NHTSA Complaint #10221451 — 1999 FORD F-450 SD

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F450 SUPER DUTY. FIVE YEARS AGO, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. HE WOULD TURN THE KEY BACK, WHICH WOULD CLEAR THE COMPUTER, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. THE FAILURE WORSENED TO THE POINT WHERE HE HAD TO REPLACE THE SENSOR FIVE TIMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. IN DECEMBER OF 2007, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V553000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL). HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN JANUARY OF 2008 TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR, BUT COULD NOT CRANK THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE STARTER WAS BURNED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE STARTER HIMSELF ON FEBRUARY 28, 2008. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK AND GIVE HIM A CALL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS "DUSTED" AND HAD "BLOWBACK" (A CRACKED HEAD ON THE ENGINE). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO VISITING THE DEALER. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE OIL WAS NOT CONTAMINATED WITH ANTIFREEZE, WHICH WAS THE USUAL OCCURRENCE WITH A CRACKED HEAD. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER TO ONLY REPAIR THE ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR AND NOTHING ELSE. ON MARCH 14, 2008, THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR, BUT STILL COULD NOT CRANK THE VEHICLE DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION. ON MARCH 17, 2008, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 208,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,806.