NHTSA Complaint #10168378 — 2002 FORD F-150

THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN BACK FROM THE STORE, A DISTANCE OF A FEW MILES, THEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. APPRXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER I HEAD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A COMPRESSOR RUNNING OUT IN THE STREET. WENT OUT INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND FOUND THE STARTER WAS TURNING OVER THE ENGINE. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN TURNED OFF WHEN PARKED AND THE KEY WAS REMOVED. WENT BACK INSIDE GOT THE KEY, AND TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE "RUN" POSITION. TRUCK STARTED AND RAN. TURNED OFF IGNITION AND REMOVED KEY, BUT THE STARTER CONTINUED TO TURN ENGINE. DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE LETTING THE ENGINE RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, THEN FINALLY WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF IGNITION AND STARTER DID NOT CRANK THE ENGINE. NEXT MORNING TRUCK WOULD NOT START. TRUCK WAS TOWED AND HAD TO HAVE STARTER REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD BURNED OUT. THE TRUCK HAS ONLY 15,000 MILES. CALLED LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH STARTERS. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH STARTER ENGAGING BY ITSELF.