NHTSA Complaint #11396555 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

THERE WAS A RECALL 19S17 ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR THIS 12-16-2019. THEY REPLACED THE TOE LINKS (PART DB5Z-5A972-J) AND REPORTED THAT THE LEFT SIDE TOE LINK BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY WOULD HAVE TO RESCHEDULE A TIME TO DO THAT. BECAUSE THE JOINT WAS LOOSE, THEY DID NOT PERFORM THE ALIGNMENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE AFTER TOE LINK REPLACEMENT. DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON SNOW COVERED ROADS AFTERWARDS REVEALED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT BECAUSE OF VERY POOR HANDLING/WANDER. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM BEFORE THE SERVICING. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE DONE A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT THAT WOULD HAVE PUT THE ALIGNMENT CLOSE ENOUGH INSTEAD OF SENDING THE VEHICLE OUT IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION. BECAUSE OF THE COST I WAS QUOTED, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR THE JOINT REPLACEMENT, WHERE IT WAS DONE MUCH CHEAPER. I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE 20V-675 DATED NOVEMBER 2020, ON THE TOE LINKS AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 12-30-2020. THEY REPORTED THAT THE TOE LINKS PASSED THE INSPECTION AND THEY REPLACED THE ATTACHING BOLTS. ON 1-30-2021 I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN A 70 MPH ZONE IN THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC WHEN THE LEFT SIDE TOE LINK FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WENT WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL, SKIDDING AND SLIDING BACK AND FORTH UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO FIGHT IT TO A STOP. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT A COLLISION WITH NEARBY TRAFFIC. THIS WAS 30 DAYS AFTER THE TOE LINK WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER IN THE AREA. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TOE LINKS. I HAVE THE BROKEN TOE LINK. FORD HAS REFUSED TO COVER ANY OF MY EXPENSE WHICH INCLUDED A RENTAL CAR. MY CONCERN IS THAT DRIVING THE CAR NOW PRESENTS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. WILL A TOE LINK BREAK AGAIN AND SEND THE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING AN ACCIDENT?