2003 FORD F-150 Complaints

1. NORMAL OPERATION 2. SPARK PLUGS ARE BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD; THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE; ENGINE FAILURE. HAD THE OCCURRENCE BEEN 200 MILES EARLIER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF PEAK TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON I405 NEAR BELLVUE WASHINGTON STATE, HEAVY RAIN WITH POOR VISIBILITY - CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN DIRE. 3. FORD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD A "TON" OF THESE REPAIR JOBS. AT $400+ PER OCCURRENCE, I QUESTION WHY THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER? WHY NO NOTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM. I'M TOLD THERE HAVE BEEN SERVICE ADVISORY'S ISSUED, BUT SHOPS AND SERVICE COUNTERS SHARE NONE OF THIS WITH ME. NOW THAT MY VEHICLE IS 5 YRS OLD WITH 129K MILES, WHAT WILL THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM BE. AS THE F150 FLEET AGES, HOW MANY MORE OCCURRENCE WILL THERE BE PRIOR TO FOOD ISSUING A SOLUTION? I'M TOLD BY DEALERSHIPS THAT THE SPARK PLUG SEAT ONLY CONSISTS OF A FEW THREAD TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUG IN. PLUGS DO NOT HAVE A SEAT RING (COMPRESSION RING) TO ASSIST IN THE PLUG TO STAY SEATED. AS THE PLUG LOOSENS, BLOW BY OCCURS AND EVENTUALLY BLOWING THE PLUG OUT THROUGH THE TREADS IN THE ENGINE HEAD. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM, LET ALONE HAVING THIS OCCUR TO MY TWICE. PARTS HOUSES HAD CONCURRED THAT THE PROBLEM IS PREVALENT AND THEY LAUGH ABOUT IT. WHO IS GOING TO LAUGH WHEN THIS KNOWN UNSAFE ENGINEERING FLAW CAUSES DEATH OR INJURY? THEIR REPAIR HAS NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM, NOR DID THEY GIVE UP THIS INFORMATION WITHOUT ME FIRST SEEKING FACTUAL INFORMATION. THE PUBLIC IS BEING DECEIVED! *TR

I PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND RIMS IN 05/2006. THESE TIRES AND RIMS ARE ONLY USED FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER. ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2009 I HAD A TIRE LOSE AIR ON THE INTERSTATE. I PULLED OVER AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. UPON EXAMINATION I FOUND THE VALVE STEM TO BE CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILURE,UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION I FOUND THE OTHER WHEELS HAD VALVE STEMS THAT WERE CRACKING IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE VALVE STEM THAT FAILED. I HAD THE VALVE STEMS REPLACEDIN THE THREE TIRES THAT DIDN'T FAIL BUT WAS UNABLE TO ON THE TIRE THAT WENT FLAT BECAUSE OF SIDEWALL DAMAGE TO THAT TIRE. AT THIS TIME I FOUND OUT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON VALVE STEMS. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT MY VALVE STEMS ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE RECALL INVOLVES VALVE STEMS MANUFACTURED FOR DILL OR TECH INTERNATIONAL BETWEEN 07/2006 AND 11/ 2006. THE VALVE STEMS I HAVE ARE TR 413 MANUFACTURED BY ARGO WINSOONSHANGHAI. I HAVE TWO OF THE VALVE STEMS AND THE DAMAGED TIRE. *TR

I HAD A SPARKPLUG BLOW OUT ON MY 03 F150.....WHICH AT FIRST SOUNDED LIKE A NOISY LIFTER. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS AT THE FORD DEALER AND IT COST ME $1180.00 TO INSTALL A HELI COIL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE INDICATOR FOR THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FAILED. AS A CONSEQUENCE HE BRIEFLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH INCREASED HIS RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,400. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,792.

THE SPARK PLUG IN ME FORD F-150 5.4LTR ENGINE BLEW OUT OF THE #2 CYLINDER. ALL ENGINE REBUILDING SHOPS AND REPAIR CENTERS SAY THIS IS COMMON IN FORDS. THEY FINISHED MY SENTENCE WHEN DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE ENACT A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. AS I READ THIS IS AN ISSUE. COST ME 500.00 DOLLARS TO FIX AND I WORRY ABOUT THE OTHER 7 PLUGS...$3,500 TO REPAIR. *TR

A WRECK ON CONSTITUTION AVE WASHINGTON D.C. , HAS CAUSED THE HARD , STIFF PLASTIC OF SEAT BELT BUCKLE CLIP THAT FASTENS INTO THE LOCK TO KEEP YOU BUCKLED IN TO GO INTO MY RIGHT FRONT HIP . IT'S POSITION SEEMS TO BE WRONG TO ME . AND TO THE GREAT CAUSE OF SUCH PAIN IN MY LIFE TO THE SUFFERING OF MY WHOLE LIFE .I HAVE SHARP SEVERE PAIN FROM IT'S CONTACT AREA ON MY HIP . MY SPINE AND BACK HAVE THIS SEVER DISABILITY THAT LEAVES ME FEELING LIKE I'M TEARING INTO TWO PARTS IN MY BACK .SHOCK OF PAIN SEVERITY IS REAL. THIS PAIN WAS CAUSED BY THROWN AGAINST THIS HARD PLASTIC BUCKLE WHEN THE DRIVER DROVE INTO MY VEHICLE AT 20 MPH OR MORE . WHICH TWISTED ME IN THE SEAT AND ALIGNED THE BUCKLE ON MY HIP BONE WHICH SMASHED THAT AREA HARD AND LEFT ME SEVERELY INJURED AND OUT OF WORK FOR A LONG TIME AND STILL SUFFERING FIVE YEARS LATER AND DISTURBED BY LAWYERS AND INSURANCE SETTLEMENTS PROCESS TO HANDLE THIS MATTER . MY VEHICLE IS A 2003 FORD F-150 CREW CAB. THE SEAT BUCKLE ENGAGING LOCK STICKS UP OUT OF THE SEAT AND STICKS UP IN THE AIR . AND THIS LEAVES THE VERY HARD PLASTIC ALSO OF CLIP THERE UP IN THE AIR AND DEPENDING ON HOW YOUR ARE WRECKED AND SITTING IN THE SEAT AT THAT MOMENT DEPENDS ON HOW YOUR BODY HITS THAT SEAT BELT BUCKLE CLIP AND LOCK. I GOT WELL ENOUGH TO GET BACK TO SOME NORMALCY . AND DID CALL FORD MOTOR CO. WHICH SAID SORRY TO HEAR THAT AND TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME FURTHER WITH ANY INJURY CLAIM AND SAID I NEEDED TO CONTACT ANOTHER LAWYER . I FEEL I NEED TO FILE BECAUSE MY CASE CAN'T GET TO THIS ISSUE FAST ENOUGH TO HELP PUBLIC WARNED OF IT'S HAZARD . *TR

I HAVE A 2003 F150 V8 5.4 L AND I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND I HEARD A POP, AND I CHECKED MY ENGINE AND NOTICED THE IGNITION COIL WAS LOOSE AND THE SPARK PLUG WAS ATTACHED TO THE IGNITION COIL, SO NOW THE THREADS IN THE HEAD ARE STRIPPED AND I CANNOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE!! THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THIS IS NOT RECALL ISSUE IT SHOULD BE!!! *TR

WHILE TRAVELING @ 65 MILES PER HOUR DOWN A HIGHWAY, THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG & COIL BLEW OUT FROM THE HEAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE COIL & SPARK PLUG ITSELF. OUR 2003 FORD F150 SUPERCREW LARIOT PICK-UP TRUCK, WHICH IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, HAD TO BE TOWED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OUR VEHICLE. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED A QUICK FIX OF A SPARK PLUG INSERT AFTER THE PLUG HOLE WAS RETAPPED WHILE STATING SEVERAL TIMES THAT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD WORK. ANOTHER OPTION WAS TO REPLACE THE HEADS COSTING APPROXIMATELY $2500. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO ADVISED US THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM & HAS SEEN IT HAPPEN ON A VARIETY OF FORD VEHICLES. WE'RE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT OUR VEHICLE DIDN'T CATCH FIRE, AS THE COIL THAT BLEW HIT THE FUEL RAIL, WHICH IS HELD IN PLACE BY TWO 8MM BOLTS. THIS EXPERIENCE IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING & CONCERNING TO US AS IF WE SPEND MONEY GOING THE ROUTE OF THE INSERT, IT MAY LAST FOR ONE TRIP DOWN THE ROAD & GIVE OUT. IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT FORD ISN'T STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT & FIXING IT APPROPRIATELY. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM THAT BRINGS WITH IT SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES. WE WILL NOT BE PURCHASING A FORD VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RETRACT ON THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELTS INTO THE LOCKING MECHANISM, BUT IT FAILED TO PROVIDE RESTRAINT. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT OPERATE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 57,000.

THE SPARK PLUG ON MY 2003 FORD F-150 WAS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE TRUCK HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WAS A HUGE BANG FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE GAS VAPORS FLOODED THE CAB. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND MY FAMILY WAS NOT INJURED. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WELL-DOCUMENTED ONLINE, AND I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP TO SEE WHERE THE NHTSA IS ON THIS ISSUE. *TR