NHTSA Complaint #10662192 — 2011 FORD F-150

THE ECOBOOST ENGINE FORD INTRODUCED INTO THE F150 (AND OTHER VEHICLES) IN 2011 SEEMS TO BE HAVING COMMON AND WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS, INCLUDING MY VEHICLE. I FIRST REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE DEALER WITH ABOUT 30,000 MILES AND NOW AGAIN AT 63,000 MILES. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS REVEALED UNDER ANY ACCELERATION "EVENT" SUCH AS HIGHWAY MERGING, PASSING, TOWING ETC. UNDER ACCELERATION THE VEHICLE "CHOKES" AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE AS THE DRIVER & PASSENGERS EXPERIENCE THE VEHICLE STALLING, SHUDDERING OR BUCKING. THIS IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE VEHICLE GOING INTO "LIMP MODE" OPERATING ON FEWER THAN ALL CYLINDERS. THE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO STEM FROM DYSFUNCTIONAL INTERCOOLER OPERATION ON THIS TWIN TURBO ENGINE. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS DESCRIBED IN F150 BLOGS. ONE, MOST COMMON, IS THAT THE COOLING OF THE AIR VIA THE INTERCOOLER CAUSES CONDENSATION TO ACCUMULATE INSIDE THE AIR INTAKE. WHEN THE DRIVER ACCELERATES, THE INCREASE IN AIR VOLUME DRAWS THE MOISTURE INTO THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE, WHICH THE DRIVER EXPERIENCES AS AN ENGINE STALL, BUCKING OR SHUDDERING. THE SECOND SCENARIO REPORTED IS THAT THERE IS AN OVERHEATING OF AIR INTO THE FUEL DELIVER SYSTEM WHICH CAUSES EARLY DETONATION OF THE FUEL MIXTURE IN THE CYLINDERS CAUSING ROUGHLY THE SAME SYMPTOMS. MY VEHICLE REPAIRS ARE COSTING ME ALMOST $700.00 - WHICH WOULD BE MORE IF I DID NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER IS REPLACING 6 SPARK PLUGS, 4 COIL BOOTS THAT HAVE OVERHEATED AND CRACKED, INSTALLING A NEW INTERCOOLER SHIELD - NONE OF WHICH THEY ARE STANDING BY AS A DEALER COVERED EXPENSE. FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE DESIGN FOR BOTH CONSUMER SAFETY AND FINANCIAL REASONS. SOMEONE MAY BE KILLED TRYING TO PASS OR ENTER A HIGHWAY AS THEIR VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER. *TR