NHTSA Complaint #10275367 — 2004 FORD F-150

ON JUNE 29, 2009 WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A BUSY CITY STREET THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING APPEARED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THERE WAS NO NOISE OR ANY INDICATION OF THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT HAD OCCURRED. THE ENGINE REVVED WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. WHILE TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC AS THE VEHICLE SLOWED I ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR TRAFFIC LANES AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED DOWN INTO SECOND GEAR AS I SLOWED TO SEE IF THIS HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND I PULLED OUT OF TRAFFIC LANES. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS IN STANDARD OPERATING RANGE. I THEN DISENGAGED THE OVERDRIVE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE FOUND THE OVERDRIVE CLUTCH PACK FAILED. THIS VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED, DOES NOT TOW ANYTHING AND IS DRIVEN TO AND FROM WORK, 30 MILES EACH WAY. THE REPAIR IS $2500.00 FOR A 5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH 69,700 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS STANDARD EQUIPMENT FROM FORD WAS NOT DESIGNED TO PERFORM AT AN ADEQUATE PERFORMANCE LEVEL AS EXPECTED FROM A CONSUMER. THE CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASE NEW FORD VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT THE PRODUCT TO LAST LONGER THAN THE PAYMENTS ONE MAKES ON THE NEW VEHICLE! *TR