NHTSA Complaint #10785890 — 2006 FORD RANGER

THE INERTIA FUEL CUT-OFF SWITCH RANDOMLY TRIPS CAUSING THE TRUCK TO STOP DUE TO THE FUEL PUMP CUTTING OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, TWICE ON AN INTERSTATE WHERE LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS MOVING SLOW DUE TO AN ACCIDENT. IT HAPPENED TO MY WIFE WHILE TRAVELING IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND SHE WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED BY A TRACTOR AND TRAILER. SO NOW SHE REFUSES TO DRIVE IT ANY MORE. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNKNOWN TO FORD. I LOOKED INTO REPLACING THE SWITCH AND THE ORIGINAL SWITCH ISN'T AVAILABLE. THE REPLACEMENT IS A NEWER VERSION AND COMES WITH A "JUMPER WIRE" AND A NEW KICK PANEL COVER, WHICH IS APPARENTLY FOR RELOCATING THE SWITCH. AGAIN THIS HASN'T CAUSED AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT IF THE REPLACEMENT IS DIFFERENT AND COMES WITH A RELOCATING KIT. EVERY TIME IT HAS HAPPENED THE TRUCK IS IN MOTION, I THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO WHERE THE SWITCH IS LOCATED (ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE FOOT AREA INTERIOR FIRE WALL) BUT I TRIED TO MAKE IT TRIP BY KICKING MY FEET AROUND AND IT WOULDN'T TRIP THE SWITCH. THE TIMING SEEMS TO BE RANDOM, ALTHOUGH EVERY TIME IT HAS TRIPPED IT FELT HOT TO THE TOUCH.