2009 Ford F-150

I BOUGHT A PREOWNED 2009 FORD F-150 IN NOVEMBER 2011 WITH 49000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I HAD ALWAYS COMPLAINED THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE. I FINALLY INVESTIGATED AND REALIZED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT ILLUMINATED UNDER DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. IT IS ONLY ILLUMINATED WHEN THE PARKING LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE ONLY WAY TO GET ILLUMINATION DURING DAYLIGHT IS TO COVER THE LIGHT SENSOR THUS SIMULATING DARKNESS. THIS,HOWEVER, ONLY ILLUMINATES THE GAUGES AT THE LOWER SETTING FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVING. THE DIMMER KNOB/WHEEL IS OPERATIONAL BUT DOES NOT INCREASE ILLUMINATION TO THE LEVEL EXPECTED FOR DAYLIGHT DRIVING. THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER LIKE COMPLAINTS ON OTHER WEBSITES. THE DEALER TECH WAS HELPFUL, BUT UPON CHECKING WITH FORD, WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I FIND THAT TO BE LUDICROUS. FOR INSTANCE, TODAY, ON A SUNNY MORNING, WHEN DRIVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 10:00 AM IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE GAUGES! HOW CAN THIS NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE? *TR

AFTER THE ONBOARD COMPUTER SYSTEM DETECTED A FAULT FROM THE ABS SENSORS (REAR WHEELS WERE 17" AND FRONTS WERE 18" SO REARS TURNED FASTER THAN FRONTS), THE DRIVE-BY-WIRE (ACCELERATION) SOFTWARE SUDDENLY LIMITED ME TO THE SPEED AT WHICH I WAS TRAVELING AT THE TIME: 50MPH. EVEN THOUGH I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR, I GOT NO FURTHER ACCELERATION. LIGHTS AND WARNINGS ON THE DASH INDICATED AN ABS AND BRAKE PROBLEM; THERE WERE NO SUCH PROBLEMS. AT THE TIME OF THE "OVERRIDE", I WAS ABOUT TO MERGE INTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH FASTER THAN I WAS MOVING THUS LEADING TO THE PROBABILITY OF A REAR END COLLISION. I MOVED CLOSER TO THE SHOULDER AND (WILD GUESS) PUSHED THE BUTTON FOR SKID CONTROL (?)--TWO SQUIGGLY LINES ON THE BUTTON. HAD THE OVERRIDE OCCURRED 4-5 SECONDS LATER, I WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN INJURED. I HAD INSTALLED 18" WHEELS ON THE FRONT WITH THE INTENT OF INSTALLING 18" WHEELS ON THE BACK THE NEXT DAY. THE VEHICLE CAME WITH 17" WHEELS. I HAD DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES WITH THAT 18-17 CONFIGURATION BEFORE I EXPERIENCED THE WARNINGS AND CORRESPONDING SPEED LIMITATION. DRIVE-BY-WIRE MEANS DRIVE-BY-SOFTWARE. SOMEONE MADE MY DRIVING DECISIONS FOR ME AND THOSE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MY INJURY OR DEATH. VEHICLE TESTING CAN NO LONGER CENTER ON PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS ONLY. TRUE SAFETY TESTING MUST INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE "SAFETY" SOFTWARE WHERE DRIVE-BY-WIRE SYSTEMS ARE USED. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 2/25/2013 FROM CARMAX; 43,124 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO PRIOR HISTORY OF ACCIDENT OR MAJOR REPAIR. *TR

I WAS ENTERING AN ON-RAMP ONTO THE INTERSTATE AND ACCELERATING AT THE TIME. AS I WAS NEARING THE END OF THE RAMP, I FELT THE TRUCK WAS TRAVELING FASTER THAN I HAD INTENDED. I REMOVED MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR ONLY TO HEAR THE ENGINE REVVING AND WATCHED THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUE TO CLIMB. I WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 80-85 MPH BY THE TIME I WAS ENTERING THE INTERSTATE APPROACHING A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK. I STOOD WITH BOTH FEET, STRAIGHT LEGGED WITH 130 POUNDS ON THE BRAKE WHILE NOT ONLY TRYING TO AVOID THE TRACTOR TRAILER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WATCHING ANOTHER TRACTOR TRAILER APPROACHING ME FROM BEHIND. MY SPEED CONTINUED TO CLIMB AS THE ACCELERATOR REMAINED STUCK. AFTER APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILE OF ME STANDING ON THE BRAKE, I HEARD A LOUD BANG AS THE ACCELERATOR LET GO AND MY BRAKING TOOK EFFECT. I TOOK IT TO THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP WHO "COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE PEDDLE MUST HAVE BEEN STUCK ON THE FLOORMAT". AS I WAS NOT SATISFIED, I THEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT ONLY TO BE TOLD THE SAME THING. AS THE PERSON DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I CAN ASSURE YOU, IT WASN'T STUCK ON THE FLOORMAT. THE SAME THING OCCURRED TO MY HUSBAND AS HE ACCELERATED TO PASS A VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE PERIOD OF ACCELERATION DID NOT LAST AS LONG AS THIS LAST EPISODE. BOTH DEALERSHIPS WERE MADE WELL AWARE OF BOTH INCIDENTS. *TR

I WA TRAVELING ON I-20 EAST TRAVELING FROM VICKSBURG, MS HEADING TO ATLANTA, GA. I HAD BEEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL CONSISTENTLY FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. I ALSO WAS USING THE ACCELERATE & DECELERATE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING COLUMN. I APPROACHED A SLIGHT CURVE IN BIRMINGHAM, AL WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED IN AT 60 MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE. I APPLIED FOOT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 85 MPH. I THEN SOMEWHAT RAISED UP IN THE SEAT TO APPLY ALL THE FOOT PRESSURE I COULD TO THE BRAKE. IT SLOWED DOWN SLIGHTLY. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, IT BEGAN TO SPEED UP AGAIN. NEXT I FUMBLED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS TO SEE IF THEY WERE STUCK. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. FINALLY, I MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL & THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE BACK IN DRIVE, EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DID NOT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL ANYMORE. THANK GOD, WE SURVIVED! *TR

TRUCK PARKED IN GARAGE FROM SAT EVENING 4/21/2012 FROM SHORT 9 MILE TRIP. TRUCK STARTED AROUND 10:30 A.M. SUN 4/22/2012. REMOVED FROM GARAGE FOR 3 MINUTES THEN RETURNED TO GARAGE. SHUT OFF. LEFT RESIDENCE IN ANOTHER VEHICLE. RETURNED AROUND 7:30 P.M. OPENED THE GARAGE TO FIND A SMOKY HAZE COMING FROM IT. THE ENTIRE GARAGE WAS HOT. I NOTICED DRIPS OF SOME SUBSTANCE UNDER THE TRUCK AND ON THE RUNNING BOARDS. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED IT WAS THE UNDERCOATING THAT WAS WARM ENOUGH TO MELT AND DRIP. I GOT INTO THE TRUCK TO START IT UP BUT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. IT WAS WARM ENOUGH IN THE CAB OF THE TRUCK TO LIQUEFY TOOTSY ROLLS THAT WERE IN THERE. I COULD NOT GET THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD WITH THE GARAGE DOORS OPEN AND EVERYTHING SEEMING TO COOL DOWN. I USED A BATTERY CHARGER TO TRY START THE TRUCK. IT WOULD JUST CLICK AND NOT ROLL OVER. WITH THE CHARGER THERE WAS ENOUGH POWER TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSH THE TRUCK OUT OF THE GARAGE. THERE WE USED A COMMERCIAL BATTERY STARTER AND THE TRUCK STARTED UP. THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME BUT IT SEEMED TO RUN FINE. ALL GAUGES READ WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. THE WATER TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS IMMEDIATELY AT THE WARMED UP LINE UPON STARTING. LEFT IT OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT. FOLLOWING MORNING DROVE IT 10 MILES TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TESTED EVERYTHING AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED THEIR HOTLINE AND THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING BEFORE.. THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE IN THE GARAGE THAT WAS AFFECTED. *TR

TRUCK PURCHASED 3-30-2011. 9-2011 NEEDED TO HAVE BATTERY JUMPED. CLEANED BATTERY POSTS. SEEMED FINE. 12-19-2011 BATTERY WENT DEAD. AAA REPLACED BATTERY. 01-31-2012 BATTERY WENT DEAD AGAIN. AAA CAME AND SAID THE BATTERY WAS FINE. HAD IT JUMPED AND TOOK IT TO HOLMAN IN MAPLE SHADE, NJ. THEY KEPT THE TRUCK FOR FIVE DAYS AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. WHEN AAA CAME THEY SAID IT SEEMED AS IF SOMETHING WAS PULLING FROM THE BATTERY HOLMAN SAID IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN NOT TO HAVE IT JUMPED JUST HAVE IT TOWED. SEEMS IT MAY BE ELECTRICAL. NOT REALLY SURE.

THE FAN BLOWER SPEED CONTROL STUCK ON HIGH ONLY AND WAS REPLACED 09/2011. THE VEHICLE KEPT STALLING OUT UPON DECELERATION GOING DOWN THE ROAD. WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHEN THIS HAPPENS. COULD BE GOING 30 MPH OR 60 MPH. WHEN GET MOTOR IS STARTED AGAIN IT USUALLY RUNS ROUGH. THE LEFT OXYGEN SENSOR CODE WAS ON SO THIS WAS REPLACED. 11/2011 THE FUEL GAUGE ALSO STOPPED READING FUEL IN THE TANK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. REPLACED FUEL PUMP IN TANK, FUEL FILTER, FUEL POWER MODULE, ALL WAS FINE FOR THREE WEEKS. TRUCK DIES 8 TIMES TODAY AND ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE BACK. ENGINE LIGHT ON, FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING, TRUCK RUNS ROUGH FOR AWHILE WHEN RESTARTED THEN CLEARS UP. ENGINE LIGHT NOW STAYS ON AND FUEL GAUGE WILL READ 1/2 TANK WHEN IT IS FULL. 36 GAL TANK. 11/22/2011. *TR

VEHICLE HAS STALLED/SHUT DOWN ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS DURING OPERATION. THE FIRST TWO TIMES THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. DURING THE LATEST OCCURRENCE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE NAVIGATING A LEFT TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE STALL RESULTED IN A POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 05/23/2011. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUT THEY CANNOT RECREATED THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE HAVE NO SOLUTION. I HAVE ALSO NOTIFIED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN SIX OTHER QUALITY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND REPORT THE INCIDENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. HOPEFULLY THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS IT WILL NOT RESULT IN A CRASH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THERE THE BACK LIGHTING OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COULD NOT BE MANUALLY ADJUSTED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY READING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,500.