NHTSA Complaint #10482186 — 2003 FORD F-350 SD

MY WIFE AND I WERE TAKING OUR SON BACK TO COLLEGE. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE WARNING FOR YOUR BRAKE PADS, EXCEPT WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES IT DIDN'T STOP. SOUNDED LIKE MY BRAKE ROTOR WAS GRINDING. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC TO HAVE MY BRAKES AND ROTORS CHECKED. THEY WERE FINE, BUT I WAS SURPRISED WHEN MY MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WASN'T MY BRAKES BUT INSTEAD IT WAS MY ALUMINUM ALLOY RIM (FACTORY RIMS) HAD CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH ONE OF THE SPOKES ON THE RIM AND HAD STARTED CRACKING ABOUT AN 1 1/2" THROUGH ANOTHER! I TOLD MY MECHANIC THAT I HAD NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE. MY MECHANIC REPLIED THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS SAME THING ON 5 OR 6 OF THE SUPER DUTY'S. SO, I BROWSED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. COME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM NOT ONLY WITH THE ALUMINUM ALLOY RIMS BUT THE STEEL RIMS AS WELL AND NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY YEAR. FROM FLORIDA TO CALIFORNIA ALL OVER THE U.S. INFORMED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS OF MY FINDINGS AND THERE RESPONSE WAS TO HOLD ON TO MY RECEIPT IN CASE THERE IS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM (CSP) OR A RECALL EVER PUT IN PLACE. *TR