NHTSA Complaint #11372679 — 2017 FORD FLEX

ON MONDAY, SEPT 28, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 AM WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 5 (JUST BEFORE THE WEST MOUNTAIN VIEW OVERPASS IN FIREBAUGH CA) DOING 70 MPH, THE CAR BEGAN FISHTAILING ERRATICALLY - SWERVING BETWEEN LANES. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING OR ANYONE OR EVEN ROLLING THE VEHICLE. (AT THE TIME THERE WAS AN AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD.) WE INITIALLY BELIEVED THAT WHAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED WAS A BLOWOUT, BUT AFTER INSPECTION, ALL THE TIRES WERE FOUND TO BE INTACT. WE THEN SURMISED THAT WE HAD POSSIBLY HIT SOMETHING ON THE ROAD (LIKE A BLOWN TIRE REMNANT), BUT ALSO FOUND NOTHING. THE DRIVER AND BOTH PASSENGERS GOT BACK IN THE CAR TO SEE IF WE COULD PROCEED SLOWLY/SAFELY DOWN THE INTERSTATE TO THE NEXT EXIT IN ORDER TO CALL FOR SERVICE BUT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FISHTAIL AGAIN, SO WE CALLED FOR A AAA TOW FROM THE INTERSTATE. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TO ARRIVE, WE REINSPECTED THE TIRES AND FOUND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TO BE TURNED OUT SLIGHTLY. THE CAR WAS TOWED VIA FLAT BED 124 MILES TO A FORD DEALER IN BAKERSFIELD WHERE IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DETERMINED TO BE A FAILED TOE LINK SUSPENSION ASSOCIATED WITH FORD RECALL 20S04. THE ISSUE NOW IS THAT THE REMEDY IS NOT YET AVAILABLE SO THE ORIGINAL STYLE PART WAS USED TO REPAIR JUST THE BROKEN PART THE DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE INSPECTED THE LEFT TOE LINK SUSPENSION AND FOUND NO REASON TO REPLACE IT.