NHTSA Complaint #11406977 — 2014 FORD FUSION

VEHICLE'S ENGINE MISFIRES AND STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS AFTER COLD START TRIGGERING ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC CODE. FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED INSPECTED (4/23/2019) BUT DID NOT FIND CAUSE OF MISFIRES AND STALLS. I REPLACED THE OEM LOW PRESSURE FUEL SENSOR (11/8/2019) AS SUGGESTED BY OTHERS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES FOR LIKE MODEL VEHICLES. THE ENGINE HAS CONTINUED TO MISFIRE AND STALL AFTER REPLACING LOW PRESSURE FUEL SENSOR. DURING A RECENT INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY A LOCAL SERVICE CENTER (3/17/2021), THE TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS ABNORMALLY LOW. THE ENGINE MISFIRES AND LOW COOLANT SUGGEST A POSSIBLE COOLANT INTRUSION INTO ENGINE CYLINDERS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH OTHER LIKE MODEL FORD VEHICLES WITH ECOBOOST ENGINES (SEE TSB 20-2100). IN MY OPINION, THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF INJURY TO OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AS THE MISFIRES AND STALLS ARE MORE LIKELY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD AND THE DRIVER IS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STATIONARY POSITION. E.G. TURNING ONTO A BUSY STREET AND MERGING WITH TRAFFIC. FORD SHOULD REPLACE HEAD GASKET FOR AFFECTED VEHICLES AND SMALL BLOCK FOR CUSTOMERS WHO EXPERIENCE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE.