NHTSA Complaint #11195546 — 2017 FORD F-250

WE (MY WIFE AND I) WERE COMING BACK FROM LOUISIANA TO HOUSTON, TEXAS ON A 4 HOUR ROAD TRIP. WE WERE ON I-610 IN HOUSTON WHEN WE STARTED TO SMELL DIESEL. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY FUEL GAUGE AND SAW THE "MILES TO EMPTY" DROPPING RAPIDLY, SO I SLOWED DOWN ON I-610 AND STARTED TAKING THE EXIT RAMP TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. AS WE ENTERED THE EXIT RAMP, THE BACK END OF MY TRUCK STARTED SLIDING AND DID A FULL CIRCLE UNTIL MY BACK BUMPER HIT THE EXIT RAMP GUARD RAIL. LUCKILY, THE CARS BEHIND US WERE FAR ENOUGH BACK THAT WE DID NOT GET HIT OR SEVERELY INJURED. WE PULLED OFF THE EXIT RAMP INTO THE NEAREST GAS STATION ABOUT 100 YARDS AWAY TO DISCOVER DIESEL POURING OUT OF THE FRONT OF MY PICKUP. WE FOUND DIESEL ALL OVER THE BOTTOM OF MY PICKUP, THE REAR TIRES, AND ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND INTERIOR OF THE HOOD. IT MADE SENSE WHY WE RANDOMLY STARTED SLIDING ON THE EXIT RAMP WHEN IT WAS SUNNY OUT AND WE WERE GOING UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT. I HAVE VIDEOS OF THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MOUNTED TO THE MOTOR WHERE IT IS CLEARLY VERY LOOSE AND DIESEL HAD LEAKED OUT AND GONE EVERYWHERE. WE FOUND THAT AS LONG AS THE KEY IS ON, DIESEL WILL LEAK SEVERELY. WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED OFF, THE LEAK SLOWS DOWN TO DROPS. IT HAS BEEN 3000 MILES SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE AND NO ONE HAS EVER TOUCHED THE FUEL FILTER. THE DEALERSHIP (AUTONATION FORD IN KATY, TEXAS) IS TRYING TO BLAME THE PROBLEM ON US SO THEY AREN'T LIABLE - SAYING THE CRASH CAUSED IT, THEN SAYING WE MESSED UP THE FUEL FILTER, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THEIR NEXT EXCUSE WILL BE. WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE WE HAVE RECEIVED ON A PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW TRUCK. THE TRUCK HAS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LATCH FREEZING AND NOT HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT.