NHTSA Complaint #10945653 — 2012 FORD F-150

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I EXPERIENCED SEVERE REDUCED ENGINE POWER DURING A HARD ACCELERATION FOR AN ATTEMPTED PASS. UPON COMPLETION OF A DIAGNOSTIC, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDERS 1-3. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED US THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND RESULTS WERE HALLMARK FOR A KNOWN CONDITION RELATED TO MOISTURE ACCUMULATION IN THE CHARGE AIR COOLER (CAC) FOR TURBOCHARGERS IN 3.5L ECOBOOST ENGINES OF MY MODEL YEAR. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST OVER 54K MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT (TYPICAL MILEAGE FOR THE PROBLEM TO MANIFEST). THE VEHICLE WAS MAINTENANCED ONE WEEK AFTER THE INCIDENT AT THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT NEW FROM. THE DEALERSHIP CITED THE CAUSE OF THE MISFIRE AS BAD COIL PACKS - 4 OF THEM AT THE TIME OF ARRIVAL. COIL PACKS TYPICALLY HAVE A LIFESPAN OF 100-150K MILES BEFORE FAILURE. HOWEVER, 4 OF THEM WENT BAD (3 SIMULTANEOUSLY) IN A VEHICLE WITH <55K MILES ON IT. LITERATURE POSTED ABOUT OTHERS/SIMILAR SITUATIONS READ THE SAME - BAD COIL PACKS, DUE TO INGESTION OF WATER INTO THE TURBO. AN ISSUE FORD WAS AWARE WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT THE DEFLECTOR PLATE DUE TO DESIGN FLAW! NO ALERT TO THE OWNERS THAT IT WAS A POTENTIAL CONCERN, BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A CHECK - NO WORD AT ALL! IF THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THEIR TURBO DESIGN LEADING TO COMPOUNDING PREMATURE FAILURE, WHY WOULDN'T THEY LET THE OWNERS KNOW? THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM ME OF THE ISSUE IF THAT WAS THEIR INTENTION AS I VISIT REGULARLY. THE CALL CENTER REP SAID THEY DON'T HAVE TO TELL US ANYTHING UNLESS THERE IS A RECALL. SO BASICALLY THEY MANUFACTURE DANGEROUS/PROBLEMATIC VEHICLES UNTIL NHTSA SLAPS THEIR HAND ABOUT IT!? I SURELY HOPE EVERYONE WHO HAS THIS ISSUE IS REPORTING IT TO NHTSA BUT I DOUBT THEY KNOW IT IS AN OPTION AND FORD IS PROFITING FROM HAVING ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT THEIR DEALERSHIPS. *TR