NHTSA Complaint #10273854 — 2004 FORD F-150

ON A SUNDAY, I WAS ON A SIDE STREET WHEN THE ENGINE WENT DEAD. I NOTICED THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS ON. I CALLED THE WRECKER SERVICE AS IT WAS STILL IN WARRANTY. THE WRECKER DRIVER ARRIVED AND ASKED IF I HAD TRIED TO RESTART IT, WHICH I DIDN'T. I STARTED IT AND DROVE HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 06/04/08. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ERROR NOR FIND ANYTHING IN THE COMPUTER MODULE. ON 03/29/09, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. IF I HAD BEEN ON A HIGHWAY OR FREEWAY, I MIGHT HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES, THEN THE TRUCK STARTED UP AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER ON 04/01/09. THEY KEPT IT OVERNIGHT DOING VARIOUS TESTS. THE COMPUTER SHOWED NOTHING. THEY FINALLY SUGGESTED TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPROGRAM THE PCM. I AGREED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND COST ME $484 TO REPAIR. I WAS LEERY OF DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND FREEWAY AS IF IT HAPPENS THERE, I'M SURE IF I CAN'T PULL OVER I WILL SURELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT CHECKS ON THE INTERNET FOUND THE IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. THE ENGINE IS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO "LIMP MODE" TO ALLOW ONE TO SLOWLY, BUT SAFELY DRIVE TO A SAFE SPOT. MY TRUCK, AND MANY OTHERS, DO NOT GO INTO "LIMP MODE"; THEY JUST GO DEAD. I STRONGLY SUGGEST THIS BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS DUE TO THIS DEFAULT. *TR