NHTSA Complaint #10734080 — 2005 FORD F-150

I WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A SOUND COME FROM MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I DIDN'T LOSE POWER, BUT PULLED OVER TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD. NOT NOTICING ANYTHING OBVIOUS I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS AND NOTICED THAT MY TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LOW. IT HAD BEEN CHECKED TWO MONTHS PRIOR DURING OIL CHANGE. I HAD NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKS. I FOUND A FORUM ON THE INTERNET THAT TALKED ABOUT TRANSMISSION FLUID GOING FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE TRANSFER CASE, BUT UNABLE TO RETURN. THEY HAD A $20 SEAL REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE FORUM HAD STATED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN CONDITION BUT NOTHING WAS BEING DONE BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. A MECHANIC HAD SAID THAT IT ONLY EFFECTED 17-18% OF VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2004-2008. I CALLED TWO LOCAL DEALERSHIPS AND THEY KNEW THE PROBLEM BUT SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON IT. IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS TO CHANGE, BY DROPPING THE TRANSFER CASE AND REPLACING THE SEAL. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL AND THAT THEY COULDN'T HELP. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND POSSIBLY A CATASTROPHIC EVENT. I WAS TOLD BY FMC REP THAT SHOULD A RECALL OCCUR I COULD TAKE MY RECEIPT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THAT THEY WOULD POSSIBLY REIMBURSE ME. I DON'T FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE A KNOWN CONDITION BUT DO NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME AND OTHERS UNDER THE SAME SITUATION.