NHTSA Complaint #11646368 — 2024 FORD F-350 SD

After purchasing our Ford F350 in October 2024, on [XXX], the truck did not start. The starter appeared to work, but the engine would not turn over. An error message appeared about the fuel gauge on [XXX], but then disappeared by [XXX]. The fuel gauge stopped registering fuel in the tank. Fortunately, the non-starting issue occurred locally and the truck had to be towed to a local Ford dealer. Upon inspection by a Ford dealer service department, it appears as though rodents have chewed through the soy-based polymer used for electrical wiring. It is currently at Ford City in Urbana, Illinois and the dealer is taking photos of the damage. This will likely cost several thousand dollars to repair. My [XXX] daughter uses this truck to pull a horse and trailer to horse shows often several hours away. The engine failure would have put her and her horse at great risk had it happened on her way home when she stopped for gas or at a rest stop. We will likely have a Geico insurance representative examine the damage as well. However, I don't feel this should be at our expense and affect our insurance rates as it is a "defect" in the design of the Ford F350. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)