1999 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, THERE WAS A DISTINCT TICKING NOISE THAT CHANGED WITH RPM. SOUNDED LIKE A COLLAPSED LIFTER. WHILE RETURNING HOME ON MEMORIAL DAY 2008, EXPERIENCED A LOUD POPPING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY CONTINUED WHOOSING NOISE AND POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. AFTER INSPECTING ENGINE, NOTICED #7 SPARK PLUG HAD COME OUT AND BROKEN THE COIL-ON-PLUG COIL UNIT. FAILURE OCCURRED 2 BLOCKS FROM MY HOME, SO I LIMPED IT HOME. HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET. *TR

ATTN: I APOLOGIZE FIRST SUBMISSION WAS INCORRECT PHONE NUMBER: THIS CONTAINS PROPER CONTACT PHONE NUMBER 1999 FORD EXPEDITION #3 SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT. *TR

MAY 13, 2008 TO: FORD MOTOR COMPANY/CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION P.O. BOX 1904 DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; I AM THE OWNER OF A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION XLT 4X4, VEH , THAT WAS LISTED AS PART OF A MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 11PM, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES, WHILE JUST SITTING PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE WAS UNDERHOOD AND AS WE TRIED TO EXTINGUISH IT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL POLICE SHOWED UP AND THEY HAD TO PUT IT OUT. ENCLOSED YOU WILL FIND A COPY OF THE INCIDENT REPORT AND WILL NOTE THAT THERE ARE REASONS FOR US TO BELIEVE THAT THE RECALL ISSUE AND THE DESTRUCTION OF MY VEHICLE ARE DEFINITELY LINKED. UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, WE DID NOT RECEIVE THIS LETTER FROM YOU UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK IN MARCH 2008. MY VEHICLE WAS FINANCED AND THERE WAS AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE THAT WAS REQUIRED TO BE PAID OFF IMMEDIATELY BY MY LENDER. THEREFORE, BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION AT HAND AND THE LAPSE OF TIME IN WHICH THE NOTICE ARRIVED AFTER THE FIRE OCCURRED I FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR HAS A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND IS LIABLE FOR THE COSTS I HAVE INCURRED AS A RESULT. WE ARE JUST THANKFUL THAT THE FIRE DEP'T. RESPONDED SO QUICKLY DUE TO VEHICLE BEING SO CLOSE TO HOME AND SLEEPING FAMILY. YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. EUGENE POLICE DEP'T CASE #[XXX] OFFICER M.LEE ALSO HAS PHOTOS SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE JUMPED IN THE AIR AS THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DETACHED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V099000 (WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS) WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000.

I WAS GETTING A LOUD NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THE NUTS AND STUDS HOLDING THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO THE ENGINE HAD RUSTED AWAY. THE TECH SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM HE FINDS WITH FORDS. I ALSO TALKED WITH A GUY AND HE HAD THE SAME YEAR TRUCK AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS ALSO A AUTO MECHANIC AND HE SEES IT OFTEN AS WELL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN OCTOBER 2007 AND THE AGAIN ON MARCH 21, 2008. THE SPARK PLUG CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. HE FOUND THE SPARK PLUG SITTING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT YOUR NUMBER THREE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT THE ENGINE BLOCK. HE ALSO STATED THAT IF HE WERE DRIVING FASTER THAN 25 MPH THE SPARK PLUG WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE HOOD AND THEN THE WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO ASSIST HIM WITH THE REPAIR. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS $3,000 TO $7,000. THE CONTACT ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY AND WAS NOT GIVEN A CASE NUMBER TO REFERENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THERE ARE INVOICES AVAILABLE TO SHOW EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11622 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13000.

SPARK PLUG # 3 BLEW OUT OF 4.6 TRITON FORD ENGINE IN OUR 1999 EXPEDITION. LOOKING AT INTERNET DATA THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON THEME WITH THE TRITON ENGINES. COST US OVER $1,000 TO FIX. *TR

ON MY 1999 FORD EXPEDITION I NOTICED THE SMELL OF HOT OIL. WHEN I WOULD STOP AND PARK THE VEHICLE THE SMELL BECAME STRONGER AND SMOKE WOULD COME UP AROUND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. I ALSO NOTICED SOME OIL DROPS ON THE GROUND. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER I WAS INFORMED THE THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL ON THE REAR OF THE RIGHT HEAD. COST TO REPAIR WAS $1,295.04. I THEN FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS WAS A KNOW PROBLEM AND WAS WIDESPREAD. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE HEAD WHICH WOULD CAUSE AN OIL LEAK IN THE RIGHT REAR OR LEFT FRONT OF THE HEAD. AGAIN THIS WAS A KNOW PROBLEM BY FORD BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AND IF YOUR VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THE OWNER HAD TO ABSORB THE REPAIR COST. TO ME THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY FORD. THE OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. *TR

THE #3 SPARK PLUG BLEW COMPLETELY OUT OF MY 1999 FORD EXPEDITION, FORD REFUSES TO REPAIR IT SAYING THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF SOME SORT OF ABUSE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER SEEING THOUSANDS OF THESE TYPE OF COMPLAINTS FROM THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE CLASS, IT IS REASONABLE TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW, IF THE FUEL RAIL HAD BEEN COMPROMISED, THE END RESULT CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REQUIRE FORD TO EITHER REPAIR THE AFFECTED DEFECTIVE ENGINES, OR COMPENSATE THE OWNERS FOR THEIR REPAIRS... *TR

WINDSHIELD LEAKED INTO FUSE BOX AND GEM MODULE, GROWING A FUNGUS AND NEEDING REPLACEMENT, CREATING ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS TO TURN ON AND OFF AT WILL WITH THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING A FIRE. *TR