NHTSA Complaint #10445536 — 2005 FORD RANGER

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, WITH APPROXIMATELY 600 POUNDS OF WEIGHT IN THE BACK OR BED, ON A ROAD THAT REALLY WASN'T REAL SLICK SO I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN 4WD, AND SUDDENLY THE PICKUP VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HIT A CONCRETE JERSEY BARRIER. IT BOUNCED OFF AND WENT TOWARD THE RIGHT AND HIT A GUARD RAIL AND THEN ROLLED OVER ON TO ITS TOP. THE SHERIFF DEPUTY NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS MISSING AND THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT THE AXLE BROKE AT THAT LOW SPEED AND SITUATION. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BROKEN SURFACE ON THE PICKUP, HE NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE RUST AS IF THE AXLE HAD CRACKED SOMETIME EARLIER AND FINALLY BROKE OFF. I LOOKED AT THE BROKEN SURFACES AND COULD SEE WHAT LOOKED LIKE POSSIBLE RUST AND SOMETHING WHITE. THE PICKUP NEVER HAS HANDLED SO STRANGELY SO I THOUGHT I WOULD TRY SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE. IT DIDN'T TAKE TOO LONG USING GOOGLE TO FIND ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE A PERSON HAD REPORTED THE AXLE ON THE SAME SIDE ON, I BELIEVE, A 2004 RANGER HAD BROKEN AND THE PICKUP ROLLED. I TOOK SOME PICTURES OF THE BROKEN AXLE SURFACES, BUT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ATTACH THEM TO THIS FORM. *TR