NHTSA Complaint #10891746 — 2016 FORD EDGE

VEHICLE MILEAGE - APPROXIMATELY 5300 FUEL LEVEL APPROX. 3/4 FULL FUEL LINE CONNECTION SEPARATION, CAUSING FUEL STARVATION TO ENGINE, ENGINE STOPPAGE, LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. ENROUTE 25 JULY 2016 ON US HWY 64 FROM DURANGO, CO TO TAOS, NM, CRESTING 10,500 FT MOUNTAIN PASS, STARTING DOWNGRADE, VEHICLE STARTED TO MISFIRE, FUEL SMELL, FLUCTUATING RPM BETWEEN 1500 AND ZERO, THEN ENGINE STOPPED, LOSING POWER TO STEERING AND BRAKING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SAFELY PULL TO A STOP. FORTUNATE TO LOCATE A LEVEL PULL-OFF. UPON EXITING VEHICLE, OBSERVED STRONG FUEL SMELL, BUT NO FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR UNDER VEHICLE. OPENED FUEL TANK FILLER CAP AND VENTED WITH FILLER TOOL. ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE WITHOUT SUCCESS, BUT STRONG FUEL SMELL AND FUEL SPILL GENERATED UNDER THE VEHICLE. PUSHED VEHICLE AWAY FROM FUEL SPILL. ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE A SECOND TIME WITHOUT SUCCESS, GENERATING ANOTHER FUEL SPILL FROM COVER PANEL UNDER LH PASSENGER. REMOVED COVER AND FOUND OUTBOARD OF THE TWO FUEL LINES SEPARATED AT CONNECTION. REASSEMBLED FUEL LINE CONNECTION, BELIEVING THE CONNECTION TO BE SECURE. SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED VEHICLE AND RE-SECURED COVER PANEL. PROCEEDED TO DESTINATION, BUT WITH APPROXIMATELY FUEL LEVEL, INDICATING THAT APPROXIMATELY FUEL LEVEL LOST DURING FUEL LINE SEPARATION. UPON REACHING DESTINATION, REMOVED LH COVER PANEL TO RE-ACCESS FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS. PULLED AND RELEASED FUEL LINE CONNECTION, REASSEMBLED CONNECTION, PRESSED THE GREEN LOCKING TAB AND PULLED CONNECTION TO ENSURE IT WAS SECURE. UPON RETURN HOME 28 JULY 2016 DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIAN INSPECTED FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS, FOUND THEM SECURE, ADDED TIE WRAPS TO BOTH FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS TO PREVENT GREEN LOCKING TAB FROM DISENGAGING UNLESS TIE WRAPS ARE REMOVED. 29 JULY 2016 CALL TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED THIS WAS A NON-ISSUE SINCE SERVICE RETURNED VEHICLE TO USER.