NHTSA complaint: 2009 FORD F-150 — ENGINE
DROPPED OFF VEHICLE WITH FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISER AND PROCEEDED TO WAITING AREA. VEHICLE HAD A STEADY YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED. FIVE MINUTES LATER, LOUD ENGINE RACING NOISE, TIRES SQUEALING AND CRASH IMPACT SOUND FROM SERVICE BAY AREA. KNOWING IT WAS MY TRUCK, I WENT OUT TO THE SERVICE BAY TO SEE IT SLAMMED THROUGH THE FAR STONE WALL, ABOUT 75 FEET FROM THE SERVICE DESK. HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS ALL OVER THE FLOOR, OUTSIDE AND INSIDE OF THE TRUCK. SERVICE ADVISER WAS STUNNED AND CRAWLED OUT OF VEHICLE CLAIMING IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HE COULD NOT PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK AS THE ENGINE RACED AT FULL RPM. SERVICE ADVISER WAS SENT TO HOSPITAL. FORD SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONCERNED AND AGREED TO CHECK ENGINE CODES, HE TALKED LIKE HE'D SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. ALL SERVICE ENGINEERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION THEY ALL WITNESSED AS THE TRUCK MIRACULOUSLY BARRELED THROUGH THE SERVICE BAYS WITHOUT HITTING ANY OF THE WORKERS. LATER IN THE DAY, I RETURNED TO CHECK STATUS AND EVERYONE AT DEALERSHIP CHANGED THEIR STORY. THEY WILL NOT TELL ME WHY THE TRUCK ACCELERATED LIKE IT DID, BUT WILL NOT ADMIT THERE WAS HUMAN ERROR EITHER. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation