2001 FORD EXPEDITION BLOWS SPARK PLUGS, PIECES BREAK OFF FALL INTO CYLINDER AND DAMAGE ENGINE. FUEL GASES FROM OPEN CHAMBER HAVE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE. *TR
2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE FAILURES OCCURRED OVER A 3 DAY PERIOD. THE MOTOR QUIT WHILE IDLING FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES IN A RESTAURANT PARKING LOT. INITIALLY, IT WOULD NOT EVEN TURN OVER. HOWEVER, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT DID RE-START. THE MOTOR STALLED AGAIN ABOUT 90 MINUTES LATER WHILE GOING 30 MILES PER HOUR. WHILE COASTING, WE TURNED OFF THE MAIN STREET (WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY) - THE POWER STEERING, BRAKES ETC. NO LONGER WORKING. IT STARTED AFTER MANY FUTILE ATTEMPTS. WE HEADED TOWARDS A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THE MOTOR STALLED AGAIN, NOW ON A BUSY FREEWAY - AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, WHILE COASTING, THE MOTOR DID RESTART. THAT DEALERSHIP HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 24 HOURS BUT FOUND NOTHING. THEIR COMMENT: "IT IS RUNNING FINE NOW - IT IS LIKELY ELECTRONIC - TAKE IT TO YOUR LOCAL DEALER". WE LEFT THE NEXT DAY FOR THE 240 MILE TRIP HOME. WE WERE ON A MAJOR FREEWAY DURING "RUSH HOUR" EXTREMELY CONGESTED TRAFFIC (DUE TO CONSTRUCTION) WHEN THE MOTOR STALLED ONCE AGAIN. WE HAD JUST MERGED FROM 2 LANES TO 1 AND MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO "MUSCLE THE VEHICLE" INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS TIME, AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, NOTHING. WE WERE STRANDED ON A MAJOR FREEWAY WITH 2 DOGS AND ENDLESS 65 MPH TRAFFIC FLYING BY. AFTER UNLOADING OUR DOGS INTO THE MIDST OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION, OUR 2010 EXPEDITION WAS LOADED ONTO A FLATBED TRUCK TO BE HAULED THE 65 MILES REMAINING TO OUR HOME (AND THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE). AFTER 3 DAYS OF DIAGNOSTICS FOUND NOTHING, SOMEONE AT FORD (DETROIT) SUGGESTED THE "WIGGLE-WIRE" TEST BEFORE, AS A LAST RESORT, REPLACING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE WIRES WERE WIGGLED UNTIL ONE ACTUALLY STOPPED THE ENGINE. IT HAD BEEN "CRIMPED", AS WIRES WERE "MERGED" FROM MANY TO A FEW AT THE FACTORY, EVENTUALLY CAUSING A SHORT. THE STALLING ENGINE COULD EASILY HAVE RESULTED IN AN HORRIFIC ACCIDENT. AND, I AM NOT CONVINCED IT IS TRULY "FIXED".