NHTSA Complaint #10164722 — 2000 FORD F-250 SD

WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 F-250 FORD PICK UP TRUCK EQUIPED WITH THE 7.3 LITER DIESEL ENGINE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING, WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS. THIS OCCURED WHILE I WAS ENTERING A CIRCLE INTERSECTION, FORTUNATELY VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE ANY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN I LOST BOTH THE POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKING SYSTEMS. I WAS STARTING MY TURN TO ENTER THE CIRCLE AND AT FIRST THOUGHT THAT I HAD A FRONT FLAT TIRE AS THE VEHICLE BARELY RESPONDED TO MY EFFORTS TO GRADUALLY TURN TO THE RIGHT. THEN, WHEN I TRIED TO STOP IT TOOK AT LEAST TWO TO THREE TIMES THE DISTANCE TO COME TO A STOP, AS IT USUALLY DOES, EVEN WITH GREATLY INCREASED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. IF THER HAD BEEN A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME OR ANOTHER SORT OF OBSTRUCTION I COULD HAVE EASILY HIT IT. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME, A DISTANCE OF APPROX 2/3 MILES , DURING WHICH THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT 4 MORE TIMES, WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS OF VERY POOR STEERING AND BRAKING . THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL COMPONET REFERED TO AS A CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AT A COST OF APPROX $377.00 . I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND ENGINE COMBINATION USUALLY HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM OF FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR WITHOUT ANY WARNING, E.G. THER WERE NO DASH WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY WARNING OF ANY SORT AND THE ENGINES CAN STALL OUT EITHER RUNNING AT 65 MPH OR AT IDLE OR ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN. I WAS FORTUNATE, IN THAT I WAS GOING SLOW AND THAT THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. *NM