NHTSA Complaint #735330 — 1998 FORD F-150

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 2 YEARS THE POWER CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED. THE FIRST TIME WAS JUST AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN APRIL 1998. THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY JUST DIE. THIS HAPPENED REGARDLESS OF SPEED. THE ENGINE WOULD, MOST TIMES, REQUIRE SEVERAL MINUTES OF TURNING THE IGNITION ON AND OFF AND CRANKING OF THE ENGINE BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART. I RETURNED THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER I PURCHAED IT FROM 3 SEPERATE TIMES. TWICE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT IN AND THE LAST TIME REQUIRED A TOW. ON ALL THREE OCCASIONS THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES IN THE COMPUTER TO INDICATE THAT ANYTHING HAD HAPPENED. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH THE PCM AND THE ECM AT THE TIME OF THE THIRD FAILURE AND THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. ON OCTOBER 1 OF 2000 MY WIFE AND I WENT TO RUN A FEW ERRANDS. WE HAD ONLY TRAVELED 1/4 MILE WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH. IT TOOK 6 ATTEMPTS TO RETART THE ENGINE. WE THEN DROVE ANOTHER 1/2 MILE ONLY TO HAVE THE ENGINE ONCE AGAIN SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING UP A HILL AT 35 MPH. THE ENGINE KICKED BACK IN BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SO WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. ON OCT 2 DROVE THE TRUCK TO A DIFFERENT DEALER. SHOWED THEM THE PAPERWORK FROM 1998. AGAIN WHEN CHECKED, NO ERROR CODES. THEY HAD TRUCK FOR 3 DAYS BUT NO FAILURE. AGREED TO REPLACE PCM AT NO CHARGE. AS OF 10/28 NO FURTHER PROBLEM NOTED.*AK