NHTSA Complaint #11389992 — 2017 FORD EXPEDITION

I WAS DRIVING TO A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT WITH OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR ANOTHER ISSUE WHICH NEEDED CORRECTING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CARS ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT NO ACCELERATION. I MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD, WITHOUT BEING HIT, AND CONTINUED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I LET THEM KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED BUT THEY BLAMED THE INCIDENT ON A BAD BATTERY AND I THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS FIXED. THIS IS WHERE THE ISSUE BECOMES CATASTROPHIC IN MY OPINION. ON NOVEMBER 1, 2020 MY WIFE AND TWO FRIENDS WERE IN THE VEHICLE AND HEADING OUT OF TOWN. WE LIVE IN A MOUNTAINOUS PART OF ARIZONA. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ON A FAIRLY LEVEL STRETCH AND IN THE RIGHT LANE. THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATOR AGAIN FAILED TO FUNCTION. WE PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO THE SHOULDER. TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, RESTARTED THE CAR AND TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK HOME, ABOUT A 120 MILE DETOUR. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM DO A DIAGNOSTIC. THEY DETERMINED IT TO BE A FAILED THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT MUCH WORSE. HAD WE BEEN PASSING A TRUCK, CAUGHT IN THE LEFT LANE AND ON A STEEP GRADE WITH NO ACCELERATION, WHO KNOWS THE OUTCOME. I CONTACTED FORD FOR THEM TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF THE THROTTLE BODY REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. THEY DID COVER THAT COST, BUT I ALSO ASKED THEM TO GIVE ME AN ASSURANCE THE REPLACEMENT PART WOULD NOT DO THE SAME FAILURE AFTER SO MANY MILES. BY THE WAY OUR VEHICLE ONLY HAD 55K MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS FAILURE (BAD SENSOR) OCCURS WITH FREQUENCY IN SIMILAR VEHICLES. IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE SCENARIO I MENTIONED ABOVE, WHO WOULD KNOW IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR THAT FAILED, RATHER THAN A DRIVER ERROR. IT IS A FAILURE THAT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC, AND PROBABLY HAS BEEN WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. I ASKED FORD WHY THIS WASN'T A RECALL ACTION, NO RESPONSE. WHERE IS THE NHTSA?