NHTSA Complaint #10671750 — 2002 FORD F-150

THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS NATURE. THE PREVIOUS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY IN JULY OF 2014. AT THAT TIME THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE KEY WAS THE PROBLEM AND I PAID FOR A NEW KEY AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN GOOD UNTIL ~ 1/4/15. THIS TIME, THE PATS (ANTI-THEFT) SYSTEM TRIGGERED AND RENDERED THE VEHICLE USELESS. AFTER ~ 45 MINUTES IT EVENTUALLY STARTED AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS THERE FOR 2 DAYS AND THEY COULDN'T GET THE SYSTEM TO TRIGGER. THEREFORE, THEY HAD ME COME PICK UP THE VEHICLE. TWO DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE RENDERED ITSELF USELESS AGAIN THROUGH THE PATS SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START FOR 2 DAYS AS I TRIED TO START IT PERIODICALLY AS I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. FINALLY IT STARTED ON THE 3RD MORNING. WHEN I ORIGINALLY TOOK THE TRUCK IN THE TWO GUYS AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS YEAR MODEL. IN FACT WHEN I TOLD HIM OF THE ISSUE I WAS HAVING, THE SERVICE MANAGER ASKED IF I HAD A 2002 F150. WE HAD A GOOD LAUGH WHEN I SAID "YES, AND THAT ISN'T A GOOD SIGN THAT YOU KNOW THAT- WITHOUT SEEING MY VEHICLE." HE EXPLAINED THAT THE TILT MECHANISM IN THE STEERING COLUMN DAMAGES THE WIRE THAT RUNS FROM THE KEY TRANSPONDER AREA TO THE SENDING UNIT THAT TELLS THE ENGINE THAT THIS IS THE CORRECT KEY. THIS WAS THE NIGHT THAT THEY KEPT THE TRUCK FOR 2 DAYS. THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE A PERFECT OPERATIONAL VEHICLE IS NOT FUNCTIONING BECAUSE OF A CHAFFED WIRE OR THE WIRE HAS BEEN PULLED FROM ITS SOLDERING POINT. I AM THE OWNER, YET I HAVE THE SAME CHANCE OF STARTING THAT TRUCK AS A CAR THIEF. IT MAKES NO SENSE. THIS DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME UNTIL I WAS STRANDED FOR 45 MINUTES IN A PARKING LOT AND IT WAS EXTREMELY COLD. I ENVISIONED SOMEONE TURNING THEIR CAR/TRUCK OFF FOR SOME REASON IN A PLACE WHERE THE TEMP WAS WELL BELOW FREEZING AND FREEZING TO DEATH BECAUSE THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN TRIGGERED. *TR