NHTSA Complaint #10452763 — 2001 LINCOLN LS

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM WORK (APPROX. 70 MILES ROUND-TRIP). WHILE TURNING I HEARD A LOUD CRUNCH AND THEN FELT A HARD THUD, MY VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER, FELT ANOTHER CRUNCH. I PULLED INTO A PARKING STALL, AFTER PARKING MY VEHICLE, ANOTHER LOUD CRUNCH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL HAD FALLEN OFF AND WAS WEDGED INTO THE WHEEL WELL. ON MARCH 12TH, 2012 MY REPAIR FACILITY INFORMED ME ABOUT THE ITEMS THAT NEED REPLACED: UPPER AND LOWER LEFT FRONT BALL JOINTS, FRONT OUTER TIER ROD ENDS, NEW FUEL FILTER- DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT, TWO NEW TIRES & AN ALIGNMENT. I REALIZED HOW LUCKY I WAS THAT THIS DID NOT OCCUR WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I CONDUCTED GOOGLE SEARCH ON 2001 LINCOLN LS SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, I WAS STUNNED ON THE AMOUNT OF SAFETY RELATED HITS OUT THERE (SUSPENSION RELATED), I REALIZED THAT THIS WAS NOT ISOLATED TO JUST MY VEHICLE, THERE WERE PAGES-OF-PAGES OF PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 2001 LINCOLNS. THERE WAS A SUSPENSION RELATED RECALL: LINCOLN / LS 2000-2001, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, DATE: NOV 01, 2000 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V359001 N/A NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: N/A COMPONENT: SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT, NUMBER OF AFFECTED: 82,300 SUMMARY: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS WHEN THEY WERE ATTACHED TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. CONSEQUENCE: IF THE BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS ARE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED, THEY CAN LOOSEN AND, ULTIMATELY, RESULT IN FRACTURE OF THE BALL JOINT STUD. IF THE BALL JOINT FRACTURES, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TORQUE ON THE TWO BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS. VEHICLES WITH LOOSE BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS WILL EITHER HAVE THE FASTENERS TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION, OR IF NECESSARY, THE BALL JOINTS WILL BE REPLACED. *TR