2002 Ford Expedition Engine

I'M NOT SURE THIS IS GOING TO DO ANY GOOD, BECAUSE I AM NOT THE FIRST TO LODGE THIS COMPLAINT. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR. THIS IS THE 5TH TIME THAT THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. THE MOST RECENT WAS YESTERDAY 2/29/2012. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT I WAS DRIVING EACH TIME AND NOT MY WIFE OR KIDS. I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION AND ON 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE BLOWN OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEADS. IT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME PLUG. ON 3 OF THE OCCASIONS THE COILS BROKE OFF. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ME OR ANYONE ELSE AS CONSUMERS HAS TO PAY FOR THE MISTAKES OF FORD'S POOR DESIGN FLAWS. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ITEM. IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THEY CAN RECALL A RUNNING BOARD LIGHT, THEN WHY HAVE THEY NOT BEEN FORCED TO RECALL THIS ITEM? I HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T COME DOWN TO SOMEONE LOSING THEIR LIVES, BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. *TR

STARTED VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO DRIVE WHEN SPARK PLUG FLEW OUT OF ENGINE AGAIN. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WHEN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPENED. VERY COSTLY, TIME CONSUMING, AND STRESSFUL. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AND FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT A FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE CONTACT FOUND THAT A SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN AND CAUSED THE ENGINE FIRE. THE SPARK PLUG WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES AND EACH TIME, THE SPARK PLUG WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

1. DRIVING, 35MPH 2. SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF #2 CYLINDER, DAMAGING COIL 3. VEHICLE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR MECHANIC TO CHECK SEALS AND HEAD TO DETERMINE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A POP AND LEARNED THAT THE #3 SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT OF THE ENGINE AT 174K MILES. THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED ON MY 02 EXPEDITION AS IT ALSO HAPPENED AT 158K MILES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION (5.4L) ON THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER AND DECELERATED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE NEARBY FORD DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE NO.7 SPARK PLUG HAD "BLOWN OUT". THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY "SEE THIS ALL THE TIME" WITH THIS ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE SAME DEALER A FEW WEEKS PRIOR, AND HAD THE NO.8 SPARK PLUG REPLACED (WHILE ADDRESSING AN IGNITION COIL PROBLEM).

I OWN A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A TRITON 5.4L V* ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A LOUD TICKING TYPE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT A SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN EJECTED FROM THE BLOCK. HE STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD TRITON ENGINES. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD MAKE THIS RIGHT WITH THE CONSUMERS THAT HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS. I HAVE YET TO FIND A MECHANIC THAT WILL DO THE REPAIRS FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 3 MONTHS, UN-DRIVEABLE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE REPAIRS DONE AND FEAR DRIVING IT DUE TO THE RISK OF FIRE AND ENGINE FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN EXTREMELY LOUD EXPLOSION FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS PLACE OR RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE FURTHER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FLAMES AND SMOKE EXPELLED FROM THE VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY, THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WOULD BE FORMS MAILED CONCERNING THE FAILURE WHICH HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,592. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,592.

I OWN A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ON THANKSGIVING, 11/26/2009. THE ENGINE WAS SMOKING AND IT SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE. MY MECHANIC SAID THIS IS HAPPENING TO FORDS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THAT IT IS DOCUMENTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET IF YOU DO A "GOOGLE " SEARCH ON FORD SPARK PLUGS POPPING. THE REPAIR COST ME $500. ON JANUARY 8, 2010, ANOTHER SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT FROM A DIFFERENT CYLINDER. THE TRUCK IS IN THE SHOP NOW. MY MECHANIC ADVISED ME NOT TO PUT NEW FORD HEADS ON THE TRUCK BECAUSE THE NEW HEADS WILL HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. I EXPECT THIS NEW REPAIR TO COST $500 AS WELL. FORD NEEDS TO BE ORDERED TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT CAN CAUSE A FIRE OR AN EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD DUE TO THE GAS VAPORS BEING PUMPED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE THE POPPED OUT PLUG IS STILL SPARKING. I WAS FORTUNATE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE WHEN I STARTED TO SMELL THE STRONG GAS FUMES. *TR

WE OWN A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION WITH ABOUT 115,000 MILES ON IT. RIGHT WHEN WE ROLLED OVER 100,000, WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE SPARK PLUGS BLOWING RIGHT OUT OF THE ENGINE. EACH SPARK PLUG REPAIR HAS COST US BETWEEN $300-$500 PLUS TOWING. THE CAR WILL HAVE NO REAL SIGN THAT IT'S ABOUT TO BLOW A PLUG. WHICH IS SCARY OF WHERE YOU MAY BE STUCK WHEN THE THING DECIDES TO GO. THE LAST TIME (YESTERDAY) THAT THIS HAPPENED, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CAR WOULD NEED NEW HEADS ( A $3500 REPAIR). WE HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM, AND IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO US AS FORD OWNERS. COMPLAINT UPON COMPLAINT CAN BE FOUND OF THE SAME PROBLEM AT AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE. FORD CLAIMS TO NOT BE RESPONSIBLE, HOWEVER THEY HAVE SINCE REPAIRED THE SPARK PLUG FLAW IN NEWER FORD CARS AND TRUCKS. THE PROBLEM LIES IN THAT THE SPARK PLUGS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH THREADING, WHICH CAUSES THEM TO SHOOT RIGHT OUT OF THE ENGINE. IF THEY HAVE REALIZED THEIR FLAW ENOUGH TO CHANGE IT, THEN THEY SHOULD TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY IN REPAIRING THE CARS/TRUCKS THAT ARE ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND REPAIRING PEOPLE'S POCKET BOOKS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD TO SHOVEL OUT THE FUNDS TO PAY THE REPAIRS. *TR

SPARK PLUG EJECTING FROM CYLINDER 3 BLOWING OUT IGNITION COIL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN HIS DRIVEWAY WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A FIRE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT AT THE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING THE FUEL RAIL TO BEND AND RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK THAT STARTED THE FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY ADVISED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM A PRE-EXISTING FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT COVER HIS CLAIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE YET WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL THERE WAS A LOUD BANG FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND A NOTICEABLE LOSS OF POWER. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CAR HAD A SEVERE EXHAUST LEAK. WHEN TAKEN TO MY LOCAL DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT A SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE AND THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE 2002 5.4 LITER ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THAT REPAIRS WOULD RUN ANYWHERE FROM $700 TO $3500. *TR

2002 FORD EXPEDITION, ORIGINAL FACTORY SPARK PLUG WAS VIOLENTLY EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DURING NORMAL OPERATION. SPARK PLUG SMASHED THROUGH FUEL INJECTOR AND DENTED THE HOOD. HAD SOMEONE BEEN SERVICING THE ENGINE THE INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO CALL THIS A DEFECT AND AREA DEALERSHIPS WANT TO CHARGE $700 TO $3300 TO FIX THIS ISSUE. THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND THIS MOTOR DESIGN PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *TR

SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT OF FORD V8 TRITON MOTOR. RECENTLY REPLACED MOTOR DUE TO OLD MOTOR FAILURE. 5/16/2010 LOUD POP NOISE AND GAS LEAK, MOTOR SOUNDED LIKE A "HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE" STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. TWO CHILDREN AND MYSELF IN THE VEHICLE. STRONG GASOLINE SMELL AND HORRIBLE SOUND, UNABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT CAME OUTSIDE TO SEE THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHICH WERE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 200,010.

THE # 5 SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE HEAD OF A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION 4.6 LITRE WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY. THE REPAIR INVOLVED TEAR DOWN OF THE TOP OF THE MOTOR TO PROPERLY FIX AT A COST OF ABOUT $600.00 IN PARTS AND A WEEKEND OF MY TIME. REPAIRS INCLUDED REPAIRING THE PLUG HOLE BY REMOVING THE HEAD. THIS MEANS THAT THE RADIATOR, FAN, THROTTLE BODY, INTAKE, VALVE COVERS, EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND HEAD ALL BE REMOVED, RESULTING IN GASKET REPLACEMENT AS WELL. *TR

MARCH 17, 2010 I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON LELAND AND LOVERIDGE WITH MY 4 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND HEARD A POP. THEN A CONTINOUS EXTREMELY LOUD POPPING NOISE. I TURNED INTO THE ARCO AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO RIVERA AUTO REPAIR INC. ON MARCH 22, 2010. THE #3 SPARK PLUGGED HAD POPPED OUT. THEY HAD TO DO A SLEEVE AND REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS ALONG WITH THE IGNITION COIL ON THE PLUG. AFTER MY RESEARCH, THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THE 2002 EXPEDITIONS BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE. AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT, I HAD 81909 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I DO HAVE THE OLD PARTS. IT SEEMS THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I AM GLAD I WAS NOT ON A FREWAY. THEY MUST BE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED FROM THIS DEFECT. HERE IS A WEBSITE WITH SEVERAL COMPLAINTS LIKE MINES, SPARK PLUGS POPPING OUT ON THEIR OWN. INCLUDING # 3 LIKE MINES. HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2002/FORD/EXPEDITION/ENGINE CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH PROBLEM CAN BE LOSS OF POWER, FUEL SPURTING OUT OF THE PLUG OPENING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FIRES CAN START FROM VAPORS BEING IGNITED BY LOOSE SPARK PLUGS. ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE DEATH. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR BILL WHEN FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS DEFECT IN THEIR ENGINE. THERE IS CONSENSUS THAT THE SPARK PLUG THREADS ON THE ENGINE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUGS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALUMINUM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS COMPLAINT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIES FROM THE RESULT OF A BLOWN SPARK PLUG SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE VERY COMMON ON THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES. THANK YOU!

FORD EXPEDITION 2002 FIRE. IN DRIVEWAY

SPARK PLUG POOPED OUT OF MY TRUCK TWICE NOW...LOST POWER....FUEL SPURTING OUT OF THE PLUG OPENING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT....VERY COSTLY REPAIRS. IT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES....PROBABLY WORSE ISSUES THEN THE CURRENT TOYOTA RECALL IN PROGRESS NOW. GO TO THIS WEB-SITE AND LEARN MORE:HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML . I AM AFRAID OF DRIVING THIS TRUCK NOW SINCE THIS ISSUE IS DANGEROUS...TO LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND GAS COMING OUT INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

WHILE SITTING INSIDE CAR AT CONVENIENCE STORE WITH THE EXPEDITION IDLING THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG SHOT OUT THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE CAR STARTED POPPING AND HAD TO HAVE THE AUTO TOWED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS DRIVERS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS WITH FORD TRITRON 5.4L ENGINES. HAD TO PLACE A HELI COIL TO HOLD A NEW SPARK PLUG. *TR

MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION WITH LESS THAN 49,000 ORIGINAL MILES BLEW A SPARK PLUG AND BLEW A HOLE IN #3 CYLINDER ON JANUARY 17, 2010. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JACK MADDEN FORD IN NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS AND WAS REPAIRED BY REPAIRING SPARK PLUG HOLE AND REPLACING SPARK PLUG, IGNITION ASSEMBLY COIL AND INSTALLING A HELICOIL AT A COST OF $813.00 PLUS $21 TOWING FEE. AFTER GOING ON-LINE I SAW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE IN MY VEHICLE WHICH IS A FORD TRITON 5.4 V-8. I'VE ALSO SINCE LEARNED THIS PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO FIRES DUE TO FUEL VAPOR BEING IGNITED BY LOOSE SPARK PLUGS. ALL ENGINE WORK ON MY VEHICLE IS ALWAYS DONE BY FORD DEALERS! I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THERE IS CONSENSUS THAT THE SPARK PLUG THREADS ON THE ENGINE AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUGS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALUMINUM FROM WHAT I AM READING FROM DIFFERENT WEB-SITES ON THE INTERNET. IF YOU BLOW ONE PLUG YOU CAN BLOW ANY OF THE REMAINING PLUGS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. ANY PLUGS EVER INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE OR REPLACED WERE DONE BY FORD CERTIFIED MECHANICS AT FORD DEALERS SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY COMPLAINTS OF INCORRECT TORQUEING OF PLUGS AS FORD SEEMS TO BE CLAIMING. I UNDERSTAND THIS WOULD BE A COSTLY RECALL FOR FORD BUT ONE THAT SHOULD BE INITIATED BY NHTSA. *TR

WELL WE WERE JUST DRIVING HOME WHEN THE SPARK PLUG OF OUR FORD EXPEDITION JUST SHOT OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD AND WE CANT REPLACE IT BECAUSE ITS TOO MUCH MONEY FOR US. *TR

AFTER PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN I HAD A SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF MY 5.4L V8 IN A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. *TR