NHTSA Complaint #11592921 — 2017 FORD F-450

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-450. The contact stated that the vehicle had been diagnosed with an oil leak coming from the injector seals. The vehicle was serviced by the dealer and the contact picked up the vehicle after it was serviced. While driving from the dealer at approximately 40 MPH, the contact noticed white-grayish smoke coming from the passenger side of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled over as black smoke began to emit from the vehicle vents as all occupants exited the vehicle. The vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames and the authorities were called to the scene. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A fire report was filed. The contact, his wife and daughter all experienced mental trauma as a result of the fire; no medical attention was given. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was later taken into possession by the contact's insurance company. The dealer was notified of the failure and denied any responsibility for the fire. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and a case was filed; the contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.