NHTSA Complaint #10536641 — 2012 INTERNATIONAL PROSTAR

I WAS DRIVING ON I-70 JUST OUTSIDE OF BRECKENRIDGE COLORADO, AT APPROXIMATELY MILE MARKER 228, GOING UPHILL AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH. TRAFFIC WAS RATHER LIGHT AND I WAS BEHIND A CAR WITH ANOTHER PASSING ME ON THE LEFT SIDE, ON THIS 2-LANE PORTION OF THE INTERSTATE. WHEN INSTANTLY, THE TRUCK ACCELERATED FROM 65 TO 100 MPH WITHIN 5 SECONDS. THE JOLT THREW ME BACK INTO MY SEAT AND I HAD TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTIONS NOT TO HIT ANY OF THE CARS AROUND ME. MY BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. I COULD NOT GET THE TRUCK OUT OF GEAR AND TURNING THE TRUCK OFF MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I HAD TO PASS BOTH CARS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN EXCESS OF 120 MPH AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS, THE TRUCK LOST ALL POWER. BY THEN I WAS GOING DOWNHILL AND COASTED APPROXIMATEDLY 3/4 OF A MILE BEFORE PULLING OFF INTO A REST AREA. I CONTACTED MY DEALER, DIAMOND INTERNATIONAL, WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO REMOVE THE RUBBER TUBE BETWEEN THE TURBO AND THE CHARGED AIR COOLER AND INSPECT FOR ANY OIL. I FOUND OIL IN THE TUBE AND THEY INSTRUCTED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND HAVE IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO MCCANDLESS TRUCK CENTER IN AURORA, CO., AND WAS DETERMINED THE TURBO HAD FAILED ALLOWING OIL TO PASS THROUGH INTO THE CHARGE AIR COOLER. . THE TECHNICAIN I TALKED WITH TOLD ME THE OIL ATOMIZES BEFORE ENTERING INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSES AN IMEDIATE INCREASE IN SPEED AND ENGINE RPM HAD MAXED OUT TO 3,500 BEFORE IT SHUT DOWN WHICH LUCKILY CAUSED NO INTERNAL DAMAGE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A COMMERCIAL TRUCK FOR 30 YEARS WITH OVER 1 MILLION MILES AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCE AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED.