Complaint 1409699

Complaint Summary

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

MULTIPLE AND INTERMITTENT ENGINE STOPPAGE. THE ENGINE STALLS SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAUSING HAZARD TO SELF AND OTHERS. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING MAKES CONTROL OF VEHICLE DIFFICULT AS POWER STEERING IS NON FUNCTIONAL AS YOU ATTEMPT TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY ROAD. BRAKING SYSTEMS ALSO ARE MOSTLY NON FUNCTIONAL WITHOUT THE VACUUM CREATED BY THE RUNNING ENGINE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP QUICKLY. THIS PRESENTS A DIRE EMERGENCY CONDITION FOR THE SURPRISED DRIVER, AND A HAZARD TO OTHER OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS NEARBY. A DRIVER WHO IS SMALL IN STATURE MAY BE UNABLE TO MAN-HANDLE THE STIFF STEERING CONDITION. ONCE STOPPED, THE ENGINE MAY RESTART RIGHT AWAY OR NOT, STRANDING OCCUPANTS IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT CHAIN INVOLVING LIFE AND DEATH. FUEL PUMP RELAY FAILURE IS THE CAUSE AND VERY COMMON, (100S OF THOUSANDS OF POSTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM). THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS THESE EXPEDITION VEHICLES IN A WIDESPREAD FASHION SIMILAR TO THE LCM SAFETY ISSUE WITH ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT, THE CROWN VICTORIA. (A RECALL WAS ORDERED ON THIS ISSUE FOR SOME OF THE MODEL YEARS) THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 8 TIMES IN 3 WEEKS SINCE OWNING THIS 2004 VEHICLE. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE FORD DEALER WHO STATE THEY MAY NEED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FOR UP TO 3 WEEKS TO OBSERVE THE FAILURE MODE. (IT IS INTERMITTENT)

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.