2003 Ford Expedition Engine

RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 2003 EXPEDITION WITH THE 5.4L ENGINE. PURCHASED ON 12/20/2011. SINCE OWNING SAID VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TWO SPARK PLUG FAILURES. ON CYL 8 AND CYL 3. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 25 MPH. THE SECOND AND RECENT HAPPENED DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, CRUISE SET TO 65 MPH. THE PLUG EJECTS FROM THE CYL CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE COIL, AND POSSIBLY CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. THERE WAS NO RECENT TUNE UP TO MY KNOWLEDGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF WHEN HE NOTICED FLAMES ERUPTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 103,000.

A MONTH OR SO AGO THE TRUCK STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT TURNS OUT IT WAS SPARK PLUG #4 MISFIRING. REPLACED IT AND ALL WAS GOLDEN UNTIL YESTERDAY (4/3/12) WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP UPON STARTING THE TRUCK AND THEN IT WAS IDLING ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND SPARK PLUG #4 IS MISFIRING AGAIN. WE BOUGHT THIS TRUCK USED AND IT'S BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. SO DISAPPOINTED IN FORD. HOPE THEY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND DUE THE PROPER THING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN INSPECTION HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED AS A RESULT OF EXCESSIVE RUST CORROSION IN THE CORE RADIATOR SUPPORT BRACKET. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 05/08/12*LJ

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, MY EXPEDITION MADE A LOUD POP AND THEN STRANGE KNOCKING NOISE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I NOTICED I HAD BLOWN OUT A SPARK PLUG AND MY COIL PACK WAS BLOWN APART AS WELL. WHEN I CALLED A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (THOMAS FORD, STILLWATER OK) THE MAN LAUGHED AND SAID "NO IT IS NOT A RECALL, BUT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE AS THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE TRITON MOTOR." I ASK THAT YOU RE-LOOK BACK INTO THIS "COMMON" PROBLEM AS THIS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO OVERLOOK. *TR

WAS DRIVING ON WITH FAMILY AT POSTED 70 MPH SPEED. CAR LOST ALL POWER WITH NO WARNING LIGHT OR ERROR CODES. I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. I MANAGED TO PULL STEERING WHEEL TO GET OFF HWY. I TURNED KEY OFF. THE CAR STARTED RIGHT BACK UP WITH NO PROBLEM. DROVE ANOTHER 2 MILES WITH SAME RESULTS. IT WAS NIGHT AND OUT OF TOWN. THE CAR STARTED RIGHT BACK UP WITH STILL NO ERROR CODES. DROVE HOME WITH NO PROBLEMS. TOOK IN TO MECHANIC NEXT DAY WITH NO HELP. WAS TOLD TO BRING IN WHEN SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THEY CAN'T FIX WITH NO IDEA WHY AND STILL NO ERROR CODES. LEFT THERE DROVE TOWARDS HOME DIED AGAIN ON WAY HOME IN TOWN. NO ERROR CODES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT A COIL PACK AND SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT FROM ITS CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND DIAGNOSED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL PACK. THE DEALER DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A TOTAL OF TWO TIMES PER MONTH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENDLY STALLED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT ALL EIGHT IGNITION COILS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR INFANT SON AND OUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER IN OUR 2003 EXPEDITION XLT 4.6L 2X4. SHE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STARTED SMOKING AND SHAKING VIOLENTLY. SHE THOUGHT THE EXPEDITION WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. WE HAD THE EXPEDITION CHECKED OUT AND THE CYLINDER NUMBER 7 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. THE ALUMINUM THREADS IN THE HEAD GAVE AND THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT, THE INJECTOR KEPT SPRAYING RAW FUEL AND THE COIL IGNITED IT. WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED IT BURNED THE IGNITION COIL, COIL BOOT, SPARK PLUG AND THE COIL HARNESS. NOW WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CYLINDER HEAD REPLACED. WE LOVE OUR EXPEDITION AND I CONSIDERED BUYING A NEW ONE, BUT I DON'T KNOW NOW. *KB

MY BEST FRIEND'S 2003 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD WHILE PULLING A BOAT ACROSS A HIGHWAY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND SEVERAL CARS HAD TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES AND SWERVE TO BARELY AVOID COLLISION. UPON INTERNET RESEARCH, I LEARNED THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS SAME ENGINE IN FORD VEHICLES OVER SEVERAL YEARS OF PRODUCTION. FORD DENIES THIS PROBLEM EXISTS AND ENDANGERS LIVES EVERYWHERE WITH THIS MOTOR. I SAW THIS PROBLEM MYSELF, AND MECHANICS I HAVE TALKED TO SAID THAT THESE FORD CYLINDER HEADS ARE ALL BAD WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS FOR EVERY FORD TRITON 5.4 LITER V8 ENGINE, SO IT EXISTS ACROSS THOUSANDS OF VIN NUMBERS. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BOLTS WERE ROTTED AND CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SMELL OF THE FUMES CAUSED DIFFICULT IN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE NICKEL BOLTS WEAKENED AFTER TIME AND BEGAN TO ROT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON IN THE PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

BLEW #3 SPARK PLUG AFTER STARTING UP FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. WITH VEHICLE IDLING, OPENED THE HOOD, BUT THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. CALLED AAA AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP. *KB

I JUST EXPERIENCED MY SECOND SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT. THE FIRST WAS THE #4 PLUG IN FEBRUARY AND NOW THE #3 IN JULY. BOTH REPAIRS HAVE BEEN OVER 700 DOLLARS EACH. *TR

SPARK PLUG STRIPED AND BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD ON MY 5.4L ENGINE. *TR

A SPARK PLUG WAS EJECTED FROM MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND DEADLY SAFETY (FIRE) PROBLEM. *TR

OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET ON PASSENGER REAR OF HEAD..... LEAKS ONTO MANIFOLD WHERE A FIRE CAN START. FORD MECHANICS KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE MECHANICS SAY THAT THERE IS A FLAW IN THE CASTING IN THE HEAD. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO MADE A LOUD NOISE AND WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER WHO STATED THAT A SPARK PLUG MELTED INTO THE ENGINE AND THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. FORD MOTOR COMPANY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 88,546.

MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION THREW A SPARK PLUG. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WHICH WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2003. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE BLOWING OUT OF THE HEAD AND CAUSING THE COILS TO BREAK. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES WITHIN 8 MONTHS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD COST OVER $1200 TO REPAIR AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HER VEHICLE NOR FOR HER PARTICULAR MODEL PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGES 96,772. UPDATED 2/22/10 *CN UPDATED 07/27/10*JB

WENT OUT TO WARM UP OUR FORD EXPEDITION FOR WORK. UPON STARTING IT HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED LOUD. HAD IT TOWED TO GARAGE. FOUND OUT THAT THE #7 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. FOR SAFETY SAKE, FORD SHOULD ADMIT TO THE DEFECT IN THE ENGINE, AND ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH THE TRITON 5.4L ENGINE. I HAD THE SPARK PLUG EJECT FROM THE #7 CYLINDER. IN MY CASE THE GARAGE THAT I TOOK IT TO HAD TO REMOVE THE CYLINDER HEAD TO HELICOIL THE CYLINDER. IT TOOK 5 WEEKS TO GET MY TRUCK BACK AND COST OVER $1200 TO FIX. I HAD TO REPLACE 2 COIL PACKS, A SPARK PLUG, THE HEAD GASKET, INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS, OIL PAN GASKET, VALVE COVER GASKET AND TIMING CHAIN GASKET. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

ON 11/7/10 TRAVELING HOME WITH MY FAMILY IN MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION I HEARD A LOUD BANG THOUGHT I BLEW A TIRE. I STARTED SMELLING A STRONG ODOR OF GAS. THE CAR STARTED TO MISFIRE. I PULLED IT OVER TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T ON FIRE. TURNS OUT A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. FOUND OUT THREW SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH FORD. WHY ARE THEY NOT STANDING BEHIND THERE PRODUCT. I'VE HEARD IT IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE SPARK PLUGS NOT HAVING ENOUGH THREAD ON THEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. THIS IS GOING TO COST ME SOMEWHERE AROUND $3000.00 TO GET FIXED. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW FROM THE DEALER. I ONLY HAVE 58,000 MILES ON IT TO ME THIS IS STILL A NEW TRUCK SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE THEY DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE IN 2004 THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN. SHAME ON FORD. AN AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE .THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FORD SHOULD MAKE GOOD ON THERE PRODUCT. *TR

SUDDEN BACKFIRE RESULTING IN SPARK PLUG EJECTION. REPLACED WITH HELICOIL KIT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS IT OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS LATER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER TWENTY MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PRODUCE ANY FAILURE CODES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000.