NHTSA Complaint #10875455 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT ~65 MPH WHEN MY VEHICLE DECELERATED DOWN TO 15 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT IT WAS ESSENTIALLY 'DEAD' IN THAT NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS LOSING SPEED BY THE SECOND AND COULD NOT MAKE IT OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC, SO I WAS LUCKY AND FOUND A SMALL LEFT SHOULD TO PULL OVER ON. IF THERE WAS NO LEFT SHOULDER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN. AFTER BEING TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER/SERVICE SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY(ETB) WHICH FAILED. FORD REPLACED THE ETB, BUT STATED THE REPLACEMENT ETB WAS THE SAME AS THE ONE WHICH FAILED. THERE WAS NO REASSURANCE THAT THE PROBLEMATIC ETB WAS BEING REPLACED WITH A MORE DURABLE SOLUTION. THE FORD SERVICE SHOP MENTIONED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE IN 2015 & 2016 FORD EXPLORERS, BUT THERE IS NO OFFICIAL RECALL. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON MY OWN, I WAS DISTURBED TO FIND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY RECENT ETB FAILURES ON FORD EXPLORERS. CONSIDERING THIS ISSUE RELATES DIRECTLY TO THE ABILITY OF THE DRIVER TO ACCELERATE, IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE DRIVER LOSES THE ABILITY TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD, THERE MANY ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN.