NHTSA Complaint #10310261 — 2002 LINCOLN LS

WHILE DRIVING THE LOWER BALL JOINT FELL APART. NO INJURY RESULTED DUE TO A LOW SPEED. AFTER TALKING TO A TECHNICIAN AT THE LOCAL LINCOLN DEALER I FOUND OUT THAT LINCOLN HAD CHANGED THE DESIGN A MONTH AFTER MY CAR WAS BUILT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY HAD UNDERBUILT THE CAR. I ASKED THE TECHNICIAN IF I COULD UPGRADE IT TO THE PART THEY USED AFTER MARCH OF 2002 AND HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD NEVER TRIED IT BUT AS FAR AS HE KNEW THE PARTS WOULD BOLT UP TO THE CAR THE SAME, AND THE PART THEY USED ON MY CAR WAS FAILING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THE PART THEY USED AFTER MARCH OF 2002, AS FAR AS HE KNEW NEVER FAILED. I DECIDED TO TAKE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM OFF MY CAR AND TAKE IT TO A MACHINE SHOP AND HAVE THEM MACHINE IT TO FIT THE NEWER/LARGER STUD IN THE BALL JOINT USED AFTER MARCH OF 2002, EVERYTHING WORKED OUT GOOD AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS. THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MY CAR WERE 14 MM AND AFTER MARCH THEY USED 16 MM IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE TO TAKE IT TO A MACHINE SHOP AND UPGRADE YOUR CAR. THE COST OF THE WORK AT THE MACHINE SHOP WAS ONLY $25 AND WE DID ALL THE REST IN THE DRIVEWAY IN JUST A FEW HOURS. IF YOU HAVE ANY MECHANICAL ABILITY YOU CAN DO THIS JOB, OR YOU CAN PAY ABOUT $1,500 TO A SHOP TO PUT THE 14 MM BACK IN AND HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN. *TR