NHTSA Complaint #10093193 — 2004 FORD EXPEDITION

SEPTEMBER 24, 2004, I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 FORD EXPEDITION [XXX] IN HENDERSON, KENTUCKY. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JULY FROM D-PATRICK FORD IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. I WAS HEADING EAST TO PICK UP MY SON AT APPROXIMATELY 2 PM. ON HIGHWAY 60. THANKFULLY, I WAS IN SLOW TRAFFIC AND HAD STOPPED DUE TO A TURNING VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, AND WAS PROCEEDING TO GO AROUND THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. SUDDENLY MY STEERING WHEEL WAS JOLTED AND IT FELT AS THOUGH MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL HAD FALLEN OUT BENEATH ME, AND I WAS BROUGHT TO A HALT. UPON GETTING OUT OF MY CAR, IT LOOKED AS IF THE TOP HALF OF THE TIRE HAD FALLEN INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER WAS APPARENT. A FEW MINUTES LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON US HIGHWAY 41 WITH MY SON TRAVELING 60 MPH. THE INJURIES AND DEATHS THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED TO US AND OTHERS ON THE ROADWAY ARE VERY DISTURBING TO ME. *AK THE TOW OPERATOR AND THEN THE SERVICE MANAGER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST TOWED (CLOSEST DEALERSHIP), DEMPLEWOLF FORD IN HENDERSON, INFORMED US IT WAS A DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AGAIN TO D-PATRICK FORD IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, IN ORDER TO GET THE REPAIR MADE AND OBTAIN A LOANER VEHICLE. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT AND I WANT ACTION TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM GETTING HURT OR KILLED. I WAS A LUCKY, BUT IF THERE IS ONE LIKE MINE, THERE ARE OTHERS. I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE ROLLED OVER DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION IF I WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. EVEN AT MY LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL WAS IMPACTED AND I FELT IN DANGER. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHERS SAFETY. HAVE TOLD THE DEALERSHIPS AND WRITTEN TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY ASKING THEM TO REPORT THIS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION. I HAVE HEARD FROM NO ONE. I FEEL THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AND URGENT MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.*AK UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)