# 2002 FORD EXPLORER — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
> NHTSA complaint `722701` · 2009-06-05 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** EXPLORER
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
- **Miles at failure:** 102,000
## Narrative
MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER - 4.6 V8 HAS THE POPULAR BLOWN SPARK PLUG ISSUE WHICH HAS CAUSED ME A LOT OF PROBLEMS ON PRETTY MUCH THE WORST WEEKEND OF MY LIFE THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN.  THIS IS APPARENTLY A VERY POPULAR COMPLAINT ABOUT FORDS W/ THIS ENGINE AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE.  IT IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW W/ THE ALUMINUM AND METAL HEATING ISSUES CAUSING THE SPARK PLUGS TO BREAK OFF OR JUST SHOOT OUT OF THE ENGINE.  I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE UNDER MY HOOD FOR A SHORT TIME AS WELL.  THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY FORD.  IN MY CASE, I DID HEAR THE INFAMOUS "CLICKING" NOISE THAT HAPPENS JUST BEFORE THE PLUG BLOWS AND THEN RIGHT AFTER, IT BLEW, SOUNDING LIKE SOMEBODY WAS STARTING A HARLEY UNDER MY TRUCK. I WAS UNDER MY HOOD LOOKING AND HEARING FOR THE NOISE THAT I THOUGHT WAS A BELT ISSUE WHEN THIS BLEW.  THIS THING SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BLOW MY HEAD OFF WHILE I WAS UNDER THE HOOD AND LUCKILY I WAS NOT HURT, OR FORD WOULD HAVE A LAW SUIT ON THEIR HANDS.  WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE BROKEN PLUG AND GET A NEW ONE TO THREAD MAYBE ONE THREAD DEEP TO GET ME HOME SAFELY.  THERE IS ONLY ONE THREAD GRABBING AND I WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE TO  HAVE THE $1500 - $2000 JOB DONE OR TRADE THIS PILE IN BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER PLUGS, WHICH I HEAR IS INEVITABLE, DUE TO FORD NEVER ADDRESSING OR REMEDYING THIS ISSUE.  THIS BEING MY SECOND EXPLORER W/ SEVERE ISSUES THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE O
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*