NHTSA Complaint #10606185 — 2002 FORD F SERIES (HEAVY)

ON 06/25/2014 I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY 7.3 LITRE DIESEL SOUTH ON RT. 81 IN SYRACUSE NY. AT EXIT 81 AND IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC WHEN I LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON BUT WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR NOTHING HAPPENED. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT GO. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE INTENDING TO GO SOUTH ON 81 WITH A BARRIER ON MY LEFT AND NO SHOULDER TO ESCAPE TRAFFIC. I SIGNALED AND DRIFTED OVER TO THE RIGHT AND ENDED UP STOPPING IN AN AREA BETWEEN THE RT 81 LANE AND AN EXIT RAMP. WHILE DOING THIS I HAD SLOWED CONSIDERABLY AS THE TRUCK HAD NO POWER AND CARS AND TRUCKS BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE AND BRAKE ABRUPTLY TO AVOID STRIKING ME. THE AREA WHERE I FINALLY CAME TO REST WAS DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE TWO LANES WITHOUT ROOM ON EITHER SIDE. I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE TRUCK TO TRY TO EVALUATE THE SITUATION BUT TRAFFIC WAS TRAVELING WITHIN A FOOT OR TWO OF THE TRUCK. I CONTACTED AAA AND HAD TO WAIT IN THIS VERY HAZARDOUS POSITION FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES FOR A TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. I HAD TO BE TOWED ALMOST 200 MILES TO MY HOME AFTER MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM HE STATED THAT IT WAS ONE OF OR POSSIBLY TWO SENSORS THAT HAD FAILED. THESE SENSORS CONTROLLED THE FUEL AND AIR FLOW TO THE ENGINE AND WHEN THEY FAILED IT REFUSED TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO ACCELERATE NOT ALLOWING ME TO MOVE THE TRUCK. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD BE MADE TO DESIGN A SENSOR THAT PROVIDES A WARNING OR A MEANS TO OVERRIDE THE SYSTEM IN ORDER FOR A DRIVER TO MAKE IT TO A POINT OF SAFETY. THIS SITUATION MIMICKED THE SAME SITUATION CAUSED BY GM CARS HAVING THEIR IGNITION SHUT OFF CAUSING DEATH AND SERIOUS INJURIES. I JUST HAPPENED TO BE VERY LUCK AS I NARROWLY MISSED BE STRUCK BY FAST MOVING TRACTOR TRAILERS AND CARS. HOPEFULLY SOMETHING CAN BE DONE BY FORD TO CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY WIFE AND I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO BE HOME SAFE TODAY. *TR