NHTSA Complaint #10780915 — 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC

MY FORD EXPLORER 2007 HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (56,000 MILES). ITS ENGINE STARTED TO SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY UNDER ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. IT WAS INDEED VERY DANGEROUS. INDEED MY DAUGHTER, DRIVING THIS CAR, HAD AN ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED IN A STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN ANY INJURY. I HATE TO THINK OF CONSEQUENCES OF THIS HAPPENING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. MY RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON FOR THESE AUTOS, AND IT SEEMS THAT IT IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF. AFTER HAVING MY MECHANICS CHECK EVERY CONCEIVABLE PROBLEM, I WAS REFERRED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THE INTERNAL PCM FAILURE TO BE THE CAUSE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS PART IS BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, AND A NEW ONE IS DEVELOPED WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. I WAS LUCKY TO FIND A NEW PART AND HAD IT SHIPPED TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INSTALLED. I HOPE THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. IT COST ME $1,546.41, WHICH I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE PAID ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I THINK THIS IS A CASE OF BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE PCM, WHICH IS ALSO A SAFETY PROBLEM AND I THINK THE FORD COMPANY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED AND REPLACE THIS PART FREE OF CHARGE.