NHTSA Complaint #10140517 — 2005 FORD F-150

TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY F150 I NOTICED A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND WITH THE A/C ON AND THE FAN IN LOW. I DROVE FOR ANOTHER WEEK TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NOISE WAS AND FOUND THAT IT IS APPARENTLY A RELAY THAT IS BEING CYCLED WHEN THE A/C COMPRESSOR TURNS ON. THE SWITCH WILL CYCLE ANYWHERE FROM ONCE EVERY TEN SECONDS AT 55 MPH AND ABOVE WITH THE FAN IN 1 OR 2 TO ONCE EVERY THIRTY SECONDS. THE SWITCH SELDOM CYCLES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS AT IDLE BUT CAN BE HEARD TO CYCLE WHEN THE A/C IS SWITCHED ON OR OFF AT IDLE OR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THERE IS NO APPARENT AFFECT ON THE A/C SYSTEM OPERATION. THE TICKING IS VERY LOUD AND ANNOYING. THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR A NEW VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY DEALER AND THEY DID SEVERAL THINGS, FIRST THEY RECHARGED THE A/C SYSTEM AND TRIED TO RETURN THE TRUCK TO ME. I DROVE IT DOWN THE STREET, NOTED THE TICKING STILL THERE AND TOOK IT BACK. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THAT THE TICKING IS "NORMAL" ON THESE TRUCKS. I PRESSED THE ISSUE AND HE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND ULTIMATELY CHANGED THE SWITCH/RELAY THAT IS CYCLING. THIS, HOWEVER IS THE WRONG SOLUTION, OBVIOUSLY THE SWITCH WORKS, WHAT IS NOT WORKING IS WHAT IS CAUSING IT TO CYCLE SO FREQUENTLY (AS OFTEN AS ONCE EVERY TEN SECONDS). AFTER A FULL DAY AT THE DEALERSHIP, I TOOK THE TRUCK AND HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANOTHER SOLUTION. *NM