NHTSA Complaint #10577711 — 2005 FORD EXPEDITION

THE REPORTED MODEL WAS CRUISING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ALONG NORTH BOUND I-795 @ NC RTE 42, WILSON, NC (STATE POLICE RESPONDED TO THIS DISABLED VEHICLE CALL) VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT RAN OUT OF GAS. ELECTRICAL PROVEOUT INDICATORS WERE NORMAL. IGNITION SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONAL, AS WERE ALL OTHER FACETS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMED FINE DURING THE ENGINE POWER FAILURE, HOWEVER , LOSS OF STEERING POWER AND BRAKING POWER WAS EVIDENT AND PROMINENT. AFTER SAFELY COASTING OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER JUST PAST THE SAID INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. A FINAL DIAGNOSIS WAS PERFORMED AND WAS DETERMINED OF A RELAY CONTACT FAILURE. THIS RELAY IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MAIN POWER DISTRIBUTION PANEL / FUSE BLOCK RIGHT OF THE PASSENGER FOOT WELL. MAKING THIS PART INTEGRAL TO THE POWER BLOCK MAKES IT EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AND MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE AS FAR AS A REASONABLE REPAIR TO A CRITICAL SYSTEM AND PLACES OTHER SYSTEMS AT RISK BY THE NATURE OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE POWER BLOCK TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM.. IE: THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN THIS RELAY CONTACT FAILS, POWER IS LOST TO THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER'S REAR WHEEL WELL. THIS MODULE SUPPLY POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP MOTOR IN THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE ITSELF SHOULD BE SCRUTINIZED HENCE IT'S LOCATION MAKES IT VULNERABLE TO WEATHER AND QUICK CORROSION. *TR