NHTSA Complaint #10659481 — 2012 FORD F-150

I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR 6 HOURS WITH INTERMITTENT RAIN, ABOUT 3.5 HOURS SINCE LAST STOP, 1/2 TANK OF GAS REMAINING. LOCATION WAS I-65 NORTH NEAR ELIZABETHTOWN, KY, 11:15 PM, WITH MIST, WET ROAD AND SPRAY. WEATHER RECORDS INDICATE 50 DEGREES AND FALLING, LIGHT RAIN, 84% HUMIDITY. I HAD THE F-150 IN 4WD-AUTO MODE DUE TO THE ROAD CONDITIONS. FOR SEVERAL MILES ANOTHER CAR HAD BEEN CONTINUALLY STAYING IN MY BLIND SPOT IN THE LANE IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO CLEAR WITH GRADUAL REDUCTIONS/INCREASES IN MY SPEED. MY GENERAL CRUISING SPEED WAS ABOUT 70 MPH. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE APPROACHING A VERY SLOW-MOVING TRACTOR TRAILER, SO I ACCELERATED MODERATELY-HARD TO MOVE AHEAD OF THE CAR TO MY LEFT AND WAS CHANGING INTO THAT LANE WHEN THE F-150 STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND LOST SPEED. MY WIFE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. I QUICKLY VEERED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND BRAKED HARD, NARROWLY AVOIDING AN ACTUAL COLLISION. I SUSPECTED WE HAD SOME TYPE OF ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT WHILE COASTING THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY. I SWITCHED FROM 4WD-AUTO TO 2WD AND TRIED TO GENTLY ACCELERATE AGAIN, BUT THE F-150 STARTED SHAKING AGAIN AND THE CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD, AND BY THE TIME I CAME TO A STOP THE LIGHT HAD STOPPED FLASHING. I CHECKED ALL AROUND AND UNDER THE VEHICLE, UNDER HOOD, GAUGES, ETC. WITH NO FURTHER SIGN OF A PROBLEM. I STOPPED AND STARTED THE ENGINE, THEN DROVE AWAY AND THE F-150 PERFORMED NORMALLY FOR REMAINDER OF TRIP TO LOUISVILLE, KY. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE F-150 TO A LOCAL DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED THE "CLASSIC SCENARIO" FOR CONDENSATION IN THE CHARGE-AIR COOLER, CAUSING ENGINE MISFIRES. THE F-150 IS GETTING VERY POOR GAS MILEAGE EVER SINCE. HOME DEALER HAS DECLINED SERVICE BECAUSE OBD CODES ARE NO LONGER PRESENT. ENGINE: 3.5L GTDI (ECOBOOST). *TR