NHTSA Complaint #10648730 — 2015 FORD F-350 SD

TRAVELING ON A PAVED ROAD. SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH. IT WAS RAINING. NO PUDDLING WAS ENCOUNTERED. I ENTERED A SLIGHT LEFT TURN AND ENCOUNTERED A WASHBOARD TYPE BUMP. IMMEDIATELY, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY. I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND PUSHED SLIGHTLY ON THE BRAKES. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND THE REAR AXLE LOST TRACTION ALLOWING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO SWING VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 10 DAYS AGO. SERVICE BROUGHT IT IN AND I EXPLAINED THE ISSUE OF LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN UNSAFE CONDITION. THE SERVICE ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME TO "PUT WEIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THAT'S NORMAL." I INVOLVED THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO WENT WITH ME OVER THE SAME ROUTE THAT CAUSED THE SAFETY ISSUE. HE SAID, "I SEE WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT." THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR INSPECTION. NOTHING WAS FOUND MECHANICALLY. DURING THE INSPECTION, THE REAR TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOWERED TO 65 PSI INSTEAD OF THE RECOMENDED 80 PSI THAT WAS SET PRIOR FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM WAS RE-CALIBRATED TO SHOW THE LOWERED TIRE PRESSURE. FRONT PRESSURES WERE LEFT AT THE RECOMMENDED 65 PSI. I AM NOW CONCERNED WITH EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR RUNNING THE TIRES UNDER-INFLATED. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED FORD AND WAS ADVISED IT IS A "NORMAL CONDITION" TO ALMOST ROLL OVER A PICKUP WITH SUCH A STIFF SUSPENSION WITHOUT A LOAD IN THE BACK CONSTANTLY. FORD IS UNAWARE OF ISSUE. LOWERED TIRE PRESSURES SLIGHTLY IMPROVED THE SAFETY ISSUE ON PAVEMENT, HOWEVER: YESTERDAY I WAS TRAVELING ON A ROAD THAT HAD THE PAVEMENT REMOVED DOWN TO DIRT FOR REPAVING. I AGAIN HIT A WASHBOARD, THIS TIME GOING STRAIGHT AND 25 MILES PER HOUR. THE SAME VIBRATE/SHAKING OCCURRED AND THE BACK END AGAIN SWUNG TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT ANY BRAKING WHATSOEVER. I WAS CLOSE TO LOSING CONTROL. *TR