NHTSA Complaint #10605255 — 2003 FORD EXCURSION

THE 2003 FORD EXCURSION 6.0 LITER DIESEL, FIRST BROKE DOWN WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALER WHO WAS WORKING ON RECALL ITEMS. THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM THE DEALER (DEALER NOW OUT OF BUSINESS). AFTER A WHILE THE VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING POWER, BUT NOT STALLING WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY UP HILLS. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN PARTS, EGR VALVE ETC, IT WAS STATED THAT THE INJECTORS WERE BAD. ALL INJECTORS REPLACED. FRONT MAIN LEAF SPRING BROKE ON THE VEHICLE, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED - THE SPRING WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, -THE REPAIR FACILITY STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSIZED, AND THEY STOPPED MAKING THE ORIGINAL SPRING, BECAUSE TOO MANY WERE BREAKING. WE THEN AGAIN STARTED EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING - AT THIS TIME MY KIDS WERE DRIVING THE CAR, AND THIS WAS PARTICULARLY WORRISOME. MY REPAIR SHOP SENT THE VEHICLE TO A HEAVY TRUCK AND DIESEL REPAIR SHOP, SPECIALIZING IN AMBULANCES. AFTER CHARGING ME $3000 TO FIX MY PROBLEMS (VARIOUS PIECES AN PART RELATED TO THE ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, ETC), THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO OPERATE WELL. WHILE UP IN CLEVELAND FOR THANKSGIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY - . HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER, AND RENT A REPLACEMENT DURING OUR VACATION. THE DEALER SAID MORE OF THE FUEL/ENGINE ISSUES AND AFTER CHARGING ME ANOTHER $1500, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. LESS THAN ONE MONTH LATER, SAME STALLING ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WOULD SIMPLY STALL, AT LOW SPEED, HIGH SPEED, UNDER LOAD, OR NO LOAD - TOWED AGAIN TO MY REPAIR PERSON, AND HE SENT IT TO A DIFFERENT DIESEL MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT DIESEL IS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE, THE INJECTORS AGAIN NEED TO BE REPLACED, THAT IT HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED PROPERLY, AND THAT THIS ENGINE IS NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING VERY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. I AM OUT OF A VEHICLE, DOWN TO ONE FOR THE FAMILY, AND UNABLE TO AFFORD GETTING IT FIXED - AGAIN. *TR