NHTSA Complaint #10532770 — 2012 FORD F-150

ON JULY 6, 2013, I WAS DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER ON THE HIGHWAY AND OCCASIONALLY NOTICED A MISS/SHUDDER OF THE ENGINE DURING THE DRIVE. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED BEFORE AND HAD ADDRESSED, UNDER WARRANTY WITH MY FORD DEALER. I HAD SLOWED TO 30MPH DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THE NEED TO MERGE ONTO ANOTHER HIGHWAY WHEN I EXPERIENCED A VERY SEVERE AND FRIGHTENING ISSUE WITH MY F150. I WAS MERGING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON AN ON-RAMP AND NEEDED TO ACCELERATE HARD. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE REVVED BUT HAD NO POWER. THE TRUCK SHOOK SO BADLY THAT I COULD BARELY CONTROL IT AT 30 MPH. I LET OFF THE GAS AND TRIED AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULT. BY NOW, I HAD TO STEER TO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ON THE FOURTH OR FIFTH ATTEMPT, THE ENGINE FINALLY CAME TO LIFE AND ACCELERATED WITH ENOUGH POWER TO GET ME ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE 3.5L ECOBOOST EQUIPPED F150S. ALTHOUGH FORD HAS ISSUED TSBS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SEVERAL "FIXES" HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED ON MY TRUCK AND NONE HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED OR BOUGHT BACK AND REPLACED WITH SAFER, NON-DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. *TR