2003 Ford Expedition Engine

MY 2003 EXPEDITION, WITH THE V8 5.4 TRITION ENGINE, IS BEING DECLINED TO BE FIXED BY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIPS, DUE TO THE FACT OF THE "KNOWN" ISSUE, WITH THE SPARK PLUG, THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE FIX OF THE HELI COIL WHICH ISN'T A GUARANTEE AND THEN HOPE IT WORKS, IF NOT IT WILL BE A REBUILT ENGINE, THE FIRST TIME THE SPARK PLUG BLEW IT WAS AT NIGHT, UPON STARTING, SOUNDED LIKE GUN FIRE, HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND THEN RESEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET FOR SOLUTIONS, FOUND OUT WHAT IT WAS AND THEN REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG AND IGNITION COIL AND THEN HOPED IT WOULD STAY, UPON STARTING IT , IT DID IT AGAIN, BOUGHT MORE SPARK PLUGS AND IGNITION COILS, AND GOT IT TO SEAT BETTER, AND THEN 4 WEEKS TO THE DAY WHILE DRIVING IS WHEN IT MADE THE SAME SOUND LIKE GUN FIRE AND WE KNEW THEN WHAT IT WAS, PULLED OVER ON A HIGHWAY AND PROCEEDED TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE, ONCE AGAIN A SPARK PLUG AND A NEW IGNITION COIL, HOWEVER THIS TIME THE SPARK PLUG WAS VASTLY DISCOLORED AND BURNT IN APPEARANCE, 1 WEEK AND 1 DAY LATER UPON STARTING IT DOES IT AGAIN, AND THIS TIME NO SPARK PLUG CAN BE PUT IN, THERE ARE NO MORE THREADS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC, THEY TOLD BE THEY WILL HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENGINE TO PUT THE HELI COIL IN, AND THAT ISN'T A GUARANTEED FIX, ALSO THAT I SHOULD JUST REPLACE THE ENGINE, SINCE IT CAN AND PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AGAIN, I HAD THE AUTO TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE AND I BEGAN TO RESEARCH MY OPTIONS, I CALLED ALL THE FORD DEALERSHIPS IN WHICH THEY SAID THEY COULD DO THE HELI AND THERE IS NOT A GUARANTEE FOR THIS TO WORK, SO AT WHAT COST IS A HUMAN LIFE TO FORD? PER THE INFO AND RESEARCH IT DOES SAY THAT IT CAN CATCH FIRE, AND EXPLODE.....OR PAY A FORTUNE FOR A CAR THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. WE DO HAVE SOME OF 6 THE SPARK PLUGS THAT HAVE "SHOT" OUT, I AM TOLD BECAUSE IT IS THE 3RD PLUG NEAR THE FIREWALL THAT THE ANGLE IS NOT APPROACHABLE....HELP NOW! *TR

MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION JUST BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. IT WAS THE SECOND TO LAST CYLINDER PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS RAW FUEL AND VAPORS COMING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A FIRE COULD HAVE STARTED HAD A SPARK IGNITED THOSE FUMES. THESE ARE THE FACTORY PLUGS AND FACTORY HEAD AND THE FORD DEALER COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE BUT THAT FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET. NOW I AM OUT $2800 FOR WHAT SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED UPON INSPECTION OF HER VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE HEAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE FIREWALL. IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT SHE WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY RECOURSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

2003 FORD EXPEDITION SPARK PLUG # 2 BLOWN OUT. *TR

I HAVE PARK MY TRUCK AND WENT TO HAVE DINNER WITH MY FAMILY AND UPON MY RETURN WHEN I START MY TRUCK. THE ENGINE MAKE A LOUD SOUND AND SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT FROM THE ENGINE. *TR

DRIVING FROM LAS VEGAS TO PHX WE WERE AT WICKENBERG, AZ A LOUD POP OCCURRED AND KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. THE SMELL OF GAS WAS PRESENT AND WOULDN'T RUN PROPERLY. THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN WICKENBERG WAS LUCKILY OPEN AND INSTRUCTED US THAT THE SPARK PLUGS HAD BLOWN OUT IN THE 1ST AND 2ND CYLINDERS. THEY DID ALSO TELL US THAT THIS OCCURS OFTEN IN AND THERE IS A TEMP FIX FOR IT. THEY TAPPED OUT THE HEAD AND INSERTED A STEEL SLEEVE FOR THOSE 2 CYLINDERS. TAKING 2 HOURS IT WAS FIXED AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY VERY HAPPY TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT NOT HAPPY AT ALL AT FORD FOR HAVING SUCH A BLATANT DESIGN FLAW. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *TR

SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT ON 2003 FORD EXPEDITION 5.4 L ENGINE. *TR

MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE ENGINE TODAY. AFTER READING ABOUT EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE, MY AUTO WAS ACTING EXACTLY LIKE ALL THE OTHERS. A SLIGHT TICKING SOUND WHILE THE ENGINE IDLES. WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, A SLIGHT LOUD BAM OCCURRED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE HARD. THE CAR WAS TOWED 70 MILES TO A REPAIR CENTER NEAR MY HOME AND I NOW AM TO DECIDE ON A NEW MANIFOLD OR A COIL REPAIR THAT IS RISKY. HOW A COMPANY CAN OPERATE WITH CRITICAL ENGINE PART THAT ARE SO POORLY DESIGNED IS BEYOND MY IMAGINATION. THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH COMPLAINTS OF SPARK PLUGS POPPING OUT OF ENGINES IN F150S AND EXPLORER/EXPEDITIONS. IT IS A SHAME THAT SUCH A SIMPLE THING AS ENGINEERING A THREAD DEEP ENOUGH TO HOLD A SPARK PLUG IN PLACE FOR THE LIFE OF A CAR IS TOO CHALLENGING FOR A CAR COMPANY. THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. THEY WERE ABLE TO HANDLE REPLACING MILLIONS OF FIRESTONES AND SHOULD BE HELD TO A STANDARD CLOSE TO THEIR REPUTATION AS A TOUGH VEHICLE. WITHOUT RECOURSE, FORD WILL FIND IT ACCEPTABLE TO CUT CORNERS AND ENGINEER SUB PAR PART. *TR

I OWN A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A 5.4,AND WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN WE NOTICED THE VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH,SO WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND UPON INSPECTION WE FOUND THAT THE NUMBER 7 PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE COIL WHICH CAUSED THE ROUGH RUNNING,THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP SAID THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THESE TRUCKS AND MOTORS,SO AT THE COST $700 I GOT IT FIXED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE WAY THESE MOTORS ARE MADE. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A 5.4L ENGINE. WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WHEN I HEARD A POP AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE. SPARK PLUG NO. 7 HAD BEEN EJECTED BREAKING THE COIL. I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK SINCE IT WAS NEW AND IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, ONLY 65000 MILES. I HAVE READ MANY OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND I'M AMAZED AT THE NUMBERS OF ISSUES WITH THIS ENGINE. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A BAD DESIGN THAT SPANS A NUMBER OF YEARS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION DOWN THE FREEWAY @55 MPH NOTICED A LOUD POP AND A WEIRD NOISE. STOPPED VEHICLE, POPPED HOOD AND INSPECTED. FOUND #5 COIL HANGING BY HARNESS AND #5 PLUG SITTING ON MANIFOLD. PLUGS ARE ORIGINAL AS THE TRUCK HAS ON 76,000 MILES. NO OTHER DAMAGE NOTED. WILL HELICOIL THE HOLE USING A KIT FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM.

2003 FORD EXPEDITION 5.4L EJECTION OF FACTORY SPARK PLUG FORM CYLINDER HEAD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD IN CLEAR WEATHER MY 03 EXPEDITION SUDDENLY THREW PLUG #7. IN SO DOING IT DESTROYED THE COIL ASSEMBLY, BUT THE IMPACT OF THE COIL ASSEMBLY ON THE FUEL RAIL SAVED THE CAR'S HOOD FROM FURTHER DAMAGE (THE TOP OF THE COIL ASSEMBLY CLEARLY EVIDENCED THE IMPACT MARK FROM CONTACT WITH THE FUEL RAIL). GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE DAMAGED COIL INSULATION WAS NOW ARCING ITS SPARK ACROSS THE ENGINE HEAD AND THAT THE FUEL MIXTURE WAS SPEWING OUT OF THE SPARK PLUG HOLE IT'S SURPRISING THAT WE AVOIDED AN ENGINE FIRE UNDER THE PLASTIC SHROUD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER (PEP BOYS, LAUREL MD - THE SAME LOCATION THAT HAD CHANGED THE PLUGS A YEAR PRIOR). THEY EXAMINED ALL THE SPARK PLUG THREADS AND ADVISED THAT THEY APPEARED OK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS ONE CYLINDER. TO EFFECT REPAIRS THEY ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ANOTHER OUTLET 36 MILES ($104 CHARGE) UP THE ROAD. THEY FURTHER ADVISED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 5.4 ENGINE AND THAT THIS MAY OCCUR IN OTHER CYLINDERS IN THE FUTURE. FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE (800#) DISCLAIMS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM AND REFERRED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR TECHNICAL ADVICE. AT THE LOCAL DEALER, THE MECHANIC WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, PRONOUNCED IT RATHER COMMON AND ADVISED THAT FORD WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER HIS ESTIMATE WOULD COST ME MORE THAN TWICE THE ESTIMATED FEE FROM THE INDEPENDENT (INCLUSIVE OF THE ADDITIONAL TOW COSTS). SUBSEQUENT GOOGLE SEARCHES FOR "FORD EXPEDITION THROWN SPARK PLUG REVEAL 11,200 WEB PAGE HITS. THE WEBPAGES AT THE 1ST HIT ALONE, WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML REVEALS A LITANY OF VERY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN MORE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. GIVEN THE DANGER REPRESENTED BY POTENTIAL ENGINE FIRES AND THE APPARENT FREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL TO EFFECT THE CORRECTION OF THIS APPARENT DEFECT. *TR

IN LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS, TWO SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION ENGINE. IT IS A 5.4L TRITON ENGINE. BOTH OCCURRENCES WERE WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BOTH TIMES. I WENT FROM DRIVING 70 MPH TO 45 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS WITH MY WIFE AND 9 MONTH OLD BABY IN THE VEHICLE! FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A REPAIR REPORT, BUT NOT A FACTORY RECALL. THE ISSUE IS A FLAW IN THE ENGINE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE; THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE (A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH OF "FORD 5.4L SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT" DEMONSTRATES THIS). HAD THERE BEEN TRAFFIC BEHIND OR BESIDE ME, WE WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. SINCE FORD KNOWS OF THE ISSUE, THEY OUGHT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR REPLACE THE ENGINE AT THEIR EXPENSE. I NO LONGER TRUST MY VEHICLE. THE REPAIRS FOR THIS ONE ISSUE HAVE COST ME APPROXIMATELY $1,000 TO DATE, AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION AND HAVE HAD 3 SPARK PLUGS BLOW CAUSING THE CYLINDERS TO MISFIRE. IN EACH CASE, I HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AND EACH TIME IT WAS A DIFFERENT SPARK PLUG TO BLOW, NOT A PREVIOUSLY FIXED ONE. *TR

PURCHASED A USED 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A TRITON 5.4 V8. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 80,000 MILES WHEN I PURCHASED IT AND AT ABOUT 84,000 MILES A SPARKPLUG EJECTED OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR WAS AROUND $650 FOR A "NOT FOR SURE" FIX. APPARENTLY THE THREADS THAT HOLD THE SPARKPLUGS IN HAD STRIPPED, CAUSING THE BLOWOUT OF THE SPARKPLUG. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC AT OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THE PERMANENT FIX WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADS AT AROUND $4000. I OPTED FOR THE CHEAP FIX BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FINANCING FOR THE MORE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I DID A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WHO HAD PURCHASED FOR SUV'S AND TRUCKS WITH SAME MODEL ENGINES WERE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM IN OVERWHELMING NUMBERS, MANY WITH MULTIPLE BLOWOUTS AT VARIOUS INCIDENCES. I WAS HOPING MY PROBLEM WAS CONFINED TO ONLY ONE CYLINDER BUT AT AROUND 90,000, 5 1/2 MONTHS LATER, ANOTHER SPARKPLUG BLEW OUT. NOW THE REPAIR WAS EVEN MORE DUE TO A NEW PART THAT IS TO PROVIDE A MORE PERMANENT FIX. THIS TIME THE REPAIR WAS $830. KNOWING THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THESE MODEL ENGINE I ASKED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER'S SERVICE MAN "IF FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, WHY DON'T THEY FIX IT"? HIS REPLY WAS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT A DANGER SO NO RECALL HAS EVER BEEN CALLED. THE GUY WENT AS FAR AS TELLING ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER THREADING INTO THE HEAD. THE THREADS WERE MACHINED TO SHALLOW AND EVENTUALLY THEY BECOME LOOSE AND FINALLY BLOWOUT WHEN THE THREAD COMPLETELY FAIL. I THINK IF YOU INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER YOU WILL SEE THAT IN MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE THE EJECTING SPARKPLUG HAS SEVERED GAS LINES AND CAUSED FIRES. NOT EXACTLY WHAT I CONSIDER TO "NOT BE A DANGER". FORD ADMITS NON FAULT ON THEIR PART EVEN KNOW THEY KNOW THEY HAVE SOLD A FAULTY PRODUCT IN MASS NUMBERS TO AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES. *TR

COIL #1 MISFIRE & HAD TO BE REPLACED. MILEAGE 97,000. *TR

MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW THE #3 SPARK PLUG ON AUGUST 22, 2006. THE TRITON 5.4 LITER ENGINE HAS 86K+ MILES. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL FORD CUSTOMER PURCHASING 12 FORD VEHICLES OVER THE PAST 32 YEARS. IT IS TIME FOR THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM AND AT LEAST TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS DEFECT. MY REPLACEMENT COST OF THE ENGINE WAS $5,400.00. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE 'BLOWN SPARK PLUG' PROBLEM WITH FORD'S TRITON 5.4 LITER ENGINE FOR A SECOND TIME. MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW THE # 3 SPARK PLUG ON NOVEMBER 15, 2008. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THE ORIGINAL ENGINE WAS REPLACED AUGUST 22, 2006 WITH 86K MILES BECAUSE OF THE SAME PROBLEM AT A COST TO ME OF $5,400. THIS ENGINE HAS 53K MILES AND WAS INSTALLED BY KOONS FORD OF ANNAPOLIS. ALTHOUGH FORD ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAILURE, THE DEALER ASSURED ME THAT FORD'S REDESIGNED V8 ENGINE HAD RESOLVED THIS ISSUE. IT IS TIME FOR THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM AND AT LEAST TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS DEFECT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION TO WORK THIS MORNING AND HEARD A LOUD "POP" NOISE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND I SMELLED GAS FUMES. WHEN I LIFTED THE HOOD, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN A SPARK PLUG. *TR

AT 92,000 ABOUT MILES THE PASSENGER SIDE PLUG BLEW OUT. I PUT JB. WELD AROUND THE PLUG AND PUT IT BACK IN THE TRUCK. IT WORKED FOR 3 MONTHS AND NOW ITS DONE IT AGAIN. I AM NOW OUT OF WORK AND MY WIFE CAN'T MAKE IT TO HERE JOB BECAUSE OF THE TRUCK. SO I AM LOOKING FOR A HELI COIL REPAIR KIT. BUT NO WAY TO GO AND GET IT I HAVE ONE TRUCK. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD IN ADDITION TO A STRONG BURNING ODOR. SHE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO SAFETY. SHE LIFTED THE HOOD WITH ANOTHER PERSON'S ASSISTANCE AND HEARD CRACKLING AND SPARKLING SOUNDS. SHE ALSO NOTICED A HOLE IN THE INSULATOR DIRECTLY INTO THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER YEARS, MAKES, AND MODELS, BUT NONE FOR THE CONTACT'S PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 165,000.

DECEMBER 15, 2007, MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION'S SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN OUT. LEAVING MY THREE KIDS AND MYSELF STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. AFTER PAYING $1,200 TO GET IT FIX, ON MARCH 9, 2008 THE SAME THING HAPPEN. *TR

MY WIFE WAS ALMOST TO THE END OF THE OFF RAMP TO THE 210 FREEWAY AND HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN AN AWFUL NOISE. IT SOUND LIKE SHE BLEW A HOLE IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE #3 SPARK PLUG BEING EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER AND HAVE NEVER CHANGED PLUGS. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT IT HAPPENED LOCAL AND NOT ON THE ROAD FOR VACATION. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED AND A TUNE UP DOWN. AN EXPENSIVE DAY AND NEEDLESS TIME OFF WORK FOR A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING. A TAPERED SPARK PLUG AND 1/4 THREAD LOCK IN THE HEAD IS NOT A SAFE AND SMART DESIGN. A 3/4 THREAD LOCK WOULD BE MUCH BETTER. *TR

SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE HEAD ON A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A 5.4L ENGINE THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD AND GASOLINE WERE EXPELLED ON THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE HEAD HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST OF $1,832.48. *TR