Complaint 762201

Complaint Summary

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

Owner Narrative

3 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS MY FORD F350 HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE I AM DRIVING, IT LOCKS ME OUT SO I CAN'T EVEN TURN THE ENGINE OVER AND I HAVE TO TRY TO COAST TO A SAFE PLACE OUT OF TRAFFIC. ALL 3 TIMES THE FUEL GAUGE READS OVER 50 MILES TO EMPTY, THE LAST TIME IT READ 140 MILES TO EMPTY. THE FUEL LINES ARE SUCKING IN AIR, I GET HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE CODES, I ADD MORE FUEL(DEISEL) AND THEN HAVE TO BLEED ALL OF THE LINES OF AIR AND PRIME THE PUMPS. I HAVE TO DO THIS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR IN A PARKING LOT IF I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT THAT FAR. I PULLED THE TANK AND PULLED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT OUT, UPON CLEANING OUT THE TANK FOUND A PLUNGER ROLLING AROUND. THIS PLUNGER GOES IN THE FUEL SENDING UNIT, CLOSING A VALVE THAT SUCKS FUEL IF THE MAIN SUCTION GETS CLOGGED. IT IS ABOUT 2 INCHES HIGHER THAN THE MAIN SUCTION. BECAUSE THE PLUNGER HAS FALLEN OUT, THIS IS WHERE IT IS SUCKING FUEL FROM, WHICH CAUSES IT TO SUCK AIR WHEN THERE IS IN FACT STILL FUEL IN THE TANK. I CALLED FORD SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THEY REPLACE THESE UNITS ALL OF THE TIME, IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT BUT NOT COVERED IF YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE 36K WARRANTY, WHEN THIS MOST COMMONLY HAPPENS. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED A FRIEND PULLED MY TRUCK INTO A PARKING LOT,WHILE HE WAS PULLING ME IN, THERE WAS ANOTHER FORD TRUCK BEING PULLED IN AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WHILE THE GAUGE STILL READ 50 MILES TO EMPTY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IT HAPPENS ON THE INTERSTATE, YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING AT THIS POINT AND CAN NOT EASILY HANDLE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THIS VEHICLE. MY WIFE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE VEHICLE IF THIS HAPPENS. I WON'T LET HER DRIVE THE TRUCK DUE TO THIS. *TR

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