NHTSA Complaint #10893437 — 2015 FORD F-150

RUNNING BOARD FAILURE ON F150 2015 LARIAT. MY 2015 LARIAT CAME WITH FACTORY INSTALLED RUNNING BOARDS WHICH WE NEED AS MY WIFE AND I ARE BOTH 68 YEARS OLD. THE RUNNING BOARDS MAKE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAB SAFE AND EASY, AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT. AFTER 9 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP MY WIFE FELL WHILE GETTING INTO THE TRUCK CAUSING BRUISING AND CONTUSIONS TO HER LEGS. I LOOKED CAREFULLY AT THE RUNNING BOARDS AFTER THAT INCIDENT AND FOUND THAT THE RUBBER LIKE TREADS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE TRACTION WHEN STEPPED ON HAD COME LOOSE AND WERE MOVING ABOUT 1/2" FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON THE CHROME METAL STEP SIDE PLATFORM. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER WHO INSPECTED IT AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE RUNNING BOARD. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS SO I MONITORED IT CAREFULLY. NINE (9) MONTHS LATER I FOUND THAT NOT ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AS COMING LOOSE AGAIN BUT SO WAS THE DRIVER SIDE. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE RUBBER/PLASTIC COMPOSITE THAT THE NON SLIP TREADS ARE MADE OF ARE SIMPLE PUSHED THROUGH HOLES IN THE RUNNING BOARD STEEL PLATE MATERIAL WITH NO PROTECTION ON THE INSERTED NECKS OF THE TREAD FROM BEING EATEN AWAY BY THE EDGES OF THE HOLES IN THE PLATE CAUSING THE NECKS OF THE TREADS TO DETERIORATE QUICKLY DUE TO CHAFING. THIS ENTIRE MATTER AND THE WAY FORD RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST TO COVER THE DEFECTIVE PARTS UNTIL THEY CAN FIND A SAFE AND RELIABLE SOLUTION LEFT ME SAD. MY WIFE SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECTED TO POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY FOR WHAT FORD'S REGIONAL MANAGER WOULD LIKE TO CLASSIFY AS A COSMETIC ISSUE. STEP TREADS ON A STEEL RUNNING BOARD ARE A SAFETY FEATURE NOT A COSMETIC ADD ON. FORD MUST KNOW BY NOW THAT THIS ISSUE ISN'T ISOLATED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TREADS AND THE DESIGN IN GENERAL. IT IS A SHAME THEY WOULD LET A $10 TREAD TARNISH THE REVIEWS OF THEIR NEW ALUMINUM BODY LINE OF TRUCKS.