NHTSA Complaint #10133789 — 2004 FORD F-150

DT: ON 8-15-05 TRANSMISSION SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 60 MPH. THE OWNER HAD TO PULL OVER. THE TRUCK STARTED TO BUCK AS IF IT WAS GOING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE OWNER HAD TO PULL OFF SINCE TRAFFIC WAS BUSY, AND CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND THERE WAS NO TRANSMISSION FLUID. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO ADVISED THE OWNER THAT THE TRUCK WAS MISSING ONE QUART OF FLUID, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP FILLED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE OWNER CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID A FEW MINUTES AGO AND IT WAS OVERFILLED. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATED THAT THE HIGH FLUID LEVEL COULD BE AND INDICATION OF HAVING AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM. THE OWNER FELT THAT IT MAY BE A DECEPTION ON THE PART OF THE DEALERSHIP. HE FELT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS WARPED DUE TO BEING OPERATED WITHOUT ADEQUATE FLUID. THE DEALERSHIP DID FIND THE NUMBER 8 CYLINDER WAS MISFIRING, WHICH DID NOT SEEM TO RELATE TO THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THE OWNER NOTICED WHEN GOING UP A HILL IT STOPPED AND ROLLED. THE OWNER HAD TO KEEP THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP IT FROM ROLLING BACK. THE OWNER NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE OWNER HAS NOT CONTACTED FORD YET.*AK