NHTSA Complaint #10189190 — 1999 FORD F-250 SD

DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT POSTED SPEED LIMIT (65-70 MPH) THE TRUCK SHUT-OFF WITH NO WARNING LOOSING ALL POWER INCLUDING POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ATTEMPTED TO RESTART TRUCK AND IT DID. PULLED BACK OUT ONTO THE INTERSTATE AND AFTER A FEW HUNDRED YARDS IT SHUT-OFF AGAIN. TRUCK THEN WOULD NOT START FOR 10-15 MINUTES, FINALLY STARTED AND I MADE IT ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO NEXT EXIT. TRUCK SHUT-OFF AGAIN IN PARKING LOT OF A TRUCK STOP AND WOULD NOT START. AFTER USING A HAND HELD SCANNER TO CHECK ENGINE CODES, PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A FAILED CPS (CAM POSITION SENSOR). NEW PART WAS PURCHASED FROM PARTS HOUSE (~$150) AND I INSTALLED IN THE PARKING LOT. TRUCK STARTED BACK UP AND CONTINUED ON A SEVERAL HOUR TRIP. A WEEK OR SO LATER THAT SENSOR HAD AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE OCCURRING (ACCORDING TO CODES FROM A HAND HELD SCANNER) SO IT WAS REPLACED AGAIN WITH A FORD PART #. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE BUT BECAUSE THIS CPS FAILURE IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AMONGST FORD DIESEL TRUCK OWNERS I HAVE PURCHASED A SECOND FORD SENSOR AND KEEP IN THE TRUCK AS A SPARE TO KEEP FROM STRANDING MYSELF ON THE ROAD. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WITH ~125,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. I FEEL ~125,000 MILES IS AN ACCEPTABLE LIFE SPAN FOR THE SENSOR, BUT THE IMMEDIATE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING CAN LEAVE THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR