NHTSA Complaint #10265729 — 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

IN JUNE 2007, MY WIFE TOOK OUR 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED (SEL) TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. SHE WAS INFORMED AT THE TIME THAT SHE NEEDED TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. THE CAR HAD ONLY 26,800 MILES ON IT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF AND TOLD HER NOT TO ALLOW THE WORK. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO SERVICE CENTER THAT I TRUSTED THE NEXT DAY. SURE ENOUGH, THE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THEM DO THE WORK. I THEN COMPLAINED TO THE LOCAL DEALER THAT THIS WEAR RATE WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND CARS NORMALLY GO SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER BEFORE NEEDING REAR PAD REPLACEMENT. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM STATING THAT THE "BRAKE WEAR ON YOUR VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS" . I KNEW THIS WAS NOT TRUE. IN JULY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR CO. STATING THAT THEY WERE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE REAR PADS TO 36,000. I RECEIVED A REFUND FROM THE DEALER. JUST RECENTLY AT 68,584 MILES, WE HAD TO HAVE THE PADS REPLACED ONCE AGAIN. I DON'T THINK THIS IS ACCEPTABLE WEAR FOR THESE PADS. IT COST US $227.01 TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. MY WIFE USES THIS CAR FOR BUSINESS, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL NEED TO PLAN ON REPLACING THESE PADS EVERY YEAR. INTERESTINGLY, THE FRONT PADS HAVE NOT WORN OUT YET. THE SECOND PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD IS WITH THE TIE ROD END LINKS WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 53,671 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PERFORM THIS REPLACEMENT ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I'VE OWNED, MANY HAVE GONE WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IN THIS RESPECT. *TR