NHTSA Complaint #11360411 — 2020 FORD F-250

ON AUGUST 9, 2020 THE ELECTRIC AUTOMATIC TAILGATE OPENNING DEVICE MALFUNCTIONED WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 2020 F-250 TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER AT THE TIME. THE TAIL GATE OPENNED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY TRAILER AND TRUCK TAIL GATE. WHILE I WAS DRING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AT LESS THAN 15 MILES PER HOUR, WITH NO TRAFFIC, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY, I STILL HAD TO BLOCK TRAFFIC AND IF THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURRED UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY IMPACT, INCLUDING INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE NHTSA HAS ISSUED PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALLS FOR FORD TRUCKS 2017-2019 FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. WHILE FORD CONTENDS THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THIER 2020 MODEL, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE CASE AS THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE TAILGATE CLOSED/SECURED PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE MOVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD TWICE, THEIR CASE REFERENCE NUMBERS ARE PROVIDED HERE: CAS-27558976-X5L5C1 AND CAS-27335518. FORD HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OR TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.