NHTSA Complaint #10213180 — 2000 FORD FORD TRUCK

OUR RV SEEMED SLUGGISH ON GOING UP ON HILLS, THEN SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE GOING UPHILL ON HWY 77 IN WV. TOWED TO A LARGE AAA REPAIR CENTRE, WHERE THEY LOOKED INTO SOME SPARK PLUGS AND PULLED 5 OUT, ONE OF WHICH WAS SO BADLY DAMAGED, FLATTENED WITH TWISTED THREADS, THEY DETERMINED IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. HAD IT TOWED AGAIN DEC. 26 TO AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER. THEY INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND FOUND A HOLE IN ONE OF THE PISTONS. REPAIR WOULD BE NEW ENGINE ASSEBLY. NOT ONE THAT HAS SEEN THE SPARK PLUG AND KNOW THE MILES (29,500) ON THIS RV BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD OR SHOULD HAPPEN. IT NEEDS TO BE TOWED AGAIN TO A CAPABLE REPAIR SHOP, WHICH SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND. FORDS MOTOR COMPANY ANSWER IS THAT WARRANTY TIME IS OVER, FIX IT AND PAY FOR IT. APPRX. ESTIMATES ARE $6000.00 - 7000.00. THIS JUST HAPPENING BEFORE CHRISTMAS INVOLVES SO MANY PERSONAL HARDSHIPS, INCLUDING 19 HOUR BUS TRIP GOING NORTH, CANCELLATIONS OF SO MANY RESERVATIONS, INCLUDING AIRLINE TICKETS. THIS IS FAR FROM BEING OVER, AND THE REPAIR COSTS ARE UNBELIEVABLE AND WE ARE NOT READY FOR AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE IT IS GOING TO BE REPAIRED. EVERYONE SEEMS TO THINK THAT IT MUST BE AN ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT THERE IS NO OTHER ANSWER TO HAVE A HOLE IN AT LEAST ONE PISTON AND HAVE THAT LOSE METAL PIECE SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE MAYBE CAUSING MORE DAMAGE IF THE WHOLE ENGINE IS NOT CHANGED. WE ARE HELPLESS AND FAR AWAY FROM OUR RV. *TR