NHTSA Complaint #10243923 — 1996 FORD E-250

I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WITH TRUCK IN GEAR AND CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CLUTCH RELEASED WITH THE PEDAL STILL DOWN CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LURCH INTO THE STREET ABOUT 15 FT BEFORE I COULD STOP WITH THE BRAKES. THE CARS IN THE STREET WERE ABLE TO AVOID ME BUT I WAS VERY SHAKEN. I FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS THE "CLUTCH ROD END PLASTIC BUSHING AND RETAINER" HAD FAILED ALLOWING THE CLUTCH TO RELEASE WITHOUT THE PEDAL. THIS WAS REPLACED BUT FAILED AGAIN 6 MONTHS LATER. FORTUNATELY I ALWAYS KEEP THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL WHEN STOPPED NOW SO IT WAS ONLY AN INCONVENIENCE. CHECKING THE INTERNET FOR A FIX I FOUND SEVERAL COMPANIES THAT MAKE A REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY FOR THIS BECAUSE OF ALL THE FAILURES. I HAVE BEEN KEEPING THE "ROD END" IN PLACE WITH WIRE AND ALWAYS KEEP IN NEUTRAL TO PREVENT ANOTHER FAILURE BUT HAVE ORDERED A REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY AN EBAY COMPANY TO PREVENT THIS VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. WHY HASN'T FORD NOTIFIED ANYONE ABOUT THIS POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE THREATENING FAILURE AND AT LEAST SUPPLIED PARTS TO FIX THIS CORRECTLY. *TR