Ford has an issue with spark plugs breaking off when removing them. Some folks are lucky to have minimal plugs break off. I was lucky as I only had one plug break off. Luckily a local garage was able to extract the piece. I've heard others been less fortunate. When the piece fell into the engine and it cost several thousands of dollars to remove them. This is an issue that Ford needs to take responsibility for and recall the trouble vehicles and replace the plugs with one piece plugs. They will when the class action lawsuit gets initiated.

I took my 06/F150 in for a "tune-up" at 100K and I was told of the spark plug problem, but my mechanic said it only happens about 16% of the time, roughly 1 out of 6. The original estimate for the tune up was around $400. BUT then the call came.....two spark plus had broken, even after spraying them with break loose and letting the vehicle sit over night. Now my $400 tune up was going to be a $3000 Head removal. My mechanic worked with me and reduced the cost to $2,500......over 6 time the original estimate......I'm seriously thinking about taking Ford to Small Claims for the difference between the original tune-up and the final cost. Unfortunately, it's things like this that make me want to change from Ford to Chevy or Toyota, after being a Ford driver for over 35 years.

If Ford knows of the problem with the spark plus, this should have been a recall repair, instead, I had to spend nearly 8 months of payment on this design blunder.....THANKS FORD!!!!!

i have a 5.4 f150 never had any trouble with it until now. i never knew that they would put these defective plugs in new trucks. i had one plug go bad so i knew it was time to change them. i didnt do much research cause i had a manuel. when i bought the new plugs i was wondering why they had an extra metal top to it. but i didnt realize so many people were having them break off. mine was # 8 so it was just a pain to get at in the first place but as soon as i get it loose an pull it out i realize i broke the head off called my normal mechanic and he tells me that he doesnt have the proper tools and i better take it to a dealership. i dont know about u guys but i go to school with a full time job. i was expecting 200 to 300 now i find out it could be thousands if the rest break off its just unbelievable. why havent there been a recall on something so major

I heard about the Ford F-150 spark plug problem, so recently I was having routine maintenance done at 62,000 miles and decided to have the spark plugs changed. I figured they would come out easier, boy was I wrong. I had the worse case scenrio that the dealer told me about, one plug won't come out and they will have to remove the head, and this little project cost $2800 and they have to remove the cab to do it. When I found out about it I was naturally pissed and contacted Ford via e-mail. They said they would look into it and contact me or the dealer. I found out from the dealer that Ford was go to do NOTHING to help. C'MON MAN!!!!

I have always owned Ford's and HAD considered myself a Ford loyal custom, where is Fords loyality to me. I'll never buy another one since they don't stand behind the products they build.

Having the same problem as many other with a ford 5.4 eng. This is my first Ford and most likely it will be my last; "unless" Ford owns up to their mistake and have a recall on the spark plugs. I am getting ready to have new ones put in by a professional mech. I had another mech look at it and he took took them out, but said he was lucky that they didn't break. He could not get the others out so he stopped trying and put the others back in and told me I would have to go to someone that had the proper tools. Ford garage wanted 350.00 up front and at least 100 per plug if it broke. The guy I am taking it to will charge me 100 up front and 50 for each that breaks. Where are all the lawyers that want to sue everyone. There are recalls on a lot of things like cracked trim and such, but when it comes to a mech. problem. where are they?

Update from Jan 3, 2012: Sience I first entered this complaint; I have had my truck fixed. My friend whom is a very good mach and has his own shop. Took my plugs out and.a total of four of them broke. Its no wounder that my truck was running so rough. Those plugs look like they had been in for 500,000 miles instead of 46,800. The total cost was $446.00. I am lucky I have someone like him to work on my cars that don't rip anyone off. The ford company would have cost well over 1000. We need a recall. thank you very much!

Truck is in Maroone Ford of Miami since 6/30/11. They broke 3 of 8 spark plugs. Removed 2 of 3 successfully. Now they want an additional $3,880.58 to remove the spark plug they broke! That's in addition to almost $800 charged previously.

Ford Motor Company has had this issue with 3V engines since 2004 on the F-150s. Yet, they will not pay for repairs. They told me my truck was out of warranty at 93K miles even though their Ford Maintenance Schedule Guide specifies spark plug change at 100K miles.

Ford Motor Company tells me that they can not help me with this issue because there isn't a recall for this issue. Well, I am not the only one that has had this unpleasant experience. I see this has been happening to many people through out the U.S. for many years. SO, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THESE SPARK PLUGS? What I don't understand is how when I contacted the U.S. Department of Transportation (NHTSA) ON 7/8/11-THERE IS NO RECORD OF ANYONE ELSE FILING A COMPLAINT.

I have registered complaints with: The Office of the Attorney General in Florida, The Better Business Burea, Federal Trade Commission- Bureau of Consumer Protection, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS), Miami Dade County Consumer Protection Office.

If anyone out there knows who else to contact let me know. I will not rest until we get a long overdue recall on this matter. I am sick and tired of the abuse to the consumer. If anyone has had the same unpleasant experience that I am going through - If you haven't filed complaints - please do so, that is the only way we can get something done about this.

Eduardo Pezzi

Update from Nov 28, 2011: If anyone out there is experiencing the same situation, please file complaints as I am. It will take a while, but the more people that complain, the quicker we will see an end to this abuse.

Here are a few places to start:

* National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 1-888-327-4236 * The Better Business Bureau 561-842-1918 * State Attorney's Office * Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services 1-850-410-3782 * Miami Dade County Consumer Services 305 375-3677 * Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection 877-382-4357 * Center For Auto Safety * Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service 800-342-8060

Hope this helps. Will keep sending information as I learn it. Good luck, Ed

I had a breaker bar on mine and chickened out before I broke one off, for it is still running fine. Just wanted to tune it up. My father has the same make, model and year as mine with 48K miles on it. It stopped running just yesterday on his way home. The Ford Garage told him out of the blue the plugs went bad and the engine is full of gas. Need to clean out engine and replace plugs for $600.00 plus $35 for each plug that breaks off during the replacement. My father is disabled so this is a crock to say the least. So if Ford was running a $200.00 tune-up special you can rest assured you will pay much more by the time they are done. If I understand correctly it is a design flaw where the spark plug threads are longer than the head casting and the threads become covered with carbon or burnt welding them for lack of a better term into the head. Even if you do get them loose you will most likely ruin the threads in the head. And we should have to pay for this why???????

Ford uses faulty parts. These parts fail. Ford techs break off plug attempting to repair. The customer has to not only pay for the faulty part repair, but also charged for the tech's inability to repair their own merchandise. Then the customer is forced to buy the same faulty equipment again! Ford makes the mistakes and their customers have to pay and pay again for their mistakes, their inability to train their own techs and their decision not to correct an issue they have full knowledge has design flaws. This is my last ford.

Just a weekend warrior here, but here's my 2 cents worth

2006 f-150 triton 5.4 L Plugs ae a maintenance item , supposedly to be changed at 100,000 miles per Ford . Well , I've heard the nightmares of letting them go to that point, so I attempted to change at 62,000 miles. Dealership wanted 500 - $ 600.00 to change plus 100 - $300 extra for extracting each broken plug. . In all my years working on vehicles [ 37 total] , I never took 1 to a shop for plugs and i'm not about to let some Ford garage monkey with an air wrench break my plugs off and leave me with a possible 3 grand bill. Spent 3 days changing my plugs, 3 of wich broke off upon attempted removal . Followed ford TSB to the T. Not a happy camper here . Should have kept my 94 F-150. Anyway, I used 2 different tools here. Method 1 If the center electrode is removed whole with a hollow lower ceramic shield. Use the porcelain extraction tool [ pin method] and ground shield extractor with easy out] ] The safer method of the 2 Method # 2 If the electrode snaps and is lodged in the lower broken ceramic insulator and you cannot remove with needle nose pliers per TSB. [ highly unlikely ] Use [Lilse 65600. ] More dangerous of 2 evils with chance of debris entering cyl. but a last resort vs pulling head or possibly running motor to have compression blow out the broken plug. If I use this tool again, I would not run pusher all the way down as directions recommend. I would go approx 1/2 - 3/4 the distance by putting spacer washers under the jack screw. . The tap part only needs to grip the top bell of the shield. More depth = more chance of breaking bottom ground strap and or shattering bottom ceramic shield. This job is rated at 2 - 3 30 packs. Bob, Nj

I can't say that I hate Ford...Yet. Yes the plug design is complete garbage and yes I think the engineers that made these changes are god damn idiots but Champion has fix this with a one piece plug (7989) that is double plat and is about 12 to 20 per plug depending on where you get it. The fact the factory didnt use anti-seize is stupid and yes I think ford should fix all of these issues.

But I still love my truck even though as I write it is in my driveway with 5 broken plugs in it and it will stay there till I get the specal tool, http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_17932/lisle_ford_broken_spark_plug_remover_lis_65600_alt.html and then I will fix this problem for good. Just dont ues the shity designed plugs that are two piece and I cant see why this would ever be a problem again.

Well first the problem starts with fords 3 valve design what a piece of sh*t had it towed to ford dealer and the were guessing on the problem said they couldnt find it on their machine it might be cam phaser so they wanted to tear down the engine, i told them no way so i had it towed out to my mechanic and he hooked it up to his machine and wow he found out the problem. wasnt getting oil pressure so they ended up tearing apart engine heads were damaged and pistons were bad it jumped timing had oil changed every 3000 miles just had it changed 20 min before problem happened.

while getting engine replaced they decided to replace plugs 6 out of 8 plugs broke off my mechanic called ford and asked to use tool they were going to charge 100.00 rental fee. so mechanic went out and bought ford spark plug removal kit if ford has a kit you would think they would change the design but their geniuses know it all. it ended up take an additional week week to get my truck back. atleast we know who ford is out for themselves not the working guy.

i am so mad right now i have pictures of the spark plugs i will try to put them in later what a piece of crap this engine design is who ever did this should be ashamed of their selves and quit calling themselves a designer but a con artist instead their thoughts must be how can we screw whoever buys this vechile over after their purchase shame on you ford i guess ford really does me fix or repair daily

ford will never pull their heads out of their ass because they will never admit that the 3 valve design is garbage i have always owned fords but this is the last thanks ford for the 4300.00 used engine i had to pay for out of pocket.

I bought this truck from a dealer in covington louisiana. When i left with the truck that night i noticed it would miss sometimes when at a low rpm. I talked with the dealer and they said they would fix it. well, when i brought the truck back they tell me that they can't do anything with it because they're equipment wouldn't diagnose the problem. So i take it to a mechanic that i use.After looking into problem he finds a spark plug was cracked. He also warned me that this was a serious problem with this model truck. As of right now, my mechanic has been working on this truck for 3 weeks. He had to pull the heads off to remove the broken spark plugs.( he has this special tool that ford invented to remove these plugs and does not work) This problem is going to cost me about $3000.00.

It seems to me that if Ford motor company wants to keep selling they're products to people like me, that have had Ford products for years, then they need to do something with this problem. It's not a safety issue, but it's costing good people alot of money for a engineering screw up. If they don't come through and recall this problem, i will never own another ford product and from what i can tell there's alot of people that feel the same as i do.If you sell the vehicle, then you're just giving your problem to someone else and that makes you no better than ford. So, my message to all who own this vehicle, let Ford motor company know THEY NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR THEY WILL SUFFER.