NHTSA Complaint #11287665 — 2019 FORD F-350

2019 F-350 WITH 8' BED AND APPROX 1000 MILES. 1ST OCCURRENCE: DEPARTED A CAMPGROUND TOWING A TRAVEL TRAILER (AFTER DOING 3 WALK-AROUND SAFETY CHECK PRIOR TO DEPARTING). DROVE 10 MILES TO NEAREST GAS STATION BEFORE GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE I DISCOVERED THE TAILGATE WAS DOWN AND CRUSHED BY THE TRAVEL TRAILER. THINKING BACK THROUGH MY SERIES OF EVENTS; I WAS ON LEVEL GROUND AND DID NOT REACH DOWN TO DISENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE BELOW THE GATE RELEASE, I HAD A GROUND GUIDE BACK ME UP OUT OF MY SPOT WHO CONFIRMED GATE WAS STILL UP PRIOR TO DEPARTING, KEY WAS IN THE CUP HOLDER WITH NO OTHER OBJECTS. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE DEALER(4 SEPT 2019). THEY REVIEWED CURRENT RECALLS ON MY MODEL AND NONE WERE REPORTED. I FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE AND ABSORBED THE REPAIR EXPENSES. IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THERE WAS A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM THE NIGHT PRIOR TO DEPARTING. 2ND OCCURRENCE: (WHILE AWAITING PARTS TO REPAIR DAMAGES FROM 1ST OCCURRENCE) I DEPARTED WORK AND JUST AFTER TURNING LEFT OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT STILL IN THE PARKING LOT, THE TAILGATE CAME OPEN UNINTENTIONALLY FOR THE SECOND TIME DURING MY 2 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED IT DOWN WHEN I LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR AND NO DAMAGES FROM THIS OCCURRENCE.