NHTSA Complaint #11234000 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE OPERATING 2013 FORD EXPLORER ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE RIGHT WHEEL SUDDENLY TURNED 45 DEGREES RIGHT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO UNEXPECTEDLY VEER TO RIGHT TOWARDS CURB AND PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY. A VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWED THE OUTER TIE ROD DISCONNECTED FROM OUTER TIE ROD CONNECTOR WITHOUT WARNING. MECHANIC DETERMINED THE MALE THREAD ON OUTER TIE ROD "WORKED" IT'S WAY OUT OF THE FEMALE OUTER TIE ROD CONNECTOR. THE METAL THREADS ON THE END OF THE TIE ROD WERE STRIPPED ALLOWING OUTER TIE ROD AND TIE ROD CONNECTOR TO SLIDING IN AND OUT FREELY WITHOUT ANY ROTATION(LOOSENING/TIGHTENING) OF TIE ROD END. FORTUNATELY NO PERSONAL INJURY WAS SUSTAINED BY ANYONE INVOLVED. AT TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES AND WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION RECEIVING REGULAR SERVICE. I BELIEVE THE OEM EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND RUNS THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF IT WERE TO FAIL AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO EXPLAIN INCIDENT AND THEY SIMPLY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY DID NOT SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS OF MECHANICAL FAILURE AS THEY DID NOT CONNECT ME WITH A TECHNICIAN. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IF THEY WOULD MARK IT AS A SIMPLE TIE ROD FAILURE AND IF ENOUGH PEOPLE "COMPLAIN" THEY WOULD CONTACT ME. OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION I REPLACED BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS AND TIE ROD ENDS TO PREVENT FURTHER FAILURE. REPAIRS COST INCLUDING LABOR EXCEEDED $750 PHOTOS OF FAILED PARTS ATTACHED PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION/QUESTIONS.