Problems with 1999 Ford Expedition ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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

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. while driving 65 mph, the contact heard a loud popping sound under the hood. the vehicle decelerated to 0 and would not accelerate. the vehicle was towed to a dealer. the dealer stated that the spark plug popped out and stripped the engine head. one of the engine heads has to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 70,306. updated 02/15/08. *lj

1999 ford expedition 5.4 motor blew spark plug on passenger side-rear plug. *tr

I own a 1999 ford expedition. yesterday, my fiance and kids were on their way to school when the engine failed. upon inspection, we found that the engine had ejected the #3 spark plug on the passenger side. this caused the coil pack to "shatter" as well as the plug cable attached to it. i've done extensive searching on the subject, and there have been incidents reported of fires caused by these plug ejections. also, hundreds of consumers have been stuck with repair costs of several thousand dollars. this is a common problem and should be addressed as a recall. lives are at risk. *tr

1999 ford expedition 5.4l while driving heard loud noise from engine compartment. pulled over and lifted hood seen that number 3 coil was moved and sparkplug ws attached. plug had been blown out of sparkplug hole and stripped the threads out as it came out. gas was being blown out of plug hole and the sparkplug was sitting right next to the gas coming outmaking a possible fire hazard. have to have cylinder head replaced to fix stripped threads. *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.

Started my vehicle and heard a loud noise followed by a steady popping noise. i opened the hood and found the rear spark plug on the passenger side had been blown out of the engine. i have since read hundreds of other complaints of this occurring, some causing fires. *jb

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

Dear sirs, i own a 1999 ford expedition, the engine seemed to be have operated fine until the # 3 spark plug blew completely out of the cylinder head. if the plug and the destroyed coil would have ruptured the fuel rail the vehicle would have gone up in flames. i hope that something can be done on the part of ford to repair this unbelievingly, amazing , and very common safety problem ford was brushing under the rug. the vehicle was past the waranty period so that won't be of any help, but this problem was incredibly dangerous

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford expedition. the contact stated that he heard a loud popping sound when the vehicle was started. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that there is a defect with the cylinder head, which caused the spark plug to disengage. the current and failure mileages were 86,800.

Spark plug ejected, very inconvenient, vehicle is not drivable can not afford to repair need the car for work. *tr

Tl*- the contact owns a 1999 ford expedition. he was having problems with the aluminum head spark plugs, the number 3 & 4 cylinder failed, and the mechanic told him it was a design flaw. the failure was caused by not having enough thread in the aluminum spark plug head. he needed a new engine or a head job. it will cost him over $3000. he stated that there was a service bulletin for this problem. the current and failure mileage were both 110,000.*ak

5.4 triton engine spark plug blown at 77,000 miles on my 1999 ford expedition. *jb

Under normal usage at @ 135,000 miles oil began to leak from the rear of the head gasket on the passenger side of the engine. there are at least five tsb's in effect for this problem. no repair has been made account prohibitive cost. truck being driven. adding 1 quart of oil about every 2 weeks. *jb

Head gasket failure. right hand, rear side of the engine. i can smell strong burning oil when engine is running and after shut-off. oil saturated starter. *jb

Loud pop then loss of vehicle power, continual popping sounds until i stopped engine. spark plug was ejected from engine. i believe this investigation should be reopened as this should be a defect recall . *jb

Dt*: the contact stated a loud exhaust noise was heard while driving 55 mph on normal road conditions. there were no prior warning signals. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined the bolts were snapping off the exhaust manifold due to a manufacturer defect. the vehicle has yet to be repaired.

I was driving on a busy road with my three children during rush hour. i heard a loud pop followed by the what sounded like machine gun fire. i immediately pulled over to the side of the road and shut down the vehicle. i was fearful of the safety of my children and had them leave the car. i then had the vehicle towed. a ford repairman looked at the car and stated that the #3 passenger side spark plug blew out. he stated that this a known problem and ford refuses to acknowledge the issue. he said that they see many of these each week and that it is usually the #3 spark plug on the passenger side. he stated that it would be $2500-$5000 to repair the vehicle. we were told by another ford dealer that he could fix it for $300-$500. we had the vehicle towed there and despite informing him which spark plug it was, upon inspecting the vehicle he claimed it would be difficult to repair and increased the repair price to $2100. when we objected he offered to purchase the vehicle for $200-$300. we feel as if the ford dealers are using this issue to run a bate and switch. we have investigated the matter on the internet and have found many others complaining of the same issue and ford's failure to take responsibility. someone is going to get injured if they fail to correct their design defect. *nm

1999 ford expedition, 88k miles, spark plug ejected from passenger side of engine. this occurred in heavy traffic while in left lane of smoketown road in prince william county, virginia. the vehicle stalled after i let off the gas pedal right after a loud bang and popping sound was heard in engine. i was able to restart vehicle, but had to keep the rpm's up to keep from stalling. after cutting off several cars in center and right lane, the vehicle was pulled into a parking lot on right side of road. i detected a strong smell of gasoline present when hood was raised. not once did the "check engine" light come on; unlike all the other times it came on when nothing was wrong with the truck. the vehicle was towed to a ford dealer and a $3400 head replacement performed because head was ruined by stripped spark plug ejecting. upon checking internet, i found that this is an ongoing increasing problem. it appears that an inquiry done by your agency concluded in january of 2006 that this is a rarely occurring incident of little to no danger. i beg to differ. a simple google query will show thousands if not tens of thousands of complaints regarding ford triton engine spark plug problems posted on various message boards. it is a matter of time before someone gets hurt or killed either directly or indirectly from this obvious problem. i'm just glad i was alone driving and not my wife and children. my wife would have remained in the stalled vehicle while sitting in the passing lane. considering the enormous number of potentially affected vehicle this issue involves, i will also be bringing this matter to the attention of every elected official i can send an email to. *jb

Engine blew out a sparkplug just like the other reports. cost me around 900.00 get running again. mechanic told me ford knows about this problem because they a repair kit just for this problem. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated the check engine light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where they determined the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. although repair was made, the check engine light illuminated a second time. the vehicle was taken to the dealership this time where they determined the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced therefore causing a need to replace the engine.

On august 2, 2006, while traveling in michigan, a spark plug suddenly blew out of my 1999 ford expedition. there was no prior warning or indication of any problem. i had to have it towed to bay city, mi, where a ford dealer told me that it would cost approx. $3500 to repair the problem. he said it was a recurring problem with ford expeditions. my car had approximately 120000 miles on it at the time. i kept the spark plug and coil attachment, and it doesn't look like the grooves on the plug gave way or were stripped. *nm

Driving at 25 mph in residential area of cleveland oh spark plug #3 blew out of head, leaving me stranded for 2 days waiting to get repairs finished. 5.4 triton engine, properly maintained with 59,000. miles on it. *nm

While driving a loud "pop" was heard followed by an exhaust-type sound emanating from engine compartment. vehicle was driven 4 blocks to our home where inspection revealed the blown plug. *jb

In feb of 2005 my 1999 ford expedition with the 5.4 v-8 blew the passenger side 3rd spark plug right out of the head. the car had apox. 95,000 miles on it and ford said warranty would not cover it. it would take 3,500 $ to fix. so i towed it away from grass vallley ford, a decided to have a mecanic fup a heli coil. that lasted little over a year and in june of 2006 the same plug shot out. i think this is fords problem and needs to be dealed with.

For the second time in 6 months i had an engine spark plug ejection in my 1999 expedition. the spark plug detached from the cylinder and was ejected from the engine. i heard a loud pop while driving, the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound. i also lost some power while driving, the vehicle did not stall. i did smell gas when the incident occurred. i was able to slowly drive the vehicle to the repair shop. *jb

1999 ford expedition bought brand new at serramonte ford in colma ca. serviced in strict accordance every 5000 miles per ford owner manual and at the same ford dealership exclusively. lost engine, timing chain at 55,000 miles, lost transmission at 130000 miles. *jb

Spark plug blowing from cylinder head. *nm

I had just left a stop light when i heard a loud pop. it sounded like something blew up! the car was really loud and ran rough after that. i had it towed to the shop. they said we blew a spark plug and stripped the threads that hold it in place. at a cost of $1,600 to repair we are having a friend look at it. he thinks he might be able to order a kit called timesert to possibly fix it. i hope it works because it will save us a great deal of money. after investigating the problem online, it definitely is a big problem for ford. they must issue a recall immediately. *nm

Approximately at 8 am, my wife was driving to work when she heard a loud bang under the hood of the car. she was driving a 1999 ford expedition. the engine started making a very loud popping noise. after arriving and starting the car to hear what was going on, i knew what the problem was. 5 years ago i drove a 1999 f250 ford with a v10 and it did the same thing. the local dealership agreed a spark plug had blown out of the engine on the expedition on the #3 cylinder. they repaired it by putting a plug insert (heli-coil) in. they put the insert in while the head was still on the vehicle. now three weeks later the rods on #3 and #7 pistons are bent and the vehicle is inoperable. the dealership only option to us was to replace the engine at a cost of nearly $4,500. *jb

I am a school teacher that drives a 1999 expedition v8. i was on my way to school two weeks ago and heard a loud bang come from under my hood. it then started to sound like a john deer tractor. i had my spark plugs replaced last year and thought that it would be the same again. i took it to the same mechanic that replaced spark plugs last year and told me that the plug blew my thread out and that it might need some serious engine repairs because of it. he also told me that this is a common problem with these ford vehicles. apparently it is going to cost me 3,000 to fix. i am a teacher and find it ridiculous to have to pay for this when there has been so many complaints over the same engineering problem! ford needs to do something about this. after seeing so many complaints online, it really makes me upset and feel emotional stress. the need to recall these aluminum engines. *jb

My 1999 ford expedition had a spark plug blow out. the vehicle has approximately 60,000 miles. *jb

Head gasket is leaking. *nm

Leaking right head gasket due to faulty manufacturing. oil leak is dripping on the muffler potential fire hazard and pollution. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated when taking the vehicle in for normal routine service, a leak in the head gasket was discovered. the vehicle is currently at the dealership awaiting repairs.

#3 spark plug blew out of engine taking the thread insert with it. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated while driving there was a loud bang in the engine. the vehicle immediately lost power and was uncontrollable. the contact pulled the vehicle to the side of the road. it was towed to an independent repair shop and the spark plugs were replaced. one month later another spark plug blew out of the engine. the vehicle was taken again to an independent repair shop were the spark plugs were replaced. *ak

1999 ford expedition - blow spark plug out of number 3 cylinder. result is loss of power and very poor drivability at low speeds. also, gas smell from leading injector in now open cylinder. fortunately i was not towing when the plug blew, or the loss of power could have resulted in an unsafe situation. ford dealer recommends replacing the cyl. head ($3,000), doesn't acknowledge any defect that ford has authorized. several other mechanics indicate this is a common problem on this engine, deals with insufficient number of threads to hold the plug in the aluminum head. *nm

Pulling out from a stop sign in neighborhood when suddenly smoke smell and loud rhythmic banging from under hood. i immediately pulled over and had the vehicle towed to shop. they discovered a spark plug had blown through the head, requiring a head replacement. subsequently i discovered this is a problem with ford vehicles with the triton engine-design defect in that their are only 5-6 threads holding spark plugs in leaving them susceptible to this type of failure during normal operation. ford would not assist me with repairs stating there was no recall dealing with this issue. *jb

Dt: the contact stated while driving vehicle experienced sudden acceleration. when depressing the brakes the rmps revved very high. when lifting foot off the brakes the vehicle accelerated. he eventually depressed the brakes hard enough so that the vehicle stopped. the cruise control was not in use. he took his vehicle to the dealer. they told him that the pcv had a leak in the vacuum system. the vehicle is now being repaired.*ak

My '99 ford expedition 5.4l engine blew out a spark plug. current mileage is 64,400 miles. *jb

1999 ford expedition 5.4l eng. driving between office bldgs at low speed, hear explosion in vehicle front, heard debris impacting under engine hood and wheel wells. had truck towed to dealer. informed of spark plug blowout damaged header. told this is common on 5.4l not covered by warrantee. cost: $3,600. *nm

Dt: contact stated while stopping at a stop light heard a loud pop. the vehicle was taken to a local dealership ,where they found the engine head needed to be replaced because the spark plug blew out of the engine. the repairs will be made at the contact's expense. *ak updated 03/20/06. *jb

Driving down the interstate highway heard a loud pop, then a continious huffing sound from the engine compartment accompanied by a severe vibration. pulled vehicle into the nearest rest stop and checked engine, found the second spark plug on the right bank (passenger side) had forceabily ejected taking the threads with it. the engine is a triton 5.4l. the engine was repaired at a dealer (ford country in henderson nv) by replacement of the head. *nm

Blown spark plug in a 1999 ford expedition with a 5.4l. vehicle was sitting idle when failure occurred. inserts were installed in spark plug hole. *nm

Engine spark plug blow out at 80,000 miles on engine. engine had 40,000 on it from new and was consuming oil due to the right head leaking oil. ford replaced the head gasket. the gasket did not solve the problem so a new motor was installed. now at 120,000 (80,000 on the motor) after the spark plugs were changed, a plug blew out of the head. a helicoil was installed after the plug blow out but that also failed. rebuilt head is being installed. feel this is a ford problem on this spark plug blow out. the 5.4l head is not manufactured to withstand the horsepower. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford expedition. in 2005, while driving 55 mph, the contact heard a popping sound and stopped the vehicle. he noticed that the spark plug had come through the engine. a month later, the failure recurred. the purchase and incident dates were unknown. the current mileage is 130,000 and failure mileage was 90,000.

Upon start up my 1999 ford expedition blew a spark plug out of the engine block. ford refused to admit that there is a problem . repair is approximately$4000.00. numerous complaints at consumer affairs attest to this problem. *nm

One spark plug on my 1999 ford expedition exploded and burst through the head of the engine. my wife was picking up my child at school. she parked the vehicle, shut it off and minutes later returned. as she was starting the expedition both her and my daughter heard a very large explosion from the front of the vehicle. the vehicle continued to run and a constant popping sound could be heard. she immediately shut off the engine and noticed a very strong gas/exhaust type smell. she called me and i arrived to check the vehicle out. i inspected all the fluid levels and fuses and they were fine. i briefly started the engine with the hood open to help narrow the location of the sound. the sound was coming from the top of the engine on the passenger side. i started inspecting this area and found that the third spark plug from the front of the engine on the passenger side had been completely blown out of the head of the engine. it is very fortunate that this occurred in a parking lot. my wife and daughter were both very startled by the loud explosion and i can only imagine what would have happened if this had occurred on the road at a high rate of speed. i believe that an accident would have resulted. i have since done some research on this particular issue and have learned that this has happened on numerous occasions on ford vehicles and has been brought to the attention of the nhtsa. i would like to file this complaint and find out what the nhtsa is doing about this specific issue. the design issue with this particular spark plug/engine head combination is well known in automotive circles. what is the nhtsa doing about this issue. thank you for taking the time to hear my concerns, and to reiterate i believe that there would have been an accident if this event had happened on the road at any rate of high speed. *jb