2001 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

I HAVE A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION THAT BLEW OUT THE #3 SPARK PLUG SIX MONTHS AGO. THE REPAIR COST AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP COST $450.00 WITH NO WARRANTY. THIS MORNING I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND HEARS THE LOUD POP AND KNEW THAT A SPARK PLUG HAD AGAIN BEEN EJECTED. I WAS SEVEN MILES FROM HOME SO I THOUGHT I WOULD DRIVE IT HOME. I DROVE ABOUT 20 MPH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE GAS FUMES WERE SO STRONG THAT I HAD TO OPEN MY WINDOW. ALL IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT A SMALL SPARK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOR MY TRUCK TO HAVE BEEN ON FIRE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING VERY ROUGHLY. SHE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SMELLED GASOLINE FUMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG HAD EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE, AND ONLY 7 OF THE 8 SPARK PLUGS REMAINED. HE ALSO WARNED THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL RISK OF A FIRE IF SHE PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THAT CONDITION. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 100,000.

THE ENGINE EJECTED THE #3 SPARK PLUG, TEARING UP THE THREADS IN THE PROCESS. THE REPAIR INVOLVED INSTALLATION OF A HELICOIL, ALTHOUGH THE DEALER (PACKEY-WEBB OF DOWNERS GROVE IL) INSISTED THAT THE ONLY AVAILABLE REPAIR WOULD BE INSTALLING A NEW HEAD ASSEMBLY. THE HEAD ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING LABOR, WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER 4 TIMES THE COST OF THE HELICOIL. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN DUE TO EITHER WEAK THREADS, OR IMPROPERLY TORQUED SPARK PLUGS FROM THE FACTORY. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS AT HERMANN HOSPITAL IN HOUSTON FOR BRAIN AND SPINE SURGERY. I DROVE MY OLDER DAUGHTER THERE AT 9:00PM. AT 4:00AM I WAS AWAKEN BY SECURITY TO INFORM ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS BURNING IN THE PARKING GARAGE. IT IS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. SMOKE, WATER, AND DEBRIS RUINED THE CONTENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE HAD CONTINENTAL GRABBER AW TIRES, SIZE P275/60R17 (NA) THREE YEARS AGO. AT THAT TIME, ALL FOUR TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY AND THE TIRES BEGAN TO FORM BUBBLES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS GENERAL CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV TIRES, SIZE 275/60R17 (NA) AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE FIRST SET OF TIRES THAT HE REPLACED AND TO HAVE THE CURRENT TIRES REPLACED. HE REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02T012000 (TIRES:TREAD/BELT). THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

2001 FORD EXPEDITION. DROVE FOR FIVE MINUTES AND PARKED, THEN WALKED INTO HOUSE AND TURNED TO LOOK BACK AT CAR AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I RAN OVER THERE AND FOUND THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. I SPRAYED WITH HOSE AND UNHOOKED BATTERY. THE PART THAT LOOKS LIKE IT STARTED THE FIRE WAS JUST BELOW THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT T-BONED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED BACK TO THE MIDDLE WHERE THE TIRES ARE LOCATED. THE CROSS MEMBER OF THE FRONT OF THE FRAME SPLIT IN HALF. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, CHEST, AND KNEE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS BACKING UP THE VEHICLE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL SIMPLY FELL OFF. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS REATTACHED BY A MECHANIC. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE FAILURE COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING, RESULTING IN A SERIOUS CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 82,208. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/06/08. *JB

SPARKPLUG STRIPPED ITSELF OUT OF ITS SEATING. THE MECHANIC HAS NOTED THIS THREE OTHER TIMES OVER THE YEARS WITHIN HIS BUSINESS ALONE. *TR

WATER LEAKED THROUGH WINDSHIELD. CAR STAYS ON WHEN KEY IS OUT AT TIMES WASTING ALL GAS. BLOWER AND DASH LIGHTS STAY ON AT TIMES DRAINING BATTERY. *TR