NHTSA Complaint #11253760 — 2019 FORD MUSTANG

WHILE DRIVING MY GT350 ON A HIGHWAY AT AROUND 55 MPH THE ENGINE MADE METALLIC GRINDING NOISES SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING. I INSTINCTIVELY PRESSED IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THEN ENGINE STOPPED SPINNING AND LOCKED UP. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE IN AN AREA WITH A PULL-OFF AREA AND THIN TRAFFIC. IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, IN THICKER TRAFFIC, OR WITH A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER. ONCE STOPPED, I CHECKED THE CAR AND CONFIRMED THAT THE STARTER COULD NOT SPIN THE MOTOR DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 450 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS LATER TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE ENGINE HAD AN ISSUE WITH A ROCKER AND VALVE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE FAIL AND LOCK UP. A REPLACEMENT ENGINE ALSO HAD 'VALVETRAIN NOISE' AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE NO GOOD BY THE DEALER. I DID NOT SEE OR USE THE CAR WITH THAT ENGINE. BEYOND THAT, THIS ISSUE IS STILL UNRESOLVED AS THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.