NHTSA Complaint #10993883 — 2006 FORD F-150

FORD F150 XLT 2006 SHOULD HAVE A MANDATORY SAFETY RECALL FOR THE FUEL CONTROL MODULE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT AND A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. I WAS DRIVING DOWN VT116 (A HILLY, WINDING 2 LANE COUNTRY HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER) IN THE RAIN AT ABOUT 40MPH WHEN MY TRUCK STARTED TO BUCK AND LOSE POWER. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER, SO I PUT MY HAZARDS ON AND TRIED TO LIMP IT TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. THE ENGINE STALLED AND I LOST STEERING AND BRAKING POWER ON A CURVE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES MANUALLY AND WRESTLED THE STEERING WHEEL (WHICH NO LONGER HAD ANY POWER ASSIST). WITH MAJOR DIFFICULTY, I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE TRUCK TO A CONTROLLED STOP. I WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, LIMPED ALONG AT 15MPH, BUCKING AND STALLING 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE GETTING TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD MY FCM REPLACED (PRIOR WAS 1/5/2013) AND THE SECOND TIME I ALMOST CRASHED MY TRUCK BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. THE PREVIOUS TIME WAS JANUARY 2013 ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD IN WINTER ON SNOW. IF I WAS TOWING MY BOAT ON THE INTERSTATE AND LOST ALL POWER, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN KILLED ALONG WITH ANYONE AROUND ME. WHY IS IT A DESIGN DEFECT? BECAUSE THIS ELECTRONIC COMPONENT IS INSTALLED IN A WEATHER-EXPOSED AREA ABOVE THE SPARE TIRE AND IS NOT CORROSION-PROOF. IN ANY RUST BELT STATE (OR A PLACE EXPOSED TO SALT), THE CASE WILL CORRODE, EXPOSING THE CIRCUIT BOARD TO WATER, CAUSING THE UNIT TO FAIL. WHY IS IT A SAFETY CONCERN? BECAUSE WHEN THE FCM FAILS, THE ENGINE WILL STALL, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKING SYSTEMS. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE FORD TO DO A MANDATORY RECALL AND REDESIGN THIS POORLY DESIGNED PART. EVEN THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FAIL AFTER A FEW YEARS. CONSIDERING HOW MANY F150'S ARE ON THE ROAD AND HOW MANY OF THEM CARRY OR TOW HEAVY LOADS, I'D SAY THIS SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR BOTH FORD AND NHTSA. RECALL!