I get that you are mad, and that there *is* a design flaw...but you're also being quite melodramatic about this.

You say there is no guarantee that it won't happen again, duh? There is no guarantee that ANY vehicle on earth will make it 1 mile without a problem.

Want to buy a Tundra? Look out, your family could die from a collapsing tailgate or rusted out frame, or a massive engine failure... the list goes on. Everyone has flaws and problems, everyone.

Online forums by nature make problems like these look obscenely more out of control than reality...odds are a GOOD portion of those who have the problem do what you do, get your panties in a bunch and go trolling around complaining. that said, someone here claimed somewhere around 400 "threads" about this issue, which I doubt even all of those had the actual problem. But, let's say they did...and let's say even 25%, heck even 50% of people who have the issue go online and post...that means we've had about 400 posts out of how many millions trucks? Hmmm, maybe it isn't as big of an issue as you want it to be after all?

Another example on this topic is the supposed epidemic of broken spark plugs for the same reason. People on the boards make it seem like you're almost certain to have the issue. My Dad has 75k miles on his 2004 5.4 and contacted our long time family mechanic about getting the plugs changed. I specifically spoke with the mechanic and voiced my concerns about broken plugs and he said he has personally changed well over 100 trucks' plugs (That's 800+ plugs) without a single issue. Ever. Hmmm? Online sensationalism at its best...

Granted, I realize I am simplifying things, but so are you...in the other direction. Bottom line is it would not be practical for Ford to replace the heads on all those trucks as a "preventative" care when the VAST majority will never have an issue.

 

for the spark plug to blow out and ignite the fuel system a "perfect storm" would have to happen 1. plug blows out of head 2. plug has to land ON A GROUND SURFACE 3. lugnut behind the wheel has to be oblivious to the fact his truck now runs terrible and keeps pushing it 4. fuel air mix has to reach ignitable mixture driving down the road with lots of fresh outside air diluting the fuel in the engine compartment
it is far more likley that this was due to the cruise control issue and the "news" report got it incorrect and if it was due to the cruise problem he has no one to blame but himself for not rreading the recall notice

 

Yea, I won't own nothing but a Ford, that's correct. But I won't support them if I believe they've made e a mistake. Like they have with another but unrelated plug issue in their later models. They're being a$$inine with that one and I don't support it.

That video is a Fluke event and that's the first I've ever heard of. I don't believe that one either. I think there's plenty more to it.

Yea, sell your truck to someone who will appreciate it. Go buy whatever floats your boat , chances are you'll find something wrong with that one as -well.

 

I understand what Nodakcharger is saying. I have a 6.0 diesel, and went to Montana snowmobiling last winter, and knowing I would be driving through a storm on the way out there, made sure I had enough blankets and so forth in the event of a blown head gasket, resulting in being stranded in the middle of bfe with the buffalo. Most people I personally know with the same motor have blown head gaskets in their 6.0. I did not blow a head gasket on the way out to Montana. I blew a pipe off the turbo instead, resulting in a tow job. I have also since then blown the head gasket on the motor.

Same situation. Known problem. Ford won't correct it until you end up stranded on the side of the road. What if I ended up on the side of the road, and 25" of snow fell while I was stranded? These are not safety issues for my family? Yes they are.

I just got rid of my 02 f-150 ... and yes ... it blew a factory installed plug.

Chevy's are looking better everyday. Love my 6.0, but is it worth the headaches ???? no.

 

This afternoon I took a quick look at the dark side just perusing some posts on the other msg boards and if you just look around youll find none of the others are any better. I've seen several tahoes that spit out their driveshafts and as far as chevy goes I'm starting to think they come out of the factory with bad tranny's and the ones with good tranny's have bad T.C.'s and damm near every one has a hard clumk inthe rear end.
On to dodge tranny problems brand new trucks that jump out of reverse 05's with failing water pumps 01-03 stalling when its put into reverse and a whole host of electrical problems, toyota im sorry my hands would cramp with all the problems my point being is that from what i saw these issues comprise about 5-10 % of the owners, and I'm sorry I personally would perfer a plug spitting out rather than the driveshaft oh an BTW none of these things were mentioned in a recall that I found this is not hard scientific data just som quick looks into other Fan sites

and one more go visit some of the chevy and dodge sites and you will never complain about grammer, puncuation, or spelling here ever again

 

what the heck is the CORRECT torque... i mean i seriously change sparkplugs twice a year and haven't had a problem yet (yeah i know it's wayy too much but the way i drive and the mileage getting on the truck (almost 90,000) i figure better safe than sorry) but what's the RIGHT amount so that i know..

 

i belive the correct tourqe is 13-15lbs i know it has been posted here a hundred times and i think thats right i dont ever tq mine i just put them in by feel although i just bought some nice size adaptors so i might tq my just shiny new platnums i just bought today from my new fav parts store, all motor craft half the dealer price, called parts mart it is the mecca of motorcraft parts since nobody else other than the dealer carries it

 

So folks to end that crap, basically what has happened is Corporate America, including Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes, etc. dont care about quality anymore, they put this stuff together in the US with venders from god knows where, who make parts from engineers that must have absolutely no common sense, trying to re invent the wheel, when it worked fine the first time. The dumbing of Americans is apparent in our approach to meeting the world economy ( what is that, does that mean we buy everything from countrys that use our money to plan our downfall) believing the lying politicians, and thinking that somebody else is going to make it all better for us. If you, and I mean everyone of you doesnt wake up and start realizing that we are nothing more than a number to these folks and start standing up for what America used to be, we are lost.
Ford, GM, Chrysler, just names ran by unscroupolus, greedy board of directors that have their hands in every major corporation in the United States. Mark my word in less than 20, we will be a nation of do nothings, depending on China to make our weapons to defend ourselves. I guess that is why we gave all of our technology away to them so they can expedite their overthrow of Taiwan, and any nation that gets in their way. Ford is just another example of a company that could care a less about you, as long as you put up with it. I too called customer service about the spark plugs and injectors problems, and they told me to go back to my dealership with my concerns, and they refused to elevate my questions any further. That is by far the worst customer service I have received in 50 years. I understand totally where these folks are coming from, they are honest, hard working, and trying to raise a family, and we have never received such poor, over engineered, unsatisfactory junk in decades. I look at the old Ford trucks and marvel at how they are still running, and never had issues like what I see on this forum. I am on Lexus, And Toyota forums and their issues are so much simpler, with less frustration, and happen when the darn vehicles are well over 100k miles. These new Fords cant even make it to 4k, 6k, 17k, with out major failures. I know, I have one. That is my soap box tonight.

 

I just spent the last 45 minutes reading about the blown plug issues and even though I know it is there, I still didn't find an answer to my question. It is 12:42 and I have to be up at 5:00 in the morning so I am going to go ahead and ask it and get to bed.

Did this problem ever get corrected with the 97-03 2V engines or are all of these engines subject to this? I have an 03 and I kind've got the impression that some sort of change might have been made for that year. Is that so?

By the way, I feel for all you victims out there. My wife's 02 Mitsubishi Diamante started leaking antifreeze into the cabin from the heater core at 48,000 miles. An online search quicly revealed that ours was not the only low-mileage Diamante to suffer this problem and some of them started as low as 25-30,000 miles. Did Mitsubishi show concern or issue a recall? Absolutely not. The only good thing about it was that even though it was a real PITA to fix, it only cost $175. That is not the only reason but is certainly one of the reasons that I will never but another Mitsu.

 

Kitch

A home 5.4 mechanic cannot avoid the plug problem because it is when you take the plugs out is when the breakage will occur. Plugs have been around for 80 years and of recent years FordMoCo has a problem they are playing dodge ball with, pushing the remedy to the Dealership, whom in turn pushes it onto the customer.

With your taste for direct vocablulary I imagine your one who says broken plugs are OK. And, no, I don't think bathroom cleanliness will cure the plug problem or draw me closer to whatever satisfaction you are trying to display.

No I don't kid about shopping for models other than Ford. My daughters own a BMW, a Toyota, a Chrysler, and a Ford Pickup. Shopping for satisfaction is smart. Being channel minded on loyalty is being channel minded. Ya know I don't have to pay 30K for a vehicle that has a built in history of maintenance failure. Failure that has been unknown since the old convention plug was used by Henry when he used wooden shipping cartons to make the floor board in the original Model-T.

 

hey i can understand most other trucks, just not nissan...

i did not say it was ok, but i dont think you should let it go for the whole 100k then try to pull them.. i mean come on, even if its a dealer job i think if you know about the issue, get on the ball before more heat cycles just makes the issue worse.

 

No , people still over torque there plugs - I doubt that will ever change or get corrected ; How would that even be possible?

03's have more threads in the chambers, if that's what your asking.

 

what do you mean they'll cover it on a 5.4L 99 cause i just had plug number 2 blow out and i have had 2 other plugs blow out in the past 5 months.

 

How many miles ? Before I waste my time on this.

EDIT - Are those the plugs installed on the line blowing out? If so , you have a good chance of reinbursment. If not , you welcome to try - You might get lucky since it's a 99. You need a contact # ?

 

Kitch
Your inserting issues into your replies that are not written or refered to. You reference to wanting Ford to cleanse my backside was not hinted by me, nor was any mileage stated. In fact, within one-thousand miles of having my new pickup I pulled one plug expecting a normal plug. As you know, out came this monterous banana called a spark plug. I was ignorant, but lucky it did not break. I reinserted the plug and went to a parts house to buy a box of plugs. When I was told the price I refused the purchase. I was nearly sure then that FordMoCo had given me the shaft. I was certain of it over the next year or so when I began to read the approx 400+ posts on plug failure. FordMoCo scewed us and standing in line again for the same vasaline job belongs only to those whose desire to be part of the "in" crowd pushes them toward buying what they already know is a flawed vehicle. I've owned Fords since 1970, time to look at other pedigrees without possible $1300.00 repair in the near future.

Ya know Kitch, if FordMoCo really cared they would have caught the plug proglem flaw at pre-engeneering and testing. Obviously they missed it or else knew customers won't realize the shafting they have purchased until some years after the customers purchase, and by then we, FordMoCo, can have all kinds of Marketing excuses and manuvers for masking the intergrity an auto manufacurer should exhibit to loyal customers. Who knows, I may take my 30K and buy a nice sedan and be one of those happy "squares" that drives a dependable vehicle.