Ford Expedition Complaints (2003)

615 consumer complaints on file.

#10292851November 18, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2003 EXPEDITION, WITH THE V8 5.4 TRITION ENGINE, IS BEING DECLINED TO BE FIXED BY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIPS, DUE TO THE FACT OF THE "KNOWN" ISSUE, WITH THE SPARK PLUG, THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE FIX OF THE HELI COIL WHICH ISN'T A GUARANTEE AND THEN HOPE IT WORKS, IF NOT IT WILL BE A REBUILT ENGINE, THE FIRST TIME THE SPARK PLUG BLEW IT WAS AT NIGHT, UPON STARTING, SOUNDED LIKE GUN FIRE, HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND THEN RESEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET FOR SOLUTIONS, FOUND OUT WHAT IT WAS AND THEN REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG AND IGNITION COIL AND THEN HOPED IT WOULD STAY, UPON STARTING IT , IT DID IT AGAIN, BOUGHT MORE SPARK PLUGS AND IGNITION COILS, AND GOT IT TO SEAT BETTER, AND THEN 4 WEEKS TO THE DAY WHILE DRIVING IS WHEN IT MADE THE SAME SOUND LIKE GUN FIRE AND WE KNEW THEN WHAT IT WAS, PULLED OVER ON A HIGHWAY AND PROCEEDED TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE, ONCE AGAIN A SPARK PLUG AND A NEW IGNITION COIL, HOWEVER THIS TIME THE SPARK PLUG WAS VASTLY DISCOLORED AND BURNT IN APPEARANCE, 1 WEEK AND 1 DAY LATER UPON STARTING IT DOES IT AGAIN, AND THIS TIME NO SPARK PLUG CAN BE PUT IN, THERE ARE NO MORE THREADS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC, THEY TOLD BE THEY WILL HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENGINE TO PUT THE HELI COIL IN, AND THAT ISN'T A GUARANTEED FIX, ALSO THAT I SHOULD JUST REPLACE THE ENGINE, SINCE IT CAN AND PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AGAIN, I HAD THE AUTO TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE AND I BEGAN TO RESEARCH MY OPTIONS, I CALLED ALL THE FORD DEALERSHIPS IN WHICH THEY SAID THEY COULD DO THE HELI AND THERE IS NOT A GUARANTEE FOR THIS TO WORK, SO AT WHAT COST IS A HUMAN LIFE TO FORD? PER THE INFO AND RESEARCH IT DOES SAY THAT IT CAN CATCH FIRE, AND EXPLODE.....OR PAY A FORTUNE FOR A CAR THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. WE DO HAVE SOME OF 6 THE SPARK PLUGS THAT HAVE "SHOT" OUT, I AM TOLD BECAUSE IT IS THE 3RD PLUG NEAR THE FIREWALL THAT THE ANGLE IS NOT APPROACHABLE....HELP NOW! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290859November 3, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION DOWN THE FREEWAY @55 MPH NOTICED A LOUD POP AND A WEIRD NOISE. STOPPED VEHICLE, POPPED HOOD AND INSPECTED. FOUND #5 COIL HANGING BY HARNESS AND #5 PLUG SITTING ON MANIFOLD. PLUGS ARE ORIGINAL AS THE TRUCK HAS ON 76,000 MILES. NO OTHER DAMAGE NOTED. WILL HELICOIL THE HOLE USING A KIT FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290732November 2, 2009
TIRES
ON OCT 23 WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A THUMPING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A LARGE BUBBLE STICKING OUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE BETWEEN THE TREAD AND THE SIDEWALL. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME FAILURE THAT I EXPERIENCED ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IN AUG. IN BOTH CASES I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A SHORT PERIOD ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS PREPARING TO REJOIN THE INTERSTATE. I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT BOTH WERE DISCOVERED PRIOR TO AN EXPLOSIVE FAILURE AND TREAD SEPARATION AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FIRST TIRE THE DEALER CLAIMED IT MAY OF BEEN SOME SORT OF IMPACT, WHICH I DOUBTED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS MAINLY USED FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING. HOWEVER AFTER THIS SECOND TIRE, IT IS APPARENT TO ME THAT THE TIRE IS FAILING BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. IT APPEARS TO BE SEPARATING WHERE THE TREAD JOINS THE INSIDE BELTING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286784October 8, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2003 FORD EXPEDITION SPARK PLUG # 2 BLOWN OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284161September 16, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED UPON INSPECTION OF HER VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE HEAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE FIREWALL. IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT SHE WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY RECOURSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283624September 11, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION JUST BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. IT WAS THE SECOND TO LAST CYLINDER PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS RAW FUEL AND VAPORS COMING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A FIRE COULD HAVE STARTED HAD A SPARK IGNITED THOSE FUMES. THESE ARE THE FACTORY PLUGS AND FACTORY HEAD AND THE FORD DEALER COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE BUT THAT FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL YET. NOW I AM OUT $2800 FOR WHAT SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283123September 8, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAVE PARK MY TRUCK AND WENT TO HAVE DINNER WITH MY FAMILY AND UPON MY RETURN WHEN I START MY TRUCK. THE ENGINE MAKE A LOUD SOUND AND SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT FROM THE ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282978September 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE ENGINE TODAY. AFTER READING ABOUT EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE, MY AUTO WAS ACTING EXACTLY LIKE ALL THE OTHERS. A SLIGHT TICKING SOUND WHILE THE ENGINE IDLES. WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, A SLIGHT LOUD BAM OCCURRED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE HARD. THE CAR WAS TOWED 70 MILES TO A REPAIR CENTER NEAR MY HOME AND I NOW AM TO DECIDE ON A NEW MANIFOLD OR A COIL REPAIR THAT IS RISKY. HOW A COMPANY CAN OPERATE WITH CRITICAL ENGINE PART THAT ARE SO POORLY DESIGNED IS BEYOND MY IMAGINATION. THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH COMPLAINTS OF SPARK PLUGS POPPING OUT OF ENGINES IN F150S AND EXPLORER/EXPEDITIONS. IT IS A SHAME THAT SUCH A SIMPLE THING AS ENGINEERING A THREAD DEEP ENOUGH TO HOLD A SPARK PLUG IN PLACE FOR THE LIFE OF A CAR IS TOO CHALLENGING FOR A CAR COMPANY. THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. THEY WERE ABLE TO HANDLE REPLACING MILLIONS OF FIRESTONES AND SHOULD BE HELD TO A STANDARD CLOSE TO THEIR REPUTATION AS A TOUGH VEHICLE. WITHOUT RECOURSE, FORD WILL FIND IT ACCEPTABLE TO CUT CORNERS AND ENGINEER SUB PAR PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282653September 2, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1. EVENT: GASOLINE LEAKING ONTO PAVEMENT. 2. FORD DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND A CRACK IN THE FILLER NECK ON TOP OF THE GASOLINE TANK. I, NOR A FOREIGN OBJECT, HAVE ACCESS TO THIS AREA. TANK WILL LEAK GAS ONTO PAVEMENT CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL BELOW CRACK LEVEL. IF AN IGNITER SUCH AS A CIGARETTE OR MATCH OR SPARK IS NEAR THE FLAME, A FIRE WILL START ON GROUND UNDER THE GAS TANK LEADING TO THE GAS TANK COATED WITH GAS RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE OR EXPLOSION. 3. FORD DEALER ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT COST AT $1,350. FORD DEALER STATED THIS IS NOT A RECALL ITEM AND WOULD NOT DISCUSS THE FACT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A DEFECT IN THE INJECTION MOLDED GASOLINE TANK. I THEN CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER CARE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER CARE WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE NAME OF THE LOCAL FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE (REGIONAL MANAGER), A SUPERIOR CUSTOMER CARE REP TO TAKE MY CONCERN TO A HIGHER LEVEL AND DISMISSED MY CONCERN THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY DEFECT ISSUE. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO FURTHER RECOURSE AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE FORD MOTOR COMPANY OR MY FORD DEALER COULD DO FOR MY SITUATION. THEREFORE, I HAVE NO FURTHER RECOURSE EXCEPT TO SUBMIT MY COMPLAINT. I CANNOT AFFORD A REPLACEMENT GAS TANK (TANK IS STILL INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282662September 2, 2009
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
IMMACULATE SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BOTH SIDES WHICH DRIVING. NO BUMP OR ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279082August 2, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2003 FORD EXPEDITION 5.4L EJECTION OF FACTORY SPARK PLUG FORM CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277285July 18, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DRIVING FROM LAS VEGAS TO PHX WE WERE AT WICKENBERG, AZ A LOUD POP OCCURRED AND KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. THE SMELL OF GAS WAS PRESENT AND WOULDN'T RUN PROPERLY. THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN WICKENBERG WAS LUCKILY OPEN AND INSTRUCTED US THAT THE SPARK PLUGS HAD BLOWN OUT IN THE 1ST AND 2ND CYLINDERS. THEY DID ALSO TELL US THAT THIS OCCURS OFTEN IN AND THERE IS A TEMP FIX FOR IT. THEY TAPPED OUT THE HEAD AND INSERTED A STEEL SLEEVE FOR THOSE 2 CYLINDERS. TAKING 2 HOURS IT WAS FIXED AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY VERY HAPPY TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT NOT HAPPY AT ALL AT FORD FOR HAVING SUCH A BLATANT DESIGN FLAW. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277067July 16, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
FOR NO REASON, WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276922July 15, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT ON 2003 FORD EXPEDITION 5.4 L ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275616July 2, 2009
POWER TRAIN
WE YOU MAKE A TURN YOU HER A NOISE FROM THE REAR END. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274636June 22, 2009
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV TIRES, SIZE P265/70R17. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIMMY AND SHAKE, FOLLOWED BY A CLICKING NOISE. THE DRIVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXHIBITED TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 68,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273982June 16, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER ONE OF THE EIGHT SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272828June 4, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I OWN A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A 5.4,AND WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN WE NOTICED THE VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH,SO WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND UPON INSPECTION WE FOUND THAT THE NUMBER 7 PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE COIL WHICH CAUSED THE ROUGH RUNNING,THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP SAID THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THESE TRUCKS AND MOTORS,SO AT THE COST $700 I GOT IT FIXED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE WAY THESE MOTORS ARE MADE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272619June 2, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD IN CLEAR WEATHER MY 03 EXPEDITION SUDDENLY THREW PLUG #7. IN SO DOING IT DESTROYED THE COIL ASSEMBLY, BUT THE IMPACT OF THE COIL ASSEMBLY ON THE FUEL RAIL SAVED THE CAR'S HOOD FROM FURTHER DAMAGE (THE TOP OF THE COIL ASSEMBLY CLEARLY EVIDENCED THE IMPACT MARK FROM CONTACT WITH THE FUEL RAIL). GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE DAMAGED COIL INSULATION WAS NOW ARCING ITS SPARK ACROSS THE ENGINE HEAD AND THAT THE FUEL MIXTURE WAS SPEWING OUT OF THE SPARK PLUG HOLE IT'S SURPRISING THAT WE AVOIDED AN ENGINE FIRE UNDER THE PLASTIC SHROUD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER (PEP BOYS, LAUREL MD - THE SAME LOCATION THAT HAD CHANGED THE PLUGS A YEAR PRIOR). THEY EXAMINED ALL THE SPARK PLUG THREADS AND ADVISED THAT THEY APPEARED OK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS ONE CYLINDER. TO EFFECT REPAIRS THEY ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ANOTHER OUTLET 36 MILES ($104 CHARGE) UP THE ROAD. THEY FURTHER ADVISED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 5.4 ENGINE AND THAT THIS MAY OCCUR IN OTHER CYLINDERS IN THE FUTURE. FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE (800#) DISCLAIMS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM AND REFERRED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR TECHNICAL ADVICE. AT THE LOCAL DEALER, THE MECHANIC WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, PRONOUNCED IT RATHER COMMON AND ADVISED THAT FORD WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER HIS ESTIMATE WOULD COST ME MORE THAN TWICE THE ESTIMATED FEE FROM THE INDEPENDENT (INCLUSIVE OF THE ADDITIONAL TOW COSTS). SUBSEQUENT GOOGLE SEARCHES FOR "FORD EXPEDITION THROWN SPARK PLUG REVEAL 11,200 WEB PAGE HITS. THE WEBPAGES AT THE 1ST HIT ALONE, WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML REVEALS A LITANY OF VERY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN MORE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. GIVEN THE DANGER REPRESENTED BY POTENTIAL ENGINE FIRES AND THE APPARENT FREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL TO EFFECT THE CORRECTION OF THIS APPARENT DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272654June 2, 2009
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC TR TIRES, SIZE P265/70 R17. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE REARVIEW MIRROR, HE NOTICED A LARGE PORTION OF THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE TREAD OF THE TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ARRIVED AND REPLACED THE TIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRES AND IS WAITING ON SOME PAPERWORK. HE BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000. UPDATED 07/28/09 *BF UPDATED 07/30/09.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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