NHTSA Complaint #10913815 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

IN JUNE 2016, I RECEIVED A MANUFACTURERS RECALL LETTER FOR A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. RECALL NUMBER: 16S18. INDICATING THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK(S) MAY FRACTURE DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELD. RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, A DIFFICULT STEERING CONDITION, OR REAR SUSPENSION NOISE WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH. IT STATED THAT WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, FORD WILL SEND A LETTER TO INFORM US TO CONTACT OUR DEALER TO SCHEDULE REPAIR. FOUR MONTHS HAVE GONE BY WITH NO WORD FROM FORD. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT THE TIMING ON THIS PARTICULAR RECALL. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT PARTS TO FACILITATE REPAIRS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE AND THAT THEY ANTICIPATE A LETTER TO BE SENT OUT IN JANUARY OF 2017. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT 4 TO POSSIBLY 6 MONTHS OR MORE IS NOT A TIMELY COMPLETION OF WORK ASSOCIATED WITH A RECALL THAT INVOLVES SAFETY ISSUES AS SERIOUS AS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. SINCE THE RECALL REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN TIMELY, MY SAFETY OFFICER FOR THE COMPANY I WORK FOR HAS INFORMED ME THAT MY ASSIGNED VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN UNTIL THE RECALL WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THIS HAS CAUSED A MAJOR HEADACHE IN DEALING WITH THE LOGISTICS OF MY JOB AND THE NEED TO USE THAT VEHICLE FOR MY FIELD-RELATED WORK, WHERE NO OTHER VEHICLE IS READILY AVAILABLE.