NHTSA Complaint #10163051 — 2003 FORD F-350 SD

THE ENGINE OF A 2003 FORD WENT OUT AND WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ENGINE BY THE FORD DEALER SHIP. A FEW DAYS AFTER WE GOT THE TRUCK BACK IT WAS DRIVEN APPROX. 600 MILES, PULLING A TRAILER, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO BACK FIRE AND SPUTTER GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THE TRUCK WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT OFF. THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED FOR ANY VISUAL PROBLEMS AND THEN STARTED AGAIN. AFTER IT WAS RESTARTED THE ENGINE BEGAN TO PICK UP RPM. AT THAT POINT THE EGNITION WAS SHUT OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN! THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO INCREASE IT'S RPM UNTIL I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WOULD BLOW UP. I TOLD MY GRANDWON WHO WAS TRAVELING WITH ME TO HIT THE DITCH AND I TRIED TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLES. I FINALLY HAD TO LEAVE FOR FEAR THE ENGINE WOULD BLOW UP IN MY FACE. THE ENGINE DID BLOW BUT NO FIRE WAS STARTED. I TOWED IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MOST LIKELY THE TURBO THAT WENT OUT WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. WE ARE NOT HAVING IT FIXED AND IT HAS NOT AS YET BEEN DETERMINED IF THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY RUINED. IF IT IS, THE TURBO CAUSED THE FAILURE AND WE ARE BEEING TOLD THAT THE WARRENTY ON THE NEW ENGINE WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE. THE CONCERN IS THE RUN AWAY ENGINE. SHOULD THE IGNITION SWITCH NOT ALWAYS SHUT OFF THE ENGINE? WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS HAD BEEN IN GEAR AND THE TRUCK, PULLING A TRAILER, HAD BEEN RUNNING DOWN A CROUDED INTERSTATE? THE DEALERSHIP IS TREATING US FAIRLY ON THE TRADE IN BUT WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A DEFECT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE WHEN A TRUCK IS OUT OF CONTROL.