NHTSA Complaint #10731730 — 2008 FORD EXPEDITION

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE FACTORY INSTALLED AUTOMATIC DEPLOYING RUNNING BOARDS. THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS BECOME RELIANT ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT STEP UP FOR EASE OF OCCUPANT ENTRY AND EXIT FROM VEHICLE. THESE STYLE RUNNING BOARDS ARE FOUND ON ALMOST ALL HIGHER-END LUXURY FORD & LINCOLN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 2006 TO PRESENT. ON TWO RANDOM OCCASIONS, WITH NO WARNING GIVEN, THE MOTOR RAN, BUT THE RUNNING BOARD ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TO DEPLOY. WHILE EXITING VEHICLE, EXPECTING THIS TRANSITION STEP TO THE GROUND TO BE THERE, AS WAS DESIGNED, DRIVER FELL FROM VEHICLE SPRAINING ANKLE AND INJURING HEAD. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS GIVEN LOCALLY WITH NO DOCTOR. THIS SURPRISING AND UNEXPECTED HEIGHT CHANGE OF APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES IS EQUIVALENT TO REMOVING OR MISSING A STAIR TREAD WHILE DESCENDING STAIRS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON INTERNET IT SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE AMONG OWNERS. THIS COULD PROVE DEADLY IN A FALL TO AN OLDER OCCUPANT THAT ASSUMES A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT THIS "HELPING STEP" DOWN IS ALWAYS THERE WHILE EXITING VEHICLE, WHEN IT IS NOT.