NHTSA Complaint #10277636 — 2005 FORD F-350 SD

ABOUT A MILE AFTER I TURNED OFF OF HWY 101 ONTO HWY 166 GOING EAST WHILE HAULING MY 32' TOYHAULER WITH MY 2005 FORD F350 SUPERDUTY 4X4 DRW CREW CAB TRUCK WHEN SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT THE REAR OF MY TRUCK, A FRIEND THAT WAS FOLLOWING ME THOUGHT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE AS FLUID SPRINKLED ON HIS WINDSHIELD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER FOR A COUPLE OF MILES. WHEN I STOPPED I FOUND THAT MY TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD SPEWED OUT ONTO THE TAIL PIPE OF THE TRUCK THAT CAUSED THE SMOKE AND ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE TRUCK AND TRAILER TOWED TO SANTA MARIA FORD AND HAD TO WAIT A DAY FOR THEM TO OPEN. WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY RETAINER (SNAP) RING THAT CAME OFF (UNSEATED) THE LOW/REVERSE CLUTCH THAT CAUSED THE CRACK IN THE TRANSMISSION CASE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THERE WAS A FORD RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM A FEW YEARS EARLIER. HE DID NOT WANT ME TO MENTION THAT HE TOLD ME ANYTHING TO ANYONE AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF LOSING HIS JOB. I LEFT THE TRUCK AT THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY SAID IT NEEDED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND FORD RECALL 05B27 THAT WAS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM THAT HAD OCCURRED. THE RECALL STATED THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE A SNOWPLOW PACKAGE INSTALLED ON THE TRUCK TO RECEIVE THE RECALL. THIS TRUCK DID NOT HAVE THE SNOWPLOW PACKAGE. BUT, IT DID HAVE THE EXACT TRANSMISSION WITH THE FAULTY SNAP RING THAT THE TRUCKS WITH THE SNOWPLOW PACKAGE HAD. IT SHOULD NOT MATTER IF MY TRUCK HAD A SNOWPLOW PACKAGE OR NOT. FORD KNEW THAT MY TRUCK HAD THE FAULTY PART INSTALLED IN THE TRANSMISSION AND NEVER SENT ME A RECALL. I COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT OR MAY HAVE CAUSED ONE, DUE TO THIS (FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWN) FAULTY PART CRACKING THE TRANSMISSION CASE AND SPEWING TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE ROAD. HWY 166 IS A VERY WINDING ROAD IN AREAS AND WHO KNOWS IF AN ACCIDENT MAY HAVE HAPPENED DUE TO THE EXCESS SLIPPERY FLUID ALL OVER THE ROAD. MY COST $4441.00. *TR