NHTSA Complaint #10330715 — 2004 FORD F-150

2004 F-150, MODERATE TO SEVERE VIBRATION APPEARING TO COME FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN OR DRIVE LINE. VIBRATION APPEARS IN THE 55 - 60 MPH AND CAN GET SO BAD THAT I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO CHECK VEHICLE FOR DAMAGE. PROBLEM FIRST SURFACED AFTER TOWING A 3500 LBS TRAILER FOR ABOUT 60 MILES. NO PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY. F150 RATED FOR 5000 LBS. PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY BUT COMES ON SUDDENLY AND MUST PULL OVER FOR FEAR OF LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ATTEMPTED TYPICAL VIBRATION RELATED REPAIRS. TIRES COMPLETELY ROTATED AND REBALANCED. TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND FLUID CHANGED. DIFFERENTIAL FLUID CHANGED. TRANSFER CASE FLUID CHANGED. ENGINE ELECTRONICALLY CHECKED FOR OPERATIONAL ISSUES OR "CODES". NONE. WHEN VIBRATION BEGINS, PUT F150 INTO NEUTRAL TO CHECK FOR POSSIBLE ENGINE MOUNT PROBLEMS. NEUTRAL HAD NO EFFECT ON EASING THE SEVERE VIBRATION. ATTEMPTED SIMPLY EASING OFF GAS - NO EFFECT. VIBRATION REMAINED SEVERE. ONLY SOLUTION IS TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN RESTART. VIBRATION STOPS BUT ONLY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THEN COMES BACK JUST AS SEVERE. REPAIRS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH VIBRATION AT SPEED HAVE HAD NO EFFECT. DANGER IS IN POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL AND HAVING TO STOP ON HI-SPEED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS WITH THE ASSOCIATED DANGER OF COLLISION FROM PASSING VEHICLES. *TR