NHTSA Complaint #11101756 — 2005 FORD F-150

PREMATURE FRAME CORROSION AND RUST FAILURE, DURING RECENT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE FRAME ON THE REAR HALF OF MY 2005 FORD F-150 HAD RUSTED UNDER THE BED AND REAR WHEEL WELLS TO THE POINT OF FAILURE WHERE THE FRAME WOULD NO LONGER SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE ON HIS LIFT. RUST THRU HOLES AND LONGITUDINAL CRACKS HAD FORMED ON THE BOTTOM AND SIDE FRAME SURFACES AT THE STRESS POINT BEFORE THE REAR WHEEL BEND. THIS SEEMS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL BECAUSE THE TRUCK HAS BEEN GENERALLY BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND MAINTAINED IN GOOD MECHANICAL CONDITION. THE EXTERIOR BODY ONLY EXHIBITS LIGHT SPOTS OF SURFACE RUST ON THE VISIBLE BODY PANELS. PROVIDING NO HINTS OF THE DEGRADATION OCCURRING BELOW. MY MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME THAT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FRAME STRUCTURE WAS IMMINENT AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. WHICH IN ITSELF IS CONCERNING IN THAT I HAD BEEN TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THE VEHICLE'S DETERIORATING CONDITION. HAD I NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR MAINTENANCE I WOULD LIKELY CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL ONE DAY BEING TOTALLY SURPRISED WHEN THE BACK HALF OF MY TRUCK SEPARATED FROM THE FRONT.