NHTSA Complaint #10041116 — 2000 FORD F-150

THERE ARE TWO SITUATIONS: #1: MULTIPLE REAR SPRING FAILURES ON SEVERAL F150 S-CAB 4WD VEHICLES FROM 1995 THRU 2000 BUILD DATE. THE MAIN LEAF CRACKS AT AXLE SPRING PERCH RESULTING IN A PUNCTURE OF BED FLOOR ON SOME INCIDENTS. ALL REQUIRING SPRING REPLACEMENT AND RECENTLY REPAIRED BY USING AFTER MARKET HEAVY DUTY SPRINGS ON BOTH SIDES. #2: MULTIPLE VEHICLES ALSO EXPERIENCED FRONT FENDER ALIGNMENT CHANGE RESULTING IN FRONT DOOR FORWARD EDGE BINDING. NOT CAUSED BY FRONT BUMPER OR FENDER IMPACT. SEVERAL OCCASIONS OF SEVERE BIND RESULTING IN DOOR SKIN AND FORWARD LIP DAMAGE WHEN DOOR WAS FORCED OPEN TO ALLOW EGRESS OF OPERATOR. REPAIRS WERE MADE BY REALIGNING FRONT FENDER ASSEMBLY AND SOME DOOR HINGES NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO DISTORTION CAUSED WHEN DOOR WAS FORCED OPEN AGAINST THE REAR EDGE OF OFFENDING FENDER. NO COSMETIC REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE SO THE DOOR FORWARD EDGES AND FENDER REAR EDGES REMAIN SEVERELY BENT BUT CLEARANCE IS ADEQUATE TO PREVENT BINDING AFTER REPAIRS ARE DONE. NOTE: THESE VEHICLES ARE OPERATED OFF-ROAD AND ON GRADED GRAVEL ROADS ON KAHO`OLAWE ISLAND AS PART OF MIXED FLEET OF VEHICLES IN SUPPORT OF UNEXPLORED ORDINANCE CLEARANCE ON THE FORMER NAVAL GUNFIRE AND BOMBING RANGE. TO DATE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED NO SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THE 30 OR SO 1985 TO 1986 CHEVY PICK-UPS USED IN IDENTICAL MANNER AND NO VEHICLES WERE OVER-LOADED USUALLY CARRYING ONLY ONE TO THREE PASSENGERS AND HAND-CARRIED GEAR IN THE BED. WE SUSPECT THAT SEVERE SPRING WRAP CAN OCCUR WHEN TORQUE TRANSMITTED BY THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL IS CHANGED FROM TIRE TO TIRE. ALL VEHICLES ARE V-8 AUTO-TRANSMISSION (GASOLINE FUELED FORDS AND DIESEL FUELED CHEVYS). *LA