NHTSA Complaint #11376121 — 2019 FORD EXPEDITION

FORD IS AWARE OF A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE VCT SYSTEM TO WEAR OUT WITHIN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME IN BRAND NEW EXPEDITIONS. WHEN THE VCT SYSTEM WEARS OUT, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TRANSITIONS INTO "LIMP MODE" , WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO IMMEDIATELY (UNSAFELY) DECELERATE TO A SPEED OF 15MPH (OR LESS ON HILLS), CREATING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, PARTICULARLY ON HIGHWAYS AND WHEN TOWING. WE PURCHASED OUR EXPEDITION IN MARCH 2019, BRAND NEW. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH THE HEAVY DUTY TOW PACKAGE, WHICH PROVIDES TOWING UP TO 9,300LBS. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD RATTLE AT START UP, LASTING A FEW SECONDS. WE DILIGENTLY SERVICED THE VEHICLE ONLY AT FORD DEALERSHIPS, WHO ROUTINELY SAID THE RATTLE WAS "FINE" OR "WITHIN SPEC." ON 9/1/2020, WHILE TOWING OUR AIRSTREAM TRAILER (~7,000 LBS) ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 86 THROUGH WINDSOR, NY, THE VEHICLE THREW ON THE "WRENCH LIGHT" AND RAPIDLY DECELERATED FROM 55MPH TO 10MPH. WE WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF A LONG INCLINE, IN MODERATELY HEAVY TRAFFIC (65MPH). THERE WAS AN INSUFFICIENT SHOULDER TO STOP WITH OUR TRAILER, SO WE VERY SLOWLY CREPT FOR MILES TO THE NEAREST EXIT. THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIPS REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT. IT WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED TO ONEONTA FORD. DESPITE KNOWING OF TSB 20-2315 (AND ITS PREDECESSORS), FORD CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS "FINE" AND LIKELY JUST SUFFERED A BAD OIL CHANGE. AFTER SPENDING 12 DAYS WITH OUR VEHICLE, THEY RETURNED IT, PERFORMING ONLY AN OIL CHANGE. THE RATTLE REMAINED AND FORD CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. ON 10/9/2020, THE VERY NEXT TIME WE ATTEMPTED TO TOW, ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 2, THE VEHICLE AGAIN, ABRUPTLY WENT FROM 55 TO10MPH ON A LONG, SLOW INCLINE IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. WE TURNED AROUND (WITH THE TRAILER) ON A 2 LANE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO FORD, WHO RELUCTANTLY (AFTER WEEKS) REPLACED THE VCT SYSTEM PER TSB 20-2315.