NHTSA Complaint #11150301 — 2013 FORD F-150

DATE 11/9/2018 VEHICLE: FORD F150 2013 DRIVER: EXPERIENCED MILES: 148,653 DATE OF INCIDENT: 11/1/2018 LOCATION: SOUTH BOUND ON I-275 IN SOUTHEAST, MI ROAD CONDITION: DRY DRIVER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 73 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE PASSING A SEMI WHEN THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM 6TH GEAR INSTANTLY INTO 1ST GEAR. CAUSING THE VEHICLES REAR END TO LOCK UP AND THROW THE VEHICLE SIDEWAYS. DRIVER WAS FACING THE SIDE OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER HEAD ON NOW WHILE THE REAR END WAS BOUNCING OFF OF THE RUMPLE STRIPS. THE MOTOR WAS WELL OVER 6800 RPMS CAUSING THE TAC TO BOUNCE BETWEEN 6500 AND 7000RPM. NOT ONLY DID THIS PUT A LOT OF STRESS ON THE MOTOR AND TURBO, THIS ALSO SHOCKED ALL OF THE DRIVELINE COMPONENTS. A SHIFT LIKE THIS IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A "MONEY SHIFT" BECAUSE IT DESTROYS AN ENTIRE DRIVELINE AS WELL AS THE MOTOR. LUCKILY THE VEHICLES DRIVELINE WAS STILL INTACT AFTER THIS HARSH DOWNSHIFT AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO THROW THE TRUCK INTO MANUAL MOD SHIFT THE TRUCK BACK UP TO 5TH GEAR AND COUNTER STEER 2-3 TIMES TO CORRECT FROM THE TAIL END KICKING OUT. THE DRIVER BELIEVES THAT AN AVERAGE DRIVER WOULD HAVE DIED IN THIS SAME SITUATION. THE DRIVER FEELS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER EXPERIENCING THIS. AFTER THE DRIVER PULLED THE TRUCK INTO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED THEY TOLD THE DRIVER THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST A WEEK. THE DRIVE THEN CALLED FORD TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND ON THREE SEPARATE CALLS ON 11/1/2018 FORD TOLD THE DRIVER THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A RE-CALL. THE DRIVER WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF THE NHTSA CAN OPEN AN INVESTIGATING INTO THE 2013+ MODELS OF THE F150'S TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY SHIFTING FROM 6TH TO 1ST GEAR. THIS IS A VERY DEADLY MALFUNCTION ESPECIALLY WITH ICY ROADS JUST AROUND THE CORNER IN MI.