NHTSA Complaint #11310287 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

HAD JUST PICKED UP MY MAIL FROM MAILBOX AND STARTED CROSSING ROAD TO ENTER MY LANE/PRIVATE DRIVEWAY WHEN HEARD A LOUD CLUNK AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER CAR. KEPT PUSHING GAS PEDAL TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET ACROSS THE ROAD AND BARELY DID BUT COULDN'T CONTROL DIRECTION THE CAR WAS MOVING. WHEN FELT WAS SAFE I GOT OUT AND WALKED AROUND CAR TO SEE IF I COULD SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. NOTICED FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS TURNED IN WHILE OTHERS WERE STRAIGHT. I GOT BACK IN CAR TO TURN STEERING WHEEL AND SEE IF IT WOULD MOVE BUT IT DID NOT. I CALLED FAMILY TO COME HELP AND UPON FURTHER LOOKING DISCOVERED WHEEL HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE TIE ROD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND UPON THEIR INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD AND THAT THE AXLE CENTRE BRACKET HAD BROKEN. I GOOGLED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND FOUND A WEBSITE CARPROBLEMZOO.COM WHERE 29 REPORTS WERE LISTED OF SIMILAR INSTANCES WITH A MOST RECENT DATE OF 7/12/2019. THIS DRIVER DID CONTACT FORD CUSTOMER CARE AS DID I BUT HAD NO ASSISTANCE OR RESOLUTION FROM THEM. IN FACT FORD TOLD ME THEY CAN'T MONITOR EVERY WEBSITE AND I TOLD THEM THIS WASN'T ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE ONE COMPLAINT SAID A MOTHER'S NECK WAS BROKEN. THESE PROBLEMS MUST BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED.