NHTSA Complaint #10045882 — 1998 FORD F-150

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP MY VEHICLE(1998 FORD F-150 4 X 4 6 CYL) I THOUGHT I WAS HUNG UP ON SOMETHING AS THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE IN DOING SO. WHEN I GOT OUT TO CHECK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE ROADWAY, I WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE THAT BOTH OF MY FRONT TIRES WERE FACING EACH OTHER (TOED IN). AFTER MUCH ADO, AND MANY MEN STOPPING TO SEE WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS, I LEARNED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD HAD LET GO WITHOUT ANY WARNING! WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK, EVERYONE TOLD ME TO INVESTIGATE WHY THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FORD USED TO HAVE A GREASED FITTING HOLDING THE TIERODS AND HAS SWITCHED TO A NYLON FITTING THAT IS NON-GREASABLE TO SAVE MONEY>.... I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS VERY SICK TO MY STOMACH TO THINK THAT MY TIE ROD COULD HAVE LET GO WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN FACING THE POSSIBILITY OF DISASTEROUS CONSEQUENCES. THAT DID NOT GIVE ME A WARM AND FUZZY FEELING. I BOUGHT THIS PICK-UP BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS SAFER DRIVING A BIG VEHICLE. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT SOME SMALL LITTLE NYLON PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS COMPROMISING MY ABILITY TO STEER MY VEHICLE. WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM?? MY GARAGE TELLS ME THEY HAVE SEEN PLENTY!*AK