 different cylinders and both times it destroyed the coil pack. Maybe a class action lawsuit is in order.
- Ted F., Ilion, NY, US
Got in started, sounded like world war 3, I was late for work ,very upset no idea what it takes to fix
- Bruce B., Millbury, MA, US
I am just now finding out that this is a big problem and Ford won't do anything about it. This is the last Ford I will ever own. I got a Ford truck because they were supposed to be the best. They cannot be the best if the company wont stand behind there product.
- bulldog11m, Redlands, CA, US
Very upset, as Ford knows about this problem. Replaced spark plug, cost $400.00. This was the first of three spark plugs that blew.
- ghomfeld, FERNDALE, WA - Washington, US