8.7
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $1,050
- Average Mileage:
- 129,450 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 24 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (8 reports)
- cylinder head repair kit made by dorman (4 reports)
- drill and insert sleeve (4 reports)
- dealer replaced each head (3 reports)
- replace left head first at $3200 and heli #2 plug (2 reports)
- cylinder repair kit by Carquest (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.
Had a spark plug blow out of the head less than a year prior, and it happened again. Not the same spark plug, but the one next to it. Completely destroyed the coil, and the spark plug is somewhere on the road. Thats 2 (two) expensive coils I have had to replace in less than a year because of this problem.
This is a FORD problem they refuse to acknowledge. They won't even offer to fix it at a reduced cost!
Fixed Or Repaired Daily seems to be the new FORD motto.
WAS NOT HAPPY THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. NOW I AM EXTREMELY EXTREMELY NOT HAPPY WITH FORD!!!!!!!
- Kent T., Spanish Fork, US
Started to hear a slight tick in the engine, like what a valve lifter tick sounds like. A few days later, while driving down a busy highway at about 65 mph, a spark plug blew out of the engine. Very noisy and frightening for my family.
At first I thought maybe the head gasket or exhaust manifold gasket had completely blown out, but after I got over to the shoulder of the road and stopped, I discovered it was one of the spark plugs. The coil was completely destroyed by the compression blowing out of the cylinder. Luckily I found the spark plug lying on the engine, and was able to re install it after waiting a couple of hours for the engine to cool down. It is only held in by maybe 3/4 turn of threads. I was able to limp home on 9 cylinders without it blowing out again, but was very worried all the way.
AND FORD WILL NOT FIX IT WITHOUT COSTING ME AN ARM AND A LEG!
NOT HAPPY!!!
- Kent T., Spanish Fork, US
This is a manufacturing defect and should be recalled.
- Wes L., Grain Valley, US
I purchased this truck earlier in the year after an extensive search for a low mileage truck . It had a perfect car fax with all of the maintenance records . I felt like i had purchased a great truck . I did not know about the spark plug problem or i would have purchased a vehicle with a different engine . Now I have to live with not knowing when it will blow out the next plug . Thanks Ford for producing a faulty product and now standing behind it .
- mrmagestic, Winnsboro, US
click to see larger images
Well this time the spark plug nicked the fuel rail on the way out witch caused the fire. Fully in flames after 2 minutes. totally gone after about 8 minutes when the fire truck arrived. we were traveling only 10-15 MPH. If we were going any faster, I don't think we would of got stopped and out in time, It's terrible to sit and watch as your livelihood goes up in flames because FORD doesn't want to take responsibility for something they made wrong. This could have cost us our lives. Just not right. Bad enough to lose our truck and possessions we worked so hard for. We special ordered this truck brand new, and kept it up well, this really, really sucks!!!
- Jon H., Powder Springs, GA, US
I special ordered this truck step by step. Very disgusted that a new truck with 15,000 miles needed engine work, not to mention they made me pay $1000.00 when still under warranty. I had no choice, I had to have the truck for work. this fixed it so I thought...
- Jon H., Powder Springs, GA, US
This had already happened in 2001. fixed by the dealer with a new head. this time they wanted $6000.00 to do the same head. they told me to get "THE KIT" and fix it myself, that they couldn't do it with the kit (not allowed). So I did it. worked for a while until it kept blowing out. drove me crazy. I would be miles from home, sometimes at night, in the rain, or freezing cold and bang, out blows the plug. Thank god I started carrying the tools around with me. then in 2017....
- Jon H., Powder Springs, GA, US
I was pulling a trailer preparing to pick up a load of hay and the spark plug blew. I wasn't sure at first what happened but after consulting with another Ford owner I was told this is a common issue with this vehicle and I inspected the plugs and found that it had blown. I haven't gotten it fixed yet to know what it costs to repair, but it sure made it difficult to get hay, not to mention whatever I am going to have to pay to get it fixed. . I had to borrow a friend's truck to get my hay.
- Dale G., Kaysville, UT, US
I was driving the vehicle as normal when a loud popping noise came from under the hood. I tracked it down and found a spark plug had blown out of the head. I took it to a shop and had the head sleeved so a new plug could be inserted.
- William B., Bloomington, IN, US
I am the original owner of my truck. I have always had the Ford dealership perform the tune-ups because I am aware of the ongoing problems with the Ford 5.4 engine and spark plugs. I had my daughter in the truck with me at the time of the spark plug coming out and catching on fire.
This is completely UN-acceptable, Ford Motor Company obviously knows about the problem but nothing has been done to correct the problem. I am extremely upset about the dangerous situation this put me and my family in. There is nothing Ford could ever do to help "make things right" if something were to happen to my family. I sure hope that Ford can be responsible enough to correct this problem before someone gets hurt.
- mikeadkins, Valrico, FL, US
I felt I should enter several complaints here. Number 8 blew the spark plug out, lucky I was in a neighborhood so stopping suddenly was not an issue. Number 7 blew the spark plug out, I was travelling on a highway and was near a wide roadside to bring car to stop. Number 5 was not a mystery but I believed that check because the truck was running rough. I removed the spark plug and could not install the new plug because there were not enough threads left. I checked Number 6 and was only able to install new pug halfway in. I have had 3 plug threads drilled and inserts installed. Number 6 is coming soon.
- blantontn, Nashville, TN, US
THE PLUG ALL WAY IN, DRIVER'S SIDE BLEW-OUT, THE COIL LANDED ON WIRE HARNESS AND FRIED COMPUTER AND MANY OTHER COMPONENTS!!! PISSES ME OFF JUST WRITING THIS!!
Update from Jan 18, 2014: FIRST PLUG BLEW IN JULY 2013,WELL ANOTHER ONE BLEW OUT YESTERDAY 1/17/2014,DID THESE FORD ENGINEERS GO TO COLLAGE,MAYBE THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE ! I GUESS WE HAVE TO KEEP,REPAIR KIT AND SOCKET IN GLOVE BOX,AND HOPE THE WHOLE PLUG COMES OUT!! FORD SHOULD DIFFIDENTLY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY,THEY MESSED UP,
- Mark T., New Milford, CT, US
I have a 2000 Ford F250 Super Duty with a Triton 5.4L that has blown 3 spark plugs now , first one was cylinder number 7 then cylinder 6 two days later then 3weeks later it blew cylinder number 4 this is a bunch of crap . I bought this truck new called Ford they didn't know anything about this problem what a bunch of LIARS . All my vehicles are Fords but after this their will not be anymore and Ford can stick it where the sun don't shine.
- David K., east alton, IL, US
Our fleet is made up of several Ford vehicles with the 5.4L engine. Over-all they are a reliable long lasting engine. It is just disappointing that Ford has not addressed this problem as an engineering defect and corrected it.
- Timothy M., Oklahoma City, OK, US
Blew a plug in my 2000 F250 today. (135,000 miles) First time this has happened. While researching repair info I found this website. It sounds like it is a big problem for a lot of Ford owners. It also sounds like Ford does not want to admit there is a problem. I'm going to try the insert fix to see if it works. Makes you NOT proud to own a Ford.
Update from Feb 4, 2012: Found a cylinder head repair kit made by Dorman.Kit has an adapter that screws in and comes with a longer spark plug and a shorter boot.Amazon had best price (37.50 and free shipping). Kit and new coil have been installed for a couple of weeks with no problems yet. Will wait and see.
- Nick C., Olive Branch, MS, US
So this is the THIRD time this same plug blew out!! I think I've had it with this truck. I really don't won't to get rid of it, but I can't afford to have this keep happening. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE!! I WON'T BUY ANOTHER FORD BECAUSE OF THIS!!
- Jason F., Talbott, TN, US
This is the second time the same spark plug blew out. I missed three weeks of work because I couldn't use my truck. And this motor is only about five years old too.
- Jason F., Talbott, TN, US
Blown out spark plugs is a Ford problem and they should be held responsible
- David P., Wheelersburg, OH, US
This is my first complaint with one immediatly to follow. I have done a lot of reseach when this incident first happened. I was amazed to find out I am not the only one. There are tons of complaints of this same incident happening to those of loyal customers through out the United States.
I have owned a total of 6 trucks in my lifetime. This was the first ford I had bought but I loved in, until this happened. I was driving down the road and heard a bing, and then baammmm... My truck instantly starting chugging making a horrid noise. I quickly pulled over and shut it off. After looking under the hood I was amazed to find the spark plug laying on the block. I thought to myself , wow... that is the first I had ever seen anything like it.
Come to find out Ford has known about this problem for years now.. Why is nothing being done about this?
- John H., El Paso, TX, US
This is worst problem I ever had. Replaced motor with jasper rebuild $7000.00 cost, new heads and all. And it is still blowing spark plugs out. this is a nightmare . Now my Ford F-250 super duty is not good for anything but junk .I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN EVER . FORD SHOULD BE HELD LIABALE FOR ALL IT HAS COST ME.THIS FORD IS BANKRUPTING ME
- G S., Indianapolis, US