1997 Ford Expedition: tire blowout or tread separation

Filed Aug 11, 2015 · Tires · MT

General ameri-trac 255/70/r16 had a complete tread separation from main tire. It began when I noticed sudden and violent vibration coming from the front driver side tire while driving at 60mph on highway 82 in montana. I immediately slowed down, pulled over and inspected the tire to find chunks of rubber falling out and tread bulging & warped. This tire (proper mounted & balanced) has appx 75% tread. I slowly drove home and parked the vehicle. The following day I was going to replace it with the spare. When I went out the next morning the tire had completely gone flat. A closer look revealed over night the tire had exploded with the tread completely separating from the tire around 1/5 of its circumference. The steel belts still attached to the lifted part of the tread. I was lucky this didn't explode while driving on the highway.. As going 60mph on a two lane highway (one lane each way) that is heavily used by logging trucks going 70+MPH could have lead to a devastating and tragic accident. An incident of this nature on icy roads in winter would have only increased the likely-hood of a fatality. I'm not sure if this tire is an isolated defective item or if all the 255/70 r16 ameri-trac tires are bad, but I certainly want this defective tire replaced by general as no tire of this poor of quality should legally be on the road. It would be like allowing brake manufacturers to sell brakes systems that are known to fail or allowing steering wheel manufacturers to sell steering wheels that are known to fall off while driving. If heavy penalties and fines were given to these companies (that have weak inspection procedures) for each defective incident, maybe they would not allow hundreds of thousands of these tires to be sold... Just because they wish to cut costs on quality control issues and help their bottom line profits. The american public and especially families with small children deserve better, safer and higher standards in this industry.

Filed Feb 24, 2015 · Engine · 193,000 miles · VA

Spark plug blow out. On my trip from va to pa spark plug blew out while on i95 in delaware a snowstorm about to start and I got stranded. No part store has any answers, auto repair shops want to change $300+ dollars to fix. There is a repair kit that cannot be bought in any auto part store only online. My truck is yet in pa can't afford having it towed back to va.. Had to get a rental to come back home. Ford needs to do the right thing here.

Filed Jun 30, 2014 · Engine · GA

I currently own a 1997 ford expedition that keeps spitting out spark plugs! !st time was cylinder #3 then #7, then on 3-6-2014 it was #8 then on 03/14/14 #2 after starting the engine with the hood open looking for what I thought sounded like a vacuum leak or valve tick only to have the spark plug blow out and almost take out my eye!!! Ford has known for years that there are millions of vehicles out there especially from 1997 through 2005 and still have done nothing to assist in either fixing the problem or compensating people for their losses due to this crap design they came out with that only has the heads of the motor holding the spark plug in with 4 threads!! I am told that they do not have a recall because they believe there is no eminent danger involved with the malfunction of this defect?? What about - hey the motor is running so the fuel injector is spewing out fuel all over the motor when the plug shoots out like a rocket and then knocks someone's eye out? Fire did u say?? Eye out?? Naaah no problem!!! I am also told from my mechanic that I will have to live with this because even if you replace the heads that hold the plugs in you will only have the same problem again down the line. This is not an answer. Ford needs to step up and fix the problem, make a recall, redesign the heads and stop with the b.s. Before someone gets hurt bad!!! Too much time and $$$ lost from having this problem go to the shop every [xxx] few miles not to mention the time and $$$ I am loosing from work - just fix it ford!! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Mar 17, 2014 · Tires · CA · crash

While traveling s/b at approx 70 MPH on i5 in orange county ca, rr tire of 97 ford expedition suffered 360 degree tread separation. Loss of control, roll. Front passenger died. Driver lost three fingers. Definity dakota h/t, dot upcu pa7 1508 (cooper, findley plant). Doa 9/5/13.

Filed Feb 4, 2014 · Engine · 238,340 miles · GA

I currently own a 1997 ford expedition that keeps spitting out spark plugs! !st time was cylinder #4 then #5, then today 2-3-2014 I met with #3 after starting the engine with the hood open looking for what I thought sounded like a vacuum leak or valve tick only to have the spark plug blow out and almost take out my eye!!! Ford has known for years that there are millions of vehicles out there especially from 1997 through 2005 and still have done nothing to assist in either fixing the problem or compensating people for their losses due to this crap design they came out with that only has the heads of the motor holding the spark plug in with 4 threads!! I am told that they do not have a recall because they believe there is no eminent danger involved with the malfunction of this defect?? What about - hey the motor is running so the fuel injector is spewing out fuel all over the motor when the plug shoots out like a rocket and then knocks someone's eye out? Fire did u say?? Eye out?? Naaah no problem!!! I am also told from my mechanic that I will have to live with this because even if you replace the heads that hold the plugs in you will only have the same problem again down the line. This is not an answer. Ford needs to step up and fix the problem, make a recall, redesign the heads and stop with the b.s. Before someone gets hurt bad!!! Too much time and $$$ lost from having this problem go to the shop every [xxx] few miles not to mention the time and $$$ I am loosing from work - just fix it ford!! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Jul 18, 2008 · Engine · 100,000 miles · NY

In a matter of 9 months, my 1997 ford expedition has misfired and blown out spark plug 4 times now. Has cost me over $3,000 in repairs. The last time it happened my truck smelled like fire, but never ignited. My check engine light is now on for a 5th time, the truck is misfiring again and it is only a matter of time before another blowout occurs.

Filed Apr 22, 2008 · Electrical · 147,000 miles · PA

Violent spark plug blow out from engine block, a regular, yet ignored, problem with ford engines.

Filed Apr 12, 2008 · Engine · 96,000 miles · CA

Spark plug on my 97 ford expedition blow out. The engine is a triton 5.4l. It happened while I was driving on residential street at 30 miles per hour.

Filed Aug 6, 2007 · Engine · 85,050 miles · KY

Spark plug blew out of cyl. # 3 due to lack of threads in cylinder head, or lack of material in that location. The triton v series engines have an inherent problem with blowing the plugs out, it will cost between 2500- 4000 to fix one plug blow out, putting in inserts only causes the repair again at a later date. When is the government going to step in and say enough, the public has already.

Filed Nov 4, 2005 · Engine · 118,000 miles · TX

Traveling @ 65 MPH and loud bang. Engine lost power and was extremely loud. Was told by authorized ford dealer that the spark plug had blow out of the cylinder. The truck was not fixed. Ford wanted $5000 for new engine or $4200 to rebuild mine. 1997 eddie bauer expedition.

Filed Jan 15, 2004 · Engine · 155,000 miles · CA

Spark plug blows out of aluminum head. This car has one of the most extensive service records paso robles ford has on record; these are their words. In other words this vehicle has been maintained very very well and to have the plug blow out in the first place is uncalled for. Secondly we paid to have a remanufactered engine installed and a few weeks later the plug blows out again. This is supposed to be on what ford calls a revised part to take care of plugs blowing out of the aluminum head. Ford will not give us a straight answer on what the revision is; this could be anything-possibly not even related to the problem. My understanding is the problem is that there are only three threads going into the aluminum head. Apparently the revision does not take this problem into account because it only took a few weeks for the exact same thing to happen.

Filed Nov 8, 2001 · Suspension, Tires · MI

I have had a problem with noise coming from the right rear of the expedition since we started leasing it on 3/30/00. I have taken the truck in numerous times lettng them know the noise was still there. I either was told nothing was found. Well, eventually things started to go wrong with it. Ball joint, blow out tire and ext. I have taken the truck in to candy ford over this issue over 6 times and nothing has been done. I recently took it in to goodyear to check the tires on it to see what was wrong with ith and they said the right rear axle was bent. So I have contacted candy ford again and they have the truck know looking at it. I would like to know how these dealers can sell you or lease you something with it have been damaged without informing you of this before sale is complete. I fell this dealer ship has put my family in sever danger by allowing me and my family to drive around in this vechile. I do not feel that I'm safe driving this vechile no matter the work they might do to it. There have been to many things that have gone wrong with it and still going wrong with it.