NHTSA Complaint #11302511 — 2015 FORD TRANSIT

THE VEHICLE STALLED UPON BACKING OUT OF A STEEP DRIVEWAY & TURNING TO THE LEFT. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VAN HAD BEEN PARKED, AT A CUSTOMERS' HOME ALL DAY. HEAVY SNOW BEGAN FALLING A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE THE VAN WAS STARTED & WARMED UP TO MELT THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN THE VAN STALLED, IT WAS BROADSIDE TO THE STREET, BLOCKING BOTH OPPOSING LANES OF TRAVEL AS THE HEAVY SNOW INCREASED IN INTENSITY. THE VAN WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, DUE TO THE QUICKLY ACCUMULATING SNOW, INITIALLY PREVENTING A PLOW & POLICE CRUISER FROM PASSING. AAA TOWING WAS CALLED BUT, DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 2 HOURS AFTER BEING SUMMONSED AS THE SNOW CONTINUED TO ACCUMMULATE. I HAD THE VAN TOWED TO OUR BUSINESS LOCATION AND DECIDED TO CHECK THE ENGINE AIR FILTER. WHEN I OPENED THE FILTER HOUSING, IT AND THE AIR FITER WERE WATER-SOAKED. I OBSERVED WATER RUNNING DOWN THE WINDSHIELD, DOWN ALONG THE FIREWALL AND ONTO/INTO THE AIR FILTER BOX. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER (FORD OF WILBRAHAM, MA, TEL.: 413-543-2800) TO REPORT MY FINDINGS & TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION WAS PERFORMED AS PER TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) #19-2091 AND AT A COST OF $488.45 (INVOICE #659506), WHICH I RELUCTANTLY PAID TO THE DEALER. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS A POOR DESIGN ALLOWING WATER TO RUN DIRECTLY INTO THE AIR FILTER BOX, WHICH, IN TURN, SHUTS DOWN THE ENGINE & RENDERS THE VEHICLE MOTIONLESS & CAN BE DANGEROUS, DEPENDING UPON WHERE & WHEN THE VEHICLES' ENGINE STALLS & THEN FAILS TO RESTART. THE SERVICE WRITER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO TO HELP ME & THAT I AM STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE TSB. IN ADDITION, MY INVOICE INDICATES THAT RECALL #19S38 WAS PERFORMED, YET IT IS STILL OUTSTANDING ON THE RECALL WEBSITE UNDER MY VEHICLES' VIN. FOR THE RECORD, THIS VAN HAD ONLY 31,853 MILES ON IT, WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM.