NHTSA Complaint #10453823 — 2002 FORD EXCURSION

ENGINE PERFORMANCE SUDDENLY BECAME ERRATIC AND VERY ROUGH RUNNING. IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND WENT HOME/ HAD TOWED TO FORD DEALER. DEALERSHIP RAN $250 DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT CAME BACK CLEAN. I WAS DIRECTED TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL AS AIR MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE FUEL INJECTION LUBING SYSTEM ALONG WITH CHANGING THE FUEL FILTER. ON PERFORMANCE OF FUEL FILTER REPLACEMENT, TECHNICIAN DIRECTED MY ATTENTION TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMALL PIECES OF METAL TRAPPED IN AND ON TOP OF FILTER ELEMENT. MECHANIC SAID THIS IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH METAL THE RESULT OF DELAMINATION OF THE INNER LINING OF THE FUEL TANK IN FORD DIESELS. INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALS MANY MANY COMPLAINTS TO BOTH FORD AND NHTSA OVER THIS ISSUE. THIS CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BRAKES, AND TRAILER BRAKES WHICH COULD EASILY RESULT IN LOSS OF LIVES. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO FORD AND MY COMPLAINT HAS BEEN DULY NOTED AND REGISTERED. *TR