NHTSA Complaint #748265 — 2001 FORD F-250

FROM THE BEGINNIG THERE WAS TROUBLE WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE (VERY LONG CRANK). THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT LEAST 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WAS NEVER SOLVED. THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 70 MPH, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM SHUT OFF (ENGINE, ELECTRIC, EVERYTHING) AND AFTER A FEW TERRIFYING SECONDS IT WOULD ALL KICK BACK ON. WHEN THE ENGINE KICKED BACK ON THERE WAS A MAJOR JOLT TO THE ENGINE (AND TO THE PASSENGERS). THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES EVEN AFTER THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICING TO "CORRECT" THE PROBLEM. LASTLY, WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM VACATION, WE NOTICED THAT THE TRUCK WAS SHIFTING HARD, LUNGING RATHER THAN SHIFTING SMOOTHLY. AFTER STOPPING FOR A TOLL AND THEN PROCEEDING THE ENGINE ALMOST CUT OUT AND WOULD NOT GO PASSED 2ND GEAR. WE WERE IN A VERY BAD SECTION OF TOWN AND THERE WAS NO WAY IN HELL WE WERE GOING TO STOP. SO WE DROVE SLOWLY TO A RELATIVES HOUSE THAT WAS CLOSEST TO WHERE WE WERE. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST AND WERE NOT AT ALL SATISFIED WITH THEIR HANDLING OF THE SITUATION. ALL THEY DID WAS CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND RELAY THE SAME INFORMATION WE HAD ALREADY GIVEN THEM. NOW WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT FORD MUST PUT IN A WHOLE NEW "DIFFERENT" TRANSMISSION, WHY? THEY MUST ALREADY BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD BY ONE OF THEIR MECHANICS "YEAH, WE HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER TRUCKS COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY WERE DIESELS TOO". HMMM.*AK