NHTSA Complaint #10474362 — 2008 FORD F-250

WHILE TOWING A 10,000 POUND 5TH WHEEL TRAILER I NEEDED TO SPEED UP TO MERGE INTO THE LEFT LANE. THE TRUCK WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 50 MPH. I STEPPED DOWN AND ENTERED PASSING GEAR. AFTER THE MERGE I LET OFF THE THROTTLE BUT THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN PASSING GEAR. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT RELEASE AND THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I TRIED REPEATEDLY TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE USING THE BRAKES. I THEN PRESSED THE CRUISE CONTROL "OFF" BUTTON REPEATEDLY TO NO AVAIL. AT THIS POINT I PRESSED AND HELD THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD WHILE THE DIESEL ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AT MAX POWER. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW TO ABOUT 30 MPH BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED TO OVERCOME THE FADING BRAKES. AT THIS POINT I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND COASTED TO A STOP. I TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE TWICE AND IT IMMEDIATELY STARTED AT MAX THROTTLE AND I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE KEY OFF. I CALLED FORD FOR A TOW. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES I TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT STARTED NORMALLY SO I CANCELLED THE TOW. THE TRUCK SEEMS TO BE WORKING NORMALLY AND CRUISE ALSO WORKS NORMALLY. I HAVEN'T TRIED TO ENTER PASSING GEAR WHILE IN CRUISE AND WON'T AS THIS INCIDENT ALMOST CAUSE ME TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. I PLAN TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER TO BE ANALYZED. THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM AND COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT. *TR