NHTSA Complaint #10557698 — 2011 FORD F-150

RETURNING HOME FROM A WEEKEND CAMPING TRIP WITH MY FAMILY AND PULLING A TRAVEL TRAILER VIA I-81 IN VA, I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR APPROACHING A LONG HILL, AND ABRUPTLY LOST ALL ENGINE AND DRIVE POWER, THE ENGINE SHUDDERED VIOLENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED TO LOWER GEAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED A FEW TIMES. WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER AND I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF. I WAS IN THE 2ND LANE FROM THE RIGHT AND HAD TO QUICKLY MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE THEN TO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS WHILE PULLING A 34' TRAVEL TRAILER. I HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP COMPLETELY TO REGAIN CONTROL. I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK AND TURN IT OFF BEFORE IT RETURNED TO SOMEWHAT NORMAL DRIVABILITY. WHILE CONTINUING TO CLIMB THE UPHILL GRADE, THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND HESITATED CONSTANTLY. I COULD ONLY APPLY GENTLY PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR TO KEEP THE VEHICLE MOVING. ONCE OVER THE HILL THE VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED AND RETURNED TO NORMAL DRIVABILITY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN A FEW MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON RT-4 IN MD WITH MY WIFE, AND NOT PULLING A TRAILER. THIS TIME I DIDN'T SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, BUT HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER TO REGAIN CONTROL AND ENGINE POWER. AS I CONTINUED ON RT4 THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND HESITATED SEVERAL MORE MILES. ONCE AT MY DESTINATION I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, THEN UPON DEPARTURE THE VEHICLE OPERATED MORE NORMAL, BUT EXPERIENCED MISFIRE AND HESITATIONS SEVERAL MILE RETURNING HOME. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY, BUT I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AND MAKES ME VERY LEARY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON A NORMAL BASIS. IF I WAS ACCELERATING WHILE CROSSING THE HIGHWAY AND THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED, THERE IS A GREAT CHANCE OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT OR CAUSING ONE. *TR