Ford dealer quoted $850 for spark plug change

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

DoubleWasp

Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
6,762
Location
Fort Lauderdale, FL
This is concerning a 2006 F150 with the notorious 5.4 3 valve engine. The extended spark plug design is known to get stuck in the cylinder heads, and then a special tool kit is required to get the broken plugs out, because even the portion the socket grips breaks off from the rest of the plug. A friend of mine took his truck in to have the plugs done, knowing things could get real bad real quick if he tried it himself, at the dealer quoted him a minimum of $850, including up to 2 broken spark plugs, and an additional $200 for each additional broken spark plug after that.
eek.gif


4 figure bill for routine spark plug replacement? Even for a dealership, that's pretty rotten. I think Ferrari, up the street isn't running quite that steep.

I happen to have the Lisle tool set to remove the broken plugs, so I did it myself and saved him a small fortune.

Just what the heck is wrong with Ford anyway? I knew they were good at putting out diesel trucks with poorly engineered engines that needed a king's ransom worth of maintenance, repair, and modification to stay on the road, but gas trucks too? Sometimes I don't know how Ford comes up with these bright ideas.

I have had plenty of DOHC 4.6's from Ford that were known for tossing the whole spark plug, along with the threads, so I guess they decided for their second go at V8 engines, they would make an engine whose spark plugs would simply never come out at all.
confused.gif
 
Digging around the internet shows different ways to get the plugs out. One is to run Seafoam and 92 octane fuel prior to plug change day to loosen the carbon and smack them off with an impact wrench on a warm engine. Then there's the Ford TSB way and other ways where the worst case scenario is to pull the heads.
 
Ok here's a great way to get them out. Start the car, drive it on the freeway for 15-20 mins. Enough to get it thoroughly up to operating temperature. Then pop the hood, and with the engine still warm - take your spark plug socket, extension, and a good 3/8 cordless impact and gun them in reverse until they come free. I've found the impacting motion helps to break the plugs free vs breaking them off.

You could also invest in the extraction kit to remove them if they get stuck. Yeah they suck to get out. Unfortunately it's one of those things that will be expensive regardless of where you go as it's a known problem.

Grab some anti seize and dielectric grease while you're at it. Anti size the threads on the plug, coating of dielectric grease on the plug contact and on the inside of the rubber boot.
 
Last edited:
Seafoam, 3/8 impact, and hot engine did the trick for me. Didn't even have to bust out the Lisle set at all. Used copper anti-seize on re-install. All is well now. No more cylinder #3 misfire, runs smooth as glass.
 
Sickening. They make a lousy design, loaded with problems and then charge you extra to service it. I'm a Ford guy so this isn't a Ford bash, just a rant. It happens with all of them though, they screw up, you pay. The auto industry at its finest.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Seafoam, 3/8 impact, and hot engine did the trick for me. Didn't even have to bust out the Lisle set at all. Used copper anti-seize on re-install. All is well now. No more cylinder #3 misfire, runs smooth as glass.


This! There is a TSB on it as well. The only hard one to reach is the passenger rear. Removing the computer (3 harnesses and 4 bolts; easy) makes access a lot easier.

I do think the second gen plugs, that don't have the flaw, came out in some vehicles in 06 and all in 2007. Maybe check your vin to see first.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Sickening. They make a lousy design, loaded with problems and then charge you extra to service it. I'm a Ford guy so this isn't a Ford bash, just a rant. It happens with all of them though, they screw up, you pay. The auto industry at its finest.


Exactly. This is typical for them.

You should see what Chrysler stealers do when they see a Hemi pull in for a plug change. There are 16 of them, but the prices quoted are unreal and the job itself is extremely easy, among the easiest I have ever done...
 
My local dealer did my spark plugs and an oil change for $310 on my 2004 F-150 with the 5.4. I had 80k miles on them and they didn't break any of them. They quoted me $139 for each broken plug. They even gave me a free loaner car so they could soak the plugs and take their time. They had it for 24 hours. For most things they are pretty competitive in price. Another Ford dealer near me charges 3-4 times as much as they do, and they have a bigger service area.
What amazes me is the price difference between different Ford dealers.
The dealers that charge the most also seem to have the worst customer service too.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp


4 figure bill for routine spark plug replacement? Even for a dealership, that's pretty rotten. I think Ferrari, up the street isn't running quite that steep.



No, it's not rotten.... it's a Ford.

Ford came up with a better idea, that stunk beyond belief. And the owners get to pay for it. Just like the cam phaser issue.
 
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Call around, Ford dealers are littered all over the landscape.

+1000 - When I started checking into having them changed, I had prices that ranged from $350 to $850 for my 2010 that does not have the problem with the plugs. When I finally had it done, I think I paid $275. Call several dealers.
 
your 2010 has completely normal plugs. took me an hour to change mine on my 2009 going slow.

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Call around, Ford dealers are littered all over the landscape.

+1000 - When I started checking into having them changed, I had prices that ranged from $350 to $850 for my 2010 that does not have the problem with the plugs. When I finally had it done, I think I paid $275. Call several dealers.
 
Get iridium spark plugs if they make them for your truck. They should last like 100k. And put some anti-seize on them!
shocked.gif


Does that engine use two spark plugs per cylinder? 16 plugs at $10 each would be $160

Too bad Toyota and Nissan don't have 3/4 and 1-ton trucks! Even better if they had diesel!
 
I have changed hundreds of these plugs, all you have to do is get the engine hot, pull the coils out and hit them with a good 3/8 impact keeping the socket straight. If they are going to break they are going to break and there is nothing you can do about it. When they break the lisle too will take them out in a matter of minutes, you can break half of them and still beat flat rate time.
 
Shop around. My 04 had its plugs done and broke 3 of them. Total cost at a Ford dealership was under $450. If there aren't other Ford dealerships, then shop some independents. There are enough Ford dealerships around here its easy to price shop if you want.

It is what it is. Every manufacturer gets weird things in their lineups from time to time. Not ideal, but you can point to not ideal setups across the board.

And no, iridium plugs are not the answer here. The OEM platinum plugs are 100k plugs out of the box.
 
I asked a Ford tech a few years back and he told me that he had great success with the impact gun method.
 
Originally Posted By: SnowDrifter
Ok here's a great way to get them out. Start the car, drive it on the freeway for 15-20 mins. Enough to get it thoroughly up to operating temperature. Then pop the hood, and with the engine still warm - take your spark plug socket, extension, and a good 3/8 cordless impact and gun them in reverse until they come free. I've found the impacting motion helps to break the plugs free vs breaking them off.

You could also invest in the extraction kit to remove them if they get stuck. Yeah they suck to get out. Unfortunately it's one of those things that will be expensive regardless of where you go as it's a known problem.

Grab some anti seize and dielectric grease while you're at it. Anti size the threads on the plug, coating of dielectric grease on the plug contact and on the inside of the rubber boot.




Having done many of these nightmare engines this method is foolproof.
The first time I did them I broke off 2 of them on a cold engine and pb blaster. Half a can of the stuff and still they broke.
Then I did some internet digging and read about using an impact.
Since then I don't even use pb blaster anymore. Just full blast on a warm engine. Half a can of seafoam thru a vacuum line doesn't hurt either.
 
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
It is what it is. Every manufacturer gets weird things in their lineups from time to time. Not ideal, but you can point to not ideal setups across the board.


Exactly. The aftermarket is all over this with the kits to help with broken plugs and stripped threads.

I could also recall several vehicles where services required special effort!
 
This is just an engineering flaw that is really a PITA to take care of. I hate to say it, but here are two options:

1. Call around, find the cheapest Ford dealer you can find and have them do it, with the expectation that they are most likely going to break at least one plug and pony up the money. BUT, I would have them replace the old ones with Iridium or Double Platinum plugs that can go 100k so you wont have to deal with this problem anytime in the near future.

OR

2. Sell the truck. Make it someone elses problem. Find a vehicle that is not such a nightmare to work on. Every vehicle will have its own quirks, but snapping spark plugs is just unacceptable.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
2007 Odyssey spark plug change
Replies
10
Views
638
Finklejag
Kantaro
Volvo multi-ground spark plugs - why?
Replies
19
Views
1K
Carmudgeon
F
Correct spark plug
Replies
7
Views
637
willbur
P
waste spark design and twin tips?
Replies
10
Views
902
SHOZ
earlyre
2 Motorcraft plugs listed for my car... what's the Difference?
Replies
8
Views
1K
earlyre
Back
Top