Table 1 shows one common vehicle speed control related problems of the 2010 Ford F-350.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Cruise Control problems |
Since purchasing our vehicle new we have had several incidents of sudden acceleration. Our first complaint was filed within the 1st month (odi id number : 10330335). Within 16000 miles we had 3 incidents. All of these incidents were at highway speed with the cruise control off. Each time we were able to place the gear shift into neutral or stomp on the accelerator pedal until it stopped accelerating. Each time the vehicle was taken to the Ford dealership, no explanation could be found however on the incident at ~16000 miles the dealership stated they had reprogrammed the computer. We had driven the truck without incident since that time until December 24, 2012 at approximately 0800 hours. My wife was driving westbound on I-40 at approximately 65 mph when the vehicle accelerated on its own. Her first reaction was to try to put the vehicle in neutral, however she was unable to move the shift lever. The vehicle accelerated to maximum speed quickly as she attempted to apply the brakes. Her ordeal lasted for several minutes and she nearly lost control several times as this section of highway travels through a canyon and has significant curves. She was eventually able to place the vehicle in neutral and coast off the highway. By this point the brakes were ineffective from her trying to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to rich Ford. They have had the vehicle from Dec. 24 until today. Once again they can find nothing wrong with the vehicle. The advice given by the service manager was "when it happens again, turn off the key. Don't touch the accelerator at all, and have it towed here. " not "if", "when". My wife's response was: "if I live through the next time, I'll do that. ".
Submission from constituent re issues with Ford F-350 truck (full document not imaged). The dealer had the consumers vehicle for 12 days. The vehicle was returned to him damaged. When he attempted to start the truck, there was metallic engine rattle. He shut the truck off and inspected the engine, but found no problem. As the consumer drove home, the truck stalled several times, the transmission would not shift properly and the steering wheel started to shake violently at 30 mph. The consumer also stated the head lights did not provide adequate lighting of the road, the seat belts did not retract properly; they would tightened as he was driving, which prevented him from moving, there cruise control did not engage properly, it was difficult to maneuver the steering wheel, the fuel gauge was not reading accurately, there were noises coming from the drive train, the emergency brake was inoperative, the vehicle severely pulled to the right, the engine lacked torque and power, the suspension was not adequate for the vehicle, every time he hit a pot hole or bump in the road, he would loose steering ability and the tires would start bouncing. It would take too long for the vehicle to take off, when the accelerator was applied, there was an instant shudder from the vehicle, when he applied the accelerator pedal.
Yesterday may 12, 2010 my wife experienced a sudden acceleration in our 1 month old Ford f350 cabela edition. From a highway speed of 65 mph the truck, completely on its own, accelerated to over 95 mph. The cruise control was not on and she was not touching any pedals. When she applied the brakes she left some impressive tire marks on the highway but with 650 foot pounds of torque at the rear wheels the truck was not stopping. She put the truck in neutral and the tachometer pegged all the way. She did manage to pull the truck to the side of the road and turn it off. She tried to re-start the vehicle and again without any input from the accelerator the tachometer pegged. She immediately turned the truck off and waited several minutes before restarting. This time the truck idled normally. She took it to richardson Ford in albuquerque where we purchased the truck. The service manager told me he knew something really bad had happened because she was crying and visibly shaken. They performed several tests and the codes that came up were excessive speed and something about the exhaust cleaning system stuck in mid cycle. They have now had the truck 2 days and cannot find the cause of the sudden acceleration. I was told by the service representative that according to Fords own service database there have been other documented instances of rapid unexplained acceleration on f250 and above trucks. Ive done some research and have found this is not a new problem on Ford vehicles. We carry our children and grandchildren in this vehicle. I now have a $60,000 vehicle that my wife is afraid to drive. You tell me, what do I do? its obvious to me that it is a computer or programming problem. I would like to see the vehicles computer or the whole vehicle replaced. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).