NHTSA Complaint #10142554 — 2002 FORD F-350 SD

MY VEHICLE IS A 2002 FORD F-350 XLT 4X4 POWER STROKE DIESEL...AUTO TRANS. THE DIESEL ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT DOWN DUE TO A DEFECTIVE " SYNCHRONIZER " ( CAM POSITION SENSOR OR " CPS" ) WHILE TOWING A HEAVY BOAT & TRAILER ( 9,800 LBS ), THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. THIS MAKES THE TRUCK HARD TO STEER AND STOP, AND IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION,ESPECIALLY WHILE TOWING A TRAILER. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I NARROWLY MISSED HITTING A TELEPHONE POLE, AS I DID NOT KNOW THE ENGINE HAD DIED UNTIL I CONTINUED TO STEER THE VEHICLE AROUND A SLIGHT CORNER AND IT WOULD NOT TURN UNTIL I EXERTED HEAVY EFFORT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ( NO POWER STEERING WHEN THE ENGINE DIES) A WOMAN WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO STEER THIS VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURS. I THEN TRIED TO STOP THE TRUCK, AND WITH THE ENGINE STALLED ,THERE WAS NO POWER BRAKES EITHER. WITH HEAVY TOWING WEIGHT, THIS IS ALSO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE, BUT THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. I FOUND THAT IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO FORD DEALERS & POWERSTROKE OWNERS THAT THESE " CAM SENSORS " FAIL OFTEN, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF UNEXPECTEDLY,OR SOMETIMES CAUSING IT NOT TO START IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START , THIS IS NOT A DANGEROUS CONDITION, HOWEVER IF THE ENGINE DIES WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, THERE IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF LOSING CONTROL DUE TO THE EXTREME EFFORT REQUIRED TO STOP AND / OR STEER THE TRUCK WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE REPLACEMENT CAM SENSOR IS : F7TZ-12K073-A. I HAVE THE OLD SENSOR AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF FORD WANTS IT, BUT I AM SURE THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. THERE WERE NO COMPUTER TROUBLE CODES STORED WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE HAD 3 OTHER FORD POWERSTROKE DIESELS AND THE " CAM SENSOR " HAS FAILED ON EVERY ONE OF THEM. FORD NEEDS TO SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE SENSORS. *NM