NHTSA Complaint #10408869 — 2005 FORD E-450

I HAVE A 2005 JAYCO 30FT. MOTORHOME WITH A 2005 FORD E-450 CHASSIS AND THE 6.8L V-10 ENGINE. I AM ON A TRIP FROM GEORGIA TO VERMONT WITH THIS UNIT AND AM TOWING A 2008 SATURN VUE. ON TUESDAY JUNE 21, WHILE TRAVELING AT APROX. 60MPH ON I-85N IN S. CAROLINA, I HAD A COMPLETE AND UNEXPECTED ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC CONDITION. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION, AND SHUT THE IGNITION OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. IT STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY AND I CONTINUED DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 5 HOURS. ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 22 WHILE DRIVING ON I-81N IN VIRGINIA THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED, AND ONCE AGAIN I WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND RESTART. AS BEFORE, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FOR ANOTHER 5-6 HOURS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. UPON ARRIVAL AT MY SCHEDULED STOPOVER CAMPGROUND, AND FULLY AWARE AS TO HOW POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THIS CONDITION COULD BE, I STOPPED MY TRIP AND CONTACTED 'FORD MOTORHOME CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER' ON THEIR TOLL FREE LINE AND DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THEIR SERVICE PERSONNEL. THEY REFERRED ME TO A DEALERSHIP WHICH IS ABOUT 50 MILES FROM HERE, BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT THE UNIT UNTIL POSSIBLY NEXT MONDAY, JUNE 27. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WILL BRING THE UNIT TO THEM ON MONDAY. OF COURSE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS SITUATION IS TRYING TO STOP A HEAVY VEHICLE WITH THE ADDED PUSH OF THE TOWED VEHICLE, THE DIFFICULTY IN TRYING TO STEER INTO A SAFE AREA, AND THE FEAR OF THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME NOT STOPPING IN TIME IN ORDER TO PREVENT A REAR END COLLISION. *TR