NHTSA Complaint #10495969 — 2012 FORD F-150

THE VEHICLE FROM ORIGINAL PURCHASE DATE IN OCTOBER OF 2012 HAS EXHIBITED A KNOCK/CLUNK/VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING THAT TRANSMITS UP THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN AND CAN BE FELT WHILE HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL AND HEARD FROM THE FRONTAL AREA OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO OFF CENTER TO THE LEFT AND VEHICLE SEEMS TO PULL LEFT REGARDLESS OF ROAD CROWN AND THE FRONT TWO TIRES ARE FEATHERED ACROSS THE TREAD. THE FIRST VISIT TO DEALER AT 2700 MILES THE DEALER RESET THE TOE AS IT WAS TOE OUT CAUSING UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT ROUGHLY 4700 MILES FOR THE KNOCK/CLUNK/VIBRATION AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AGAIN AND IT WAS FOUND THAT PINCH BOLTS WERE LOOSE ON THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE CLUNK. DEALER STATES THE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR WAS DUE TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE. AFTER PICKING UP VEHICLE THE KNOCK/CLUNK/VIBRATION IS STILL PRESENT. WITH THE VEHICLE OFF AND TURNING THE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH RAPIDLY THE KNOCK/CLUNK CAN BE HEARD FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATES THIS IS NORMAL NOISE FROM THE FORD EPAS STEERING RACK. ASKED DEALER TO COMPARE TO A NEW LIKE VEHICLE ON THE LOT. DEALER CHANGED THE SUBJECT. SOUNDS LIKE FAULTY TIE ROD ENDS OR FAULTY INTERNAL RACK COMPONENTS FROM MY PAST AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE. OWNED A 2011 F150 WITH THE SAME SUSPENSION AND EPAS STEERING RACK AND THE WHEEL WAS STRAIGHT, AND NO NOISE WAS HEARD OR VIBRATIONS FELT WHILE DRIVING. TIRES DID NOT SHOW UNEVEN WEAR EITHER. DEALER STATES I CANNOT COMPARE MY 2012 F150 TO MY 2011 F150. DEALER STATES AN APPOINTMENT IS GOING TO BE SET WITH THE LOCAL FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER TO TEST DRIVE MY VEHICLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION IF ANY FURTHER ACTION IS TO BE TAKEN. AT THIS POINT THE DEALER IS NOT PROVIDING ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING MY CONCERN. ISSUE HAS ALSO BEEN DOCUMENTED WITH FORD CUSTOMER CARE. *TR