Everyone please read your warranty book on the 2004-2008 Fords. Under the emissions section your vehicles is cover 8 years 80k miles and includes one heck of a lot of stuff: injectors, spark plugs, coil packs, catalytic converters. and a whole lot more....

 

This should definitely be a sticky in both forums . This one and the 2004 + forum.

Locate all the TSB's referencing "injector issues" along with "plug procedures" and pin them to it, then lock it.

This would be a very useful sticky.

 

If the plugs are covered under the Emisions Warranty why are people being bent over when they break?........

 

Because we are not reading our contracts when we buy these darn things.

 

Because we are not reading our contracts when we buy these darn things.

 

Just thought of something - the EMISSIONS warranty only covers a failure of an emissions inspection.........

 

Oh man are you sure, I am going to have to go get that book again. I believe it covers any emissions part, I dont remember about it saying only when it fails emissions.

 

No, no, no... I believe you're wrong. Plugs and COP's are only covered for 3/36,000. Re-read it. It specifically says what's covered for extended times, and these items are not included.

 

on page 18 it lists ignition coils (Cops) Cops are the ignition coils in todays engines. Spark plugs are also listed under this emission list.

 

Who wrote that manual?Guess?I'm sure they crossed their t's and dotted their I's.Making you think you gott'em in 1 section and knock you off your feet in another.They're professionals and most of us are just average joes.

 

Even if the emissions warranty covers them until 80k miles, FMC doesn't recommend changing them until 100k therefore I'm sure they have themselves and the dealerships covered, though my dealership recommends 60k. So if you CAN get them to change the plugs early(even if below 60k) that aren't malfunctioning, if something did happen, it would be hard to get them to cover crap, esp. if they claim that you just wanted the plug change despite FMC's recommendation to wait until 100k. Hell, FMC can just say the reason they are breaking is b/c people aren't letting them stay in the proper length of time of 100k(sounds stupid but I wouldn't put it past them)

 

Hello and please let me introduce myself. My name is Henry Heise. I am the owner of Heise Claims Service. All I do all day is handle Ford Motor Company warranty claims for dealerships in Michigan and Ohio. I have been doing this job for almost 20 years. I just came across this site yesterday and after reading some posts I thought I would give you some information and let you know if anyone has any warranty questions with any Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle I will be happy to answer you. Feel free to e-mail me at 744mula@tc3net.com. Although the warranty for many of the items you listed does say emissions it is for defect and performance only. It is NOT federal emissions. The performance and defect emissions warranty is 2 years 24000 miles. The base federal emissions warranty is 3 years 36000 miles. Some (but not many) parts carry a 8 year 80000 mile federal emission warranty. About the only parts that have the 8 year 80000 mile warranty deal with the pcm and cat converters. You dont wany to go into the dealership with mis information. I am enjoying reading many of the posts and finally a forum where I can give some helpful information to others.

Henry

 

Just called the dealer about changing my plugs on the 2004 5.4L "ticking time bomb" 3 valve engine, here is what he said:

Question to service manager:
Hi, I'd like to come in and get my plugs changed on my 2004 F150 5.4L V3 engine but I have a question for you since I disagree with what the service associate told me. If you break a plug while changing them on my engine who is responsbile for the cost of extracting the plug?

Srv Mgr: You are

Me: Are you sure, I'm reading TSB 06-15-2 and this TSB says warranty claims are eligible under Emissions
http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricant.../tsb/06152.pdf

Him: Well that warranty is valid if you have a failed part. So let's say your number 3 cyclinder is missing and we diagnosis it as a bad plug. If we were to change plug 3 and it broke, the cost of us getting the plug out would be filed under the emissions warranty since it was a bad part. You are requesting us to change your plugs but there is no evidence of a failure, you just want a plug change, correct?

Me: Correct, I'd like the plugs changed because I'm at 50K miles and it's time for a plug change and my gas mileage is slipping.

Him: Well then you run the risk of paying for the repair if we break the plug(s).

Me: Would you agree that it is unusual for Ford to come out with very specific instructions on plug changes for a certain engine?

Him: What do you mean?

Me: I mean I can't find any other TSB by Ford that talks in detail how to remove plugs from an engine to avoid damaging the heads. Removing plugs is a pretty straight forward process wouldn't you agree?

Him: Not in Central New York. Our climate changes have a tendancy to make plug changes harder than normal.

Me: What's unique about our climate and how it affects plug changes?

Him: Well the temperature flucuates greatly and there is a lot of salt on the roads that causes components to seize.

Me: Ford is in Detroit, so is their testing grounds, and it's much colder up there and they get just as much snow and use salt on their roads as well. Also, I don't see how salt can get into the plug well and seize the plug to the head? To me, this is a design problem that Ford is indirectly addressing via this TSB. So my position is if I bring my truck in for regular service and you break one or more plugs during the service, the time to extract that plug and any other damages relating to that plug breaking is not my responsibility.

Him: Are you a customer here?

Me: Yes, you've serviced my vehicle regularly including most oil changes

Him: Let me get your name and number, I want to do some more research on this TSB and compare it with your VIN, I'll call you back.

I'll be surprised if he calls me back and I'll drop over if he decides to change his mind on who picks up the cost of a broken plug during a routine plug change.

 

The dealer has the authority to repair it if there is a defect of the part. If you just want a tune up and there is nothing wrong with the plugs at that time you would be responsible for the repair. As you know there are tsb's coming out all the time. Dealers cant just bring vehicles in for repairs because of a new tsb. Many tune ups are performed on these vehicles with no problems. I would not be suprised to some day see a program come out for the spark plugs. Just keep your receipts and you may be able to be reimbursed some day.

Henry

 

If now ford is recommending putting antiseize on the plugs every 30k miles and they try to remove one and it breaks, wouldnt that be considered a defective plug because it fell apart???????