NHTSA Complaint #10243260 — 2008 FORD F-350

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITHOUT POWER ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT NOTICED EXCESSIVE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND IDLED ROUGHLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER FIVE MINUTES, THE ENGINE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS AND AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. HOWEVER, THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED AT 53,000 MILES. ON 12 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,400. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB