2001 Ford F-150 Engine

WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE STARTED TO HEAR A LOAD POPPING NOISE FROM ENGINE. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE HEAD. HAD TO BE TOWED. STILL WAITING OF COST OF REPAIRS. RESEARCHING ONLINE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MOTOR. *TR

WAS DRIVING NORMALLY WHEN I STARTED HEARING A LOUD POPPING NOISE FROM ENGINE. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT - WAS ALSO TOLD THIS IS A "COMMON" PROBLEM WITH FORD TRITON ENGINES AND A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE ENGINE (TOO FEW THREADS ON SPARK PLUGS) *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE EXACT ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE WAS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

I HAVE A 2001 FORD F-150 WITH A 4.6 V8 ENGINE AND I HAVE NOW HAD 2 SPARK PLUGS BLOW OUT OF THE PASSENGER CYLINDER HEAD. THE TRUCK HAS 145,000 MILES ON IT. THESE DID NOT HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME THEY WERE ABOUT 12 TO 18 MONTHS APART. THE SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN REPLACED OVER A YEAR BEFORE THE FIRST BLOW OUT OCCURRED. IT ALSO BROKE BOTH COILS ON THOSE CYLINDERS. UNTIL I STARTED A SEARCH TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS ISSUE I WAS UNAWARE OF THE DANGER OF FIRE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN A POP AND LOUD "FLAPPING" SOUND WAS HEARD. I THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE. THE TRUCK LOST A GOOD AMOUNT OF POWER AND WAS SHAKING WHILE CONTINUING TO MAKE THE "FLAPPING" SOUND. AFTER TAKING IT IN, IT TURNS OUT IT WAS A BLOWN SPARK PLUG THAT SHOT OUT OF THE ENGINE, DAMAGING THE BLOCK, PLUG, AND COIL. THE COST WAS $630 TO FIX IT. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 FORD F-150 LIGHTNING WITH ROUGHLY 31,000 MILES ON IT. THREE WEEKS BACK I WAS TURNING INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT 5 MPH, AND I HEAD A POPPING SOUND, AND THE TRUCK BEGINS TO RUN ROUGHLY. I IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER, AND POP THE HOOD, I SMELL GASOLINE. I SHUT THE TRUCK OFF. CALL A TOW TRUCK TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP. THERE THEY TELL ME THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAS SHOT OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD, STRIPPING THE ALUMINUM HEAD. I GET THE BILL FOR REPAIR IN WHICH THEY RE-BORE THE HEAD, AND INSTALL A HELI COIL AT A COST OF $560 PLUS LABOR. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THIS SHOULD IN FACT STRENGTHEN THE CYLINDER, SO I CONTINUE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE TUESDAY 5/17/11, I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 290 IN WORCESTER WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN AT 70 MPH THE HELI COIL POPS OUT CAUSING ME INSTANTLY LOSE POWER. IN AN EFFORT NOT TO DAMAGE THE VEHICLE FURTHER I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL, AND COAST TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE OF A THREE LANE HIGHWAY AND PROCEED TO CALL AAA TO GET A TOW. ONCE BACK AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP THE TECH TRIES TO DO THE SAME THING, AND RE-BORE THE HEAD TO INSTALL ANOTHER HELI COIL. HE DOES AND TAKES IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. THE HELI COIL THAT HE JUST INSTALLED BLOWS. NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT I NEED A NEW CYLINDER HEAD. A $1600 PART, PLUS 19 HOURS OF INSTALLATION COSTING $3600 IN TOTAL. THIS AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP AND UPON HOURS OF RESEARCH, IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1999-2003 FORD 5.4L TRITON ENGINE. THIS IS A FACTORY FORD DEFECT, THEY DID NOT DRILL THE APPROPRIATE THREADS FOR THE SPARK PLUGS. NOW IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE, THIS VERY EASILY COULD HAVE GOTTEN ME HURT ON THE HIGHWAY, OR COULD HAVE SET FIRE TO MY VEHICLE SINCE GASOLINE FROM THE CYLINDER WAS SPILLING ONTO THE HOT ENGINE BLOCK, DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE FUSE BOX, THERE A CURRENT RUNS THROUGH. I HAVE SPOKEN TO FORD AND THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. A FACTORY DEFECT, THAT IS COSTING ME ALMOST $4000, THROUGH NOTHING BUT CAREFUL CARE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

I OWN A 2001 F-150 FORD TRUCK. I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3X NOW IN A YEAR THE SPARK PLUGS BLOWING OUT OF THE HEADS. THE FIRST 2X IT SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH TO THE POINT I LOST CONTROL FOR A FEW SECONDS ( THANK GOD NO ONE WAS ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME). I HAVE HAD THE PLUGS HELI-COILED IN TWICE AND WAITING ON THE 3RD ONE NOW. THE FORD DEALERSHIP I TAKE THE TRUCK TO SAYS, "IT IS A POOR DESIGN IN THE HEADS OF THIS MOTOR THAT CAUSES THE PLUGS TO BLOW OUT AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM." I AM CONCERNED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO THE "EXPLOSION" SOUND AT FIRST AND THE EXTREMELY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. *TR

2001 FORD F150 SUPERCREW 5.4L. WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE THE SPARK PLUG FORCIBLY CAME OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER BLOWOUT OF SPARK PLUG. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO GARAGE. NOT SURE HOW OR WHY THIS HAPPENED. *TR

F150 2001 FORD LIGHTNING 5.4 TRITION ENGINE. SPARKPLUG SHOOT OUT OF ENGINE. DEFECT IN ALUMINUM HEADS. I HAD A HELICOIL PUT IN AND IT BROKE DOWN 7 MONTHS LATER, AND NOW I HAVE TO BUY A RE-MUF. ENGINE ITS BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR ME. COSTING ME LOTS OF MONEY FOR REPAIRS. FORD HAS A DEFECT IN THERE TRITON ENGINE HEADS AND THERE NOT DOING NOTHING ABOUT ITS COSTING CUSTOMER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND FORD DOESN'T CARE. FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DROVE APPROXIMATELY 27 MILES, THEN HEARD A LOUD POP UNDER THE ENGINE. SMELLED GAS WHILE INSIDE CAB WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED UP. LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FOLLOWED. FOUND THAT THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE HEAD. LUCKILY NO FIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 46 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WITH LOW ENGINE POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED A ROUGH IDLE WHEN SITTING IDLE AT A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,098.

2001 FORD F-150 4.2L V6. TWO SPARK PLUGS HAVE LOOSENED AND EJECTED SO FAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OCCUPIED WHEN THE FIRE ERUPTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE THAT WAS PARKED NEXT TO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS ALSO EXTREMELY BURNED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SEND PHOTOS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE BEFORE A DETERMINATION WAS MADE REGARDING ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

SPARK PLUG #3 HAS BLOWN OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD ON TWO OCCASIONS. THIS SECOND OCCURRENCE DAMAGED THE THREADS REQUIRING REPAIR WITH A HELICOIL KIT. THIS DEFECTIVE HEAD CAN CAUSE FIRE HAZARD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK I HEARD A LOUD POP COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT,THEN SOUNDING LIKE AN AIR COMPRESSOR. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THE SOCKET AND NEEDS A HELICOIL INSTALLED TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUG. THIS FIX IS GOING TO COST ABOUT $300. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD TRUCK ENGINES. AS OF YET THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM! *TR

SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT ON MY 2001 FORD F-150 EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS. DEALER WANTS ME TO PURCHASE A NEW CYLINDER HEAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FOUR SPARK PLUGS FAILED AND WERE BLOWN INTO THE COIL PACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

TRUCK WITH 56,000 ORIGINAL MILES. AFTER STOPPING TRUCK TO DISPOSE OF TRASH, SPARK PLUG #8 BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD WHILE IDLING. TRUCK IMMEDIATELY TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THIS IS VERY UNCOMMON PROBLEM. HELICOILED HEAD. INSTALLED NEW PLUG. $700.00. WHEN VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP FROM DEALERSHIP THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCK IN ENGINE, BUT WE WERE TOLD IT WAS WITHIN SPECS AND SAFE TO DRIVE. MECHANIC NOW SAYS THERE IS A SEVERE ROD PROBLEM, MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY PARTS OF DEBRIS IMPACTING PISTON AND CYLINDER HEAD. ESTIMATED COST $4,500. FOR REBUILT ENGINE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND LIGHT GREY SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ENGINE HEAT CONTROL SENSOR WERE REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,042.

SPARK PLUG BLOWN OUT OF ENGINE. *TR

DRIVING AT 55MPH ON STATE HIGHWAY,3RD SPARK PLUG BACK ON PASSENGER SIDE OF 2001 FORD F-150 4DR. 5.4L. BLEW OUT OF HEAD, BROKE COIL PACK AND FELL ONTO HIGHWAY. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO HOUSE AND IT STILL SITS. I CANT AFFORD A REPAIR OF $2000+. *TR

FORD F150 SPARK PLUG # 8 BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. THERE WERE NOXIOUS FUMES THAT EVENTUALLY BECOME VERY STRONG. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND FEEL THAT THIS MUST BE A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO OBVIOUS RAW FUEL, HEAT AND POTENTIAL SPARKS. *TR

2001 FORD F150 WAS PARKED FOR 4-5 DAYS IN DRIVEWAY. WOKE UP EARLY A.M. TO LOUD THUMB NOISE. LOOKED OUT, TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE DEPTS SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS ELECTRICAL AND FROM UNDER HOOD. TRUCK IS A TOTAL LOSS. INSURANCE CO. HAS YET TO LOOK AT TRUCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF HIS RESIDENCE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 158,000.

FAULTY SPARK PLUG COIL, STRIPS OUT OF MOTOR HEAD AND POPS OUT SPARK PLUG AND COILS. LEAVING FUMES AND GAS TO IGNITE IF DRIVEN, OR OWNER STRANDED. HAS HAPPENED 2X TO OUR FAMILY AND AFTER READING MANY FORUMS AND COMPLAINTS AND TALKING TO OTHER FORD TRUCK OWNERS IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THESE TRUCKS. FORD SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR