NHTSA Complaint #11071983 — 2011 FORD F-350

WHILE DRIVINGMY FORD F350 CREW CAB LONGBED DIESEL 4X4 AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 10, A 4 LANE HWY IN EACH DIRECTION, THE TRUCK LOST ALL ENGINE POWER AND POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE OFF THE HWY WITHOUT COMING IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CAME APART AND PUT METAL SHAVING EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. FORD RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL OF THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM THIS INCLUDED ALL NEW FUEL INJECTORS. THIS REPAIR COST $9,000.. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET REVEALED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE. I HAD AN INDEPENDENT LAB TEST THE FUEL. THERE WERE NO CONTAMINANTS IN THE FUEL EXCEPT THE METAL SHAVING FROM THE PUMP. ( THE FORD FUEL SYSTEM RECIRCULATES THE EXCESS FUEL BACK TO THE TANK) THE TRUCK HAS 115000 MILES. I HAD THE FORD MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE 5000 MILE SERVICES OPTION. FORD HAS PROVIDED ALL OF THE SERVICE INCLUDING THE ONES AFTER THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT ENDED. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO UNDERTAKE ON A 7 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. ENGINEERING CHANGES COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. A POST PUMP FILTER OR SCREEN WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE REST OF THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM NEEDING REPLACEMENT. AN ADVISORY ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PUMP FAILURE AND REPLACING THE PUMP BEFORE FAILURE WOULD HAVE COSTED LESS THAN $2000. HAD I BEEN TOWING NEAR FULL GCWR, 21,000 LBS AND COME UP ON LOS ANGELES STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THIS COULD HAVE BE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.