NHTSA Complaint #11255126 — 2017 FORD F-250

I HAVE OWNED A 2017 F250 SUPER DUTY VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND TWICE THE TAILGATE HAS OPENED WHEN DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME WAS NOT LONG AFTER I HAD THE TRUCK IN THE FALL OF 2018 AND THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD LEFT IT DOWN, ALTHOUGH IT MADE NO SENSE SINCE I HAD NOT LOADED ANYTHING IN THE BED OF THE TRUCK, BUT SOMEONE WAVED ME DOWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS I WAS DRIVING OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. HOWEVER, ON THE EXPRESSWAY, LESS THAN FIVE WEEKS AGO, IN AUSTIN, TEXAS (WE LIVE IN ATLANTA AND WAS VISITING OUR SON,) THE TAILGATE CAME DOWN AND A PIECE OF LUGGAGE FELL OUT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I WAS ONLY NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM AFTER SEVERAL DRIVERS CAME UP BESIDE US AND YELLED OUT THEIR WINDOWS THAT THE TAILGATE WAS DOWN. TO MY KNOWLEDGE NO AUTO WAS DAMAGED BEHIND US BUT HARD TO KNOW FOR SURE SINCE WE WERE GOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR AND NOT SURE HOW FAR BACK THE PIECE OF LUGGAGE FELL OUT. SADLY IT HAD SOME OF MY WIFE'S MEDICINES AND OTHER ITEMS AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY $600 IN TOTAL VALUE AND WE COULD NOT RECOVER THE PIECE OF LUGGAGE. LUCKILY THE OTHER ITEMS DID NOT FALL OUT (SEVERAL HEAVY BOXES OF ITEMS FOR OUR SON). IN LOOKING ONLINE TODAY, I FOUND THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND WANTED TO REPORT IT. I WILL BE GLAD TO FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF REQUIRED.