NHTSA Complaint #10610231 — 2006 FORD F-150

I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SPUTTER, AND AS I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND TRIED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE TRUCK QUIT ON ME. I TRIED TO START IT BACK UP IN ORDER TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROAD BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T START. I ENDED UP HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL SHOP AND AFTER A DIAGNOSIS THAT COST $124.95 THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE WHEN BAD. THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE COST $234.44. SO ALL TOGETHER WITH PARTS, LABOR AND TAX IT COST ME $496.88 WITHOUT INCLUDING THE COST TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE IS BOLTED DIRECTLY TO THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER, AND WITH MINNESOTA WINTERS SNOW AND ROAD SALT GET TRAPPED BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS. THE PART WILL EVENTUALLY RUST, CRACK, AND THEN THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE GOES BAD. IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS A PLASTIC HOUSING WITH A COUPLE SPACERS TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE CROSS MEMBER TO POSSIBLY ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. FORD HAD TO KNOW ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPONENT OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED THE DESIGN RIGHT? *TR