NHTSA Complaint #10593571 — 2011 FORD F-350

THIS DIESEL TRUCK WAS BEING DRIVEN AT 20 MPH WHEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. WOULD NOT RESTART. TOWED TO DEALER SERVICE. DEALER DIAGNOSED LACK OF FUEL PRESSURE AND THEY OBSERVED METAL SHAVINGS IN THE LOWER FILTER INDICATING THE HPFP WAS DISINTEGRATING. DEALER SUBMITTED PICTURES OF THE FLOW CONTROL VALVE TO FORD WARRANTY PRIOR APPROVAL PER SERVICE MANUAL DIRECTIONS. DEALER OBSERVATION WAS THAT THEY OBSERVED NO SIGNIFICANT WATER OR DEBRIS CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL FILTER. PRIOR APPROVAL RESPONSE WAS THAT THE PICTURES SUBMITTED WERE REPRESENTATIVE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION AND DENIED THE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE REPAIR. NO WATER IN FUEL INDICATION WAS EVER SEEN BY OWNER. FILTERS MAINTAINED PER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. BILL FOR REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT APPROX $11,000. TWO WEEKS PRIOR, THIS VEHICLE WAS TOWING A 14K LB 5TH WHEEL DOWN THE SANTIAM PASS IN OREGON. STEEP INCLINES, SHARP DROP OFFS, AND SNOW ON THE ROAD. A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING WOULD VERY LIKELY HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SEVERE BODILY INJURY, OR DEATH. IT APPEARS THE BOSCH CP4 FUEL PUMP WAS NOT DESIGNED TO OPERATE WITH THE 560 SCAR FUEL LUBRICITY OF US FUELS AND THAT FORD IS BLAMING PUMP FAILURES ON WATER CONTAMINATION BY OBSERVATION OF A CORROSION APPEARANCE ON ANOTHER COMPONENT. WARRANTY COVERAGE WAS DENIED WITHOUT ANY OBSERVATION OF THE FUEL PUMP ITSELF. NOTE THAT NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK WAS OBSERVED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH A FACTORY 5TH WHEEL HITCH AND IS INTENDED TO HAUL UP TO 21.5K LB TRAILERS. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING UNDER THIS INTENDED USE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR