NHTSA Complaint #10368531 — 2002 LINCOLN LS

BALL JOINT FAILURE. MY CAR WAS BUILT IN MARCH OF 2002 AND THEY REDESIGNED IT IN APRIL TO A LARGER BALL JOINT WHICH I LEARNED BY TALKING TO A MECHANIC AT THE LINCOLN DEALER. HE SAID THAT HE FIXES A LOT OF THEM BUILT MARCH AND BEFORE BUT HAD NEVER HAD TO FIX A POST MARCH 2002 CAR. I ASKED IF HE HAD EVER UPGRADED IT TO THE NEW DESIGN HE SAID NO, I ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE HE SAID PROBABLY. I TOOK THE CONTROL ARM OFF THE CAR PAID A MACHINE SHOP $25 TO MACHINE IT OUT FROM 14MM THE OLD ORIGINAL SIZE TO 16MM THE NEW REDESIGNED SIZE THAT LINCOLN WAS PUTTING IN IT AFTER APRIL AND BOUGHT AND INSTALLED A 16MM JOINT AND THAT'S ALL THERE WAS TO IT. ALL IN ALL IT ONLY TOOK A FEW HOURS (DEPENDING ON THE MACHINE SHOP) AND NO SPECIAL TOOLS. IF YOU HAVE ANY MECHANICAL ABILITY YOU CAN DO THIS JOB IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, I DID. *TR