2002 Ford Excursion engine problems

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EACH TIME SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE, IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER THE FAILURES, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED A MINUTE OR MORE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES, IT TOOK UP TO FOUR ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT HESITATED TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V553000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

NHTSA complaint #11253362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXCURSIONS AND 2 TIME SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM THE MOTOR.

NHTSA complaint #10897435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I STARTED MY TRUCK AFTER SITTING FOR 36 HOURS AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE BAD EXHAUST LEAK ..AFTER BEING CHECKED OUT BY MECHANIC FOUND THAT A SPARK PLUG AND COIL HAS BEEN SPIT OUT OF MOTOR ..I HAD THEM REPACE SPARK PLUG AND COIL ON TOP WHICH REPAIRED THE PROBLEM ..TODAY I WAS DRIVING TO TOWN 10 MILES AND AFTER STOPPI G TO GET GAS THE NOISE STARTED AGAIN !

NHTSA complaint #10820717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BLEW THE NUMBER SIX SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE SPARK WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #10552212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, A SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD.

NHTSA complaint #10511518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD (CYL #3), DAMAGING THE THREAD, THE SPARK PLUG, THE SPARK PLUG BOOT AND THE IGNITION COIL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE FIRST WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO AND THAT WAS THE PLUG IN CYLINDER #5. THE SAME DAMAGE OCCURRED.

NHTSA complaint #10463359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V553000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL) AND WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIR WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXACT REPAIRS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #10446030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

#4 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE HEAD, THREADS DESTROYED. FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE FORD 5.4 TRITON ENGINE HEAD AND THAT FORD IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT.

NHTSA complaint #10444725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER THE FAILURE AND TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,550 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,600. UPDATED 02/22/12*LJ UPDATED 03/01/12

NHTSA complaint #10444345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WAS STARTING FROM A STOP TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN DRIVER HEARD A LOUD POP. THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND SOME SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DIAGNOSED. THE #3 PLUG ON THE RIGHT BANK HAS BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT AND DAMAGED THE COIL PACK. A PHONE CALL TO THE DEALER YIELDED NO HELP OTHER THAN WE CAN HAVE IT TOWED THERE TO BE REPAIRED, AS IT LIKELY NEEDS A NEW HEAD. SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND TALKING TO OTHER FORD OWNERS DEFINITELY SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE ALUM HEADS BLOWING OUT SPARK PLUGS, AND THE #3 R PLUG SEEMS TO BE COMMON. THIS COULD CAUSE FUEL/VAPORS TO BE EXHAUSTED AND SPRAYED ON A HOT MANIFOLD AND CAUSE A FIRE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOME FIRES ATTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS SOUND LIKE A CASE WHERE THE DEALER/FORD REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT IT IS A PROBLEM AND FIX IT FOR OWNERS. BEFORE THERE ARE SERIOUS INJURIES FROM A CRASH OR A FIRE, FORD SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. ITS UNLIKELY THAT FORD WILL ANSWER THE CALL WITHOUT PRESSURE FROM NHTSA. THERE SEEM TO BE FAR TOO MANY OF THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS 5.4L MOTOR FOR IT TO BE A COINCIDENCE.

NHTSA complaint #10407829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2002 FORD TRITON 6.8L V10 ENGINE IN AN EXCURSION VEHICLE EJECTED AN ORIGINAL (UNCHANGED, FACTORY TORQUED) SPARK PLUG WITH GREAT FORCE AND DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COIL WAS IMMEDIATELY DAMAGED AS SPARK PLUG RICOCHETED AROUND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOLLOWED BY THE SMELL OF GASOLINE VAPORS AND LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPRESSION BEING DIRECTLY VENTED FROM THE VACATED SPARK PLUG HOLE. THE FIVE THREADS OF THE TRITON SPARK PLUG HOLE WERE DAMAGED BY THE FORCE OF THE EJECTION. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH THE FORD ENGINE TO THE CUSTOMERS SAFETY GIVEN THIS WAS AN ORIGINAL PLUG (AT 85,000 MILES). THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE SPARK PLUG EJECTION WAS -4F, AND THE SPARK PLUG EJECTED AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STANDSTILL. FORD HAS A MAJOR AND COSTLY DEFECT WITH THEIR TRITON ENGINES THEY SOLD TO CUSTOMERS (ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS ESTIMATED AT $4000) AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ENFORCE FORD TO RECALL AND REPAIR ALL SPARK PLUG HOLES IN THESE ALUMINUM ENGINES SPANNING YEARS 2000 TO 2004 GIVEN THEY ONLY USED 5 THREADS IN EACH SPARK PLUG HOLE, WHICH IS INSUFFICIENT FOR AN ALUMINUM BLOCK. HOW IS IT THAT THIS WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE IS NOT GETTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION GIVEN THIS IS A DEMONSTRATED MAJOR DEFECT AND A SAFETY ISSUE (COULD HAVE HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IF A SPARK FROM THE EJECTED SPARK PLUG OCCURRED).

NHTSA complaint #10384087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF MY FORD EXCURSION 2002; WHILE DRIVING DOWN A 40 MPH ROAD (WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTOR AND PARTS) THE SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT OF THE MOTOR BLOCK!!! THIS WAS UNDER NORMAL EASY DRIVING CONDITIONS IN A VERY WELL MAINTAINED AUTOMOBILE. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON SOMETHING THAT TO ME SEEMS VERY DEFECTIVE!

NHTSA complaint #10382661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MY 2002 FORD LEXCURSION BLEW OUT IT'S SPARK PLUG YESTERDAY. YOU ALL KNOW THE STORY BY NOW: CORPORATE WILL NOT HELP. MY LOCAL DEALER WILL NOT HELP. AND, AS MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT TO THIS DATE HAS DONE NOTHING TO HELP EITHER. THESE KINDS OF THINGS ARE EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY: MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THINGS THAT GO WRONG. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN, THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS BREAKING MY HEART BECAUSE I REALLY DO LOVE AMERICA AND MY BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN-MADE FORD TRUCK. IT'S A EXCURSION, PEOPLE. MY POINT IS THAT IT WAS BUILT HERE IN AMERICA, NOT OUTSIDE OUR BORDERS LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER CARS WE BUY. THE MANUFACTURER INCLUDES A NUMBERED CERTIFICATE WITH EACH LEXCURSION TO VERIFY THAT IT WAS BUILT BY AMERICANS, IN AMERICA, FOR AMERICANS. I AM ASHAMED OF FORD, AND OF MY GOVENMENT FOR LETTING THIS GO ON FOR SO LONG. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH FORD V8,V10 ALL TRITION ENGINES SPANNING BACK 11 YEARS, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I'VE FOUND SO FAR: I'VE BEEN SEARCHING ONLINE FOR ONLY ABOUT TEN MINUTES NOW. WHEN I GOOGLED THE ISSUE I DIDNT EVEN PUT FORD'S NAME IN THE SEARCH BOX. I JUST TYPED "WHY DO SPARK PLUGS BLOW OUT?", AND IT SPIT OUT A TON STUFF ABOUT FORDS, IN PARTICULAR THEIR TRITON 6.8 V10. HOW MANY MILLIONS OF THESE HAVE THEY INSTALLED? GOOD PEOPLE OF AMERICA: THEY WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE TO DO THAT WOULD CRIPPLE THEM. THIS IS THEIR VERSION OF THE TOYOTA ACCELERATORS. I EVEN CALLED MY CONGRESSMAN TODAY, LEFT A MESSAGE, WHICH BREAKS MY HEART EVEN MORE BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW I PROBABLY WON'T BE CALLED BACK. I AM A FORD OWNER, AND NOW I OWN A TRUCK THAT I NO LONGER TRUST OR BELIEVE IN, BUILT BY A COMPANY THAT I NO LONGER TRUST OR BELIEVE IN. MY FAMILY WAS WITH ME AND I WAS STUCK ON THE BELTWAY DISABLE AND ANYTHING COULD HAD HAPPEN. THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. PLEASE HELP. THIS ISSUE KEEPS HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AND SEEMS THERE IS NO FIX.

NHTSA complaint #10323553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER OPENING THE HOOD THERE WAS GASOLINE FUMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND FUEL WAS SPRAYING ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE FUEL CONTINUED TO SPRAY THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON; HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDER IT. THE DEALER OBSERVED THE FUEL LEAK WHILE PERFORMING AN ADDITIONAL RECALL REPAIR AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS OR REPAIR THE FUEL LEAK UNLESS THE CONTACT PAID $200 FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FUEL LEAK WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THERE WAS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA complaint #10308892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS, RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF, RIGHT BANK.

NHTSA complaint #10282837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX 60 MPH THE SPARK OUT OF THE # 1 CYLINDER WAS EJECTED FROM ENGINE. BROUGHT TO LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSTALLED A HELI COIL AND REPLACED SPARK PLUG.

NHTSA complaint #10281599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I HAVE A FORD EXCURSION 2002 V10 WITH 116000 MILES ON IT. AFTER 8 HOURS OF A ROAD TRIP ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS MOTOR. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT 100,000 MILES AND THE OWNER HAD IT HAPPEN ONCE TO HIM.

NHTSA complaint #10274239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2002 FORD EXCURSION WITH 6.8L V10 TRITON BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT. SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN IN ENGINE FOR 30000+ MILES AND WAS PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED AND TORQUED.

NHTSA complaint #10252205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD DEFECTIVE PART REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE AND THEN RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR SAME PART. I AM HAVING TROUBLE BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR.

NHTSA complaint #10251540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

SLIGHT TICKING SOUND, LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK, LEADING TO THE SPARK PLUG BLOWING OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD, DAMAGING THE THREADS AND ALSO COIL PACK TO BREAK.

NHTSA complaint #10226739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED TWO SAFETY RECALL NOTICES FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V553000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: ENGINE: DIESEL). HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO SAFETY RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

NHTSA complaint #10223007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AUTO STALLS WITHOUT WARNING AND WILL NOT START - HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIME EVERY YEARS STARTING IN 2003. I HAVE HAD IT!- I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN TO. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL E ABLE TO DO SOMETHING.

NHTSA complaint #10206620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE MOTOR IMMEDIATELY SHUTOFF AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE TOWING 10,000 LBS, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WOULD CAUSE A INABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A LIKELY ACCIDENT WITH POSSIBLE INJURIES OR DEATHS.

NHTSA complaint #10202189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TRUCK STARTED TO STOP AND STALL. HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN IT FINALLY STOPPED THE TRUCK DEAD.

NHTSA complaint #10189858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OUR 2002 FORD EXCURSION, WITH THE 5.4L MOTOR, HAD JUST TURNED 59,000 MILES LAST WEEK WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM PICKING UP THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL. MY WIFE CALLS TO TELL ME THAT SHE HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE TRUCK BEGAN EXPERIENCING SEVERE POWER LOSS AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A MAJOR EXHAUST LEAK. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THE SERVICE WRITER TELLS ME IT'S MOST LIKELY A BLOWN SPARK PLUG AND THE REPAIR WILL BE IN THE $500 RANGE. THE SERVICE WRITER CALLS BACK THE NEXT DAY AND CONFIRMS THE BLOWN SPARK PLUG AND TELLS ME IT'S A $725 REPAIR. HE GOES ON TO TELL ME THAT HE'S BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM LATELY ("JUST HAD ONE LAST WEEK"). AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS OF HAGGLING, I GOT THE COST DOWN TO THE ORIGINAL $500 RANGE. THE NEXT DAY I CHECK WITH MY TRUSTED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON THE PROBLEM TO SEE IF I SHOULD HAVE HIM CHECK THE OTHER SEVEN PLUGS. HE TELLS ME HE WON'T EVEN TOUCH THE PLUGS BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY WITH THESE HEADS AND THE BLOWN SPARK PLUG PROBLEM. HE GOES ON TO TELL ME THAT THE PROBLEM WILL MOST LIKELY OCCUR WITH THE SEVEN REMAINING CYLINDERS. UPON CONDUCTING A QUICK WEB INVESTIGATION, I LEARN THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT FORD IS NOT STEPPING UP TO HELP RESOLVE. HELP?!

NHTSA complaint #10186821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

IN EARLY DECEMBER 2006 WE WERE OUT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY A SHARP DECREASE IN POWER AND FOLLOWING POP SOUNDS. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE ENGINE. AT FIRST I JUST NOTICED THE COIL HAD BLOWN OFF THE HEAD. I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A WEIRD OCCURRENCE WITH A BAD COP BUT LATER FOUND THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE #6 CYLINDER DESTROYING THE COP. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED BACK TO MY RESIDENCE AND THE NEXT MORNING I LOOKED IT OVER. THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT STRIPPING THE THREADS. AFTER LOOKING ON THE NET, I FOUND THAT THIS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR AND ENGINE TYPE.

NHTSA complaint #10179171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CAM POSITION SENSOR FAILURE ON A 2002 FORD EXCURSION WITH A 7.3L POWERSTROKE AT 42,800 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10171556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MERGING WITH TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55MPH, A SPARK PLUG BLEW UPWARD INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND OPERATE AT A REDUCED SPEED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE SPARK PLUG, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

NHTSA complaint #10150214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD EXCURSION ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH, I HEARD A THUMP UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD CLUNKY SOUND (ALMOST AS IF THERE WERE NO MUFFLER). ONE OF THE SPARKS PLUGS HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE! LUCKILY, MY EXCURSION WAS STILL DRIVABLE AND I WAS WITHIN A FEW MILES OF MY HOME AND COULD PARK IT UNTIL I COULD SEEK REPAIRS ON MONDAY. I DID NOT TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP (TRUST ISSUES). I TOOK IT TO TUNE-UP 2000, WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE SPARK PLUG THREADS HAD STRIPPED OUT CAUSING IT TO BLOW FORM THE ENGINE. IT HAD TO BE RE-THREADED, COSTING ME $500. THIS PUTS MY REPAIR BILLS, FOR MY LESS THAN FOUR YEAR OLD EXCURSION, AT OVER $3500 IN 2005. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT THIS SUMMER DUE TO A CRACKED TRANSMISSION CASE.

NHTSA complaint #10146767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.