NHTSA Complaint #10502292 — 2010 FORD FUSION

IN MODERATE TRAFFIC ON I385, TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS THERE WAS A SUDDEN "CLUNK" AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND SUNNY WITH AN OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE OF 64 DEG. F. PAVEMENT WAS DRY. WITH MY WIFE AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR I HAD TO CROSS TWO LANES OF MODERATE TRAFFIC TO SAFELY GET TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. SOME CARS AROUND ME HAD TO MAKE AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS. NOT GOOD! ONCE I GOT STOPPED IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE WITH THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS ACTIVATED, I DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING WITH THE RPM SURGING BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 700 AND 1500 RPM. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE TO AN EXIT RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WITH THE CAR JERKING FORWARD WITH THE CHANGE IN RPM. THE "WRENCH" LIGHT WAS ON BUT NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. ONCE ON THE EXIT RAMP I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO RE-START IT. AFTER A LONG CRANKING CYCLE THE ENGINE RE-STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY. THERE WAS NO "WRENCH" OR "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AFTER THE RE-START. THE CAR RAN NORMALLY ON THE TRIP HOME (APPROX. 10 MILES). THE ENGINE IS A 3.0 LITER, V-6 WITH "FLEX FUEL" CAPABILITY. *TR