Consumer News & Alerts | March 26, 2007



FEDS IGNORE FORD SPARK PLUG RISKS
The tax-supported federal employees at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) don't see anything wrong with big Ford truck engines that spit spark plugs out of the engine -- sometimes all the way through the hood. There's no safety hazard, insists NHTSA. But try telling that to Dan of Huntington Beach, Calif. His F250 Ford pickup spit out a spark plug and started a fast-moving fire. "It went up so fast we lost our cameras, computer, GPS and just got out ourselves," Dan told us.

Other consumers agree the problem is a hazard. "Truly this is a dangerous situation because the fuel rail is right above the coil and spark plug. If this rail and injector break when the plug blows out this could result in a fire," said Robert of Quarryville, Pennsylvania, whose 2001 F250 Super Duty Crew Cab blew its #3 spark plug a few weeks ago.

All this gets a "What, Me Worry" response from NHTSA and Ford, both in full stonewall mode. Read the full story for more disturbing details. Meanwhile, a beleaguered Ford mechanic tells us the Triton engines are "dropping like flies" and mechanics are being blamed for the manufacturer's oversight.

Tailpipe Fires Perhaps, for once, Ford hopes to head off problems before they get out of hand. The company has halted sales of its big, "super-duty" trucks -- and recalled 2008 models -- after tailpipe fires were reported in three of the big diesel trucks.

 

Tailpipe fire...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v36MCcRPRTc

 

It might just be the sound quality, but that truck sounds like crap. I guess you could literally smoke all the ricers. This is the one reason I didn't wait to buy an '08... the first year or two of an engine will always have it's problems. I do think it looks cool (or hot).

 

I dont think its the sound quality, that thing really does sound like crap. Are those the stock Exhaust tips on the '08's. I had heard that Ford was well aware of the potential for fire to come out of the pipes under certain conditions and had incorperated some type of flame retarder into the exhaust for the 6.4. This was well before the 1st trucks ever hit the street.

 

Time for Marshmellows!!!!

 

Yes, the wonderfully inflamatory Consumer Affairs.com???

One documented case of a fire - no mileage give, no maintenance details, nothing. Who knows what really happened? It's a '97 - 10 years old. If you leave any plug in a motor that long, you're asking for one to come out.

Anyway...

There WAS an NHTSA investigation 4-5 years ago or so. A lawyer got in the middle, made some UNTRUTHFUL statements, and when the NHTSA got back to the owners, they gave a different story. Strike one and two against the investigation. As in, the difference between complete and total engine failure and a loud noise and still able to steer and manuever to the side of the road.

Strike three was, no one could prove a safety issue.

Case closed.

Again, this is the first fire recorded caused by a spit spark plug. And that's in millions of vehicles, over the past 10-12 years.

Now comes the obligatory "scatter-shield for the fuel rail" recall ... or not.

 

After listening to the change in the exhuast...is that low "roar" from the regeneration the PM filter is gonig through? Strange motor...I've seen hot roders do something like that...but Ford has beat everyone to the puch on an OEM setup.

 

I think the flames are an added bonus option that the buyer didnt even have to pay for. Lucky him

 

hot rodder's pay good money to have flames shoot out the tail pipes!!!