1998 Ford F-250 Engine Problems

THE EVENING OF JULY 26TH, 2011 APPROXIMATELY 10:00PM EST, AN ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED IN OUR 1998 FORD F-250 TRUCK (EXT CAB, TRITON V-8 ENGINE, LARIAT ED). THE F-250 HAD BEEN PARKED IN A REMOTE PARKING AREA ON THE INTERIOR AREA OF THE MASON COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS. DUE TO COUNTY FAIR ACTIVITIES DURING THAT DAY, THE TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN STARTED FOR OVER 10 HOURS WHEN THIS FIRE OCCURRED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. IT TOTALED THE ENGINE, BUCKLED THE HOOD, BLISTERED THE PAINT, ETC. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE, NOR WAS THERE ANY BODILY INJURY. WE HAD PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN APRIL OF 2010. THIS TRUCK WAS IN PRISTINE (EAT OFF THE ENGINE) CONDITION. SINCE WE HAVE OWNED IT, IT HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES (MOBIL-1 SYNTHETIC ONLY). ASIDE FROM THAT, AND OTHER NORMAL MAITENANCE, THERE HAD BEEN NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAD STOCK EQPT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. NO-OFF ROADING, MY SON BABIED THIS TRUCK. HE DID NOT EVEN LIKE GOING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND'S HOME WITH IT, BECAUSE SHE LIVED ON A DIRT ROAD. HE IS MORE THAN JUST LEFT WITHOUT A VEHICLE, HE IS HEARTBROKEN, TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE CHECKED THAT THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT. 911 WAS CALLED, BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT MADE THE REPORT. I NOTIFIED FORD ON JULY 27TH, 2011. ON JULY 30TH, 2011 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MARIA AGUILERA, PRODUCT CLAIMS LEGAL ANALYST, FORD'S OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNCIL IN DEARBORN, MI. WE ARE WORKING TO GATHER INFORMATION REQUIRED BY HER AT THIS TIME. *KB

NHTSA ID

10416605

Incident

Jul 26, 2011

Mileage

153,169 mi

SPARK PLUG GETS BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK AND DESTROYS THE ENGINE COIL. THE ENGINE THEN NEEDS TO BE REBORED TO BE REPAIRED TO BE DRIVABLE. THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HAS NOW HAPPENED TO US TWICE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER NO LOAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326286

Incident

Apr 19, 2010

Mileage

96,833 mi

THE TRUCK WAS STARTED AND THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT FROM THE ENGINE. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED IT WASN'T A PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME, THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. THE CONSUMER HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10099084

Incident

Aug 28, 2004

Mileage

59,500 mi

WHILE STARTING MY FORD TRUCK WITH THE 5.4 L ENGINE I HEARD A VERY LOUD POP AND THE ENGINE RAN AS IF THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. A NON-FORD MECHANIC VERIFIED THE NO. 3 SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BLEW OUT AND STRIPPED THE THREADS FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD INSERT THAT THIS FORD DEALER INSERTED TO REPAIR AN EARLIER BLOWN SPARK PLUG. THE OLD INSERT FOR THE PREVIOUS FAILURE WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW TYPE ACCORDING TO THE FORD MECHANIC. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. ON JULY 10, 2003, APPROXIMATELY 1 YR AND 2 DAYS BEFORE THIS FAILURE THE NO. 3 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT STRIPPING THE TREADS IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. NUMEROUS NON-FORD MECHANICS I'VE TALKED TO HAVE VERIFIED THIS BEEN A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE 5.4 L FORD ENGINE IN TRUCKS AND SUV'S. AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I WORK WITH HAD THE SAME SPARK PLUG (NO. 3 PASSENGER SIDE) BLOW OUT FROM HER FORD EXPLORER WITH THE 5.4 L ENGINE APPROXIMATELY 6 WEEKS AGO. *LA

NHTSA ID

10082335

Incident

Jul 12, 2004

Mileage

35,890 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, DISCOVERED VEHICLE WAS LOW ON OIL AND REPLACED OIL, NEXT DAY VEHICLE MADE A TERRIBLE NOISE AND WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ONLY TO FIND THE OIL HAD BEEN BURNED UP THROUGH THE CONVERTER.ENGINE IS BAD DUE TO THE CASINGS. *JG

NHTSA ID

785884

Incident

Dec 30, 2001

SPARK PLUG NUMBER FOUR HAD BLOWN OUT OF HEAD, CONSUMER MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE TO A MECHANICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT HEAD WAS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND ENGINE WAS MADE OF IRON, THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE SPARK PLUGS TO BLOW, RIGHT HEAD WAS REPLACED FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1900, PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT WS GIVEN TO CONSUMER. *SLC

NHTSA ID

891434

Incident

Apr 18, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

744515

Incident

Oct 9, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

744514

Incident

Jul 7, 2000