NHTSA Complaint #11527463 — 2021 FORD F-150

The axle bolt (wheel hub end bolt) on the rear axle (driver side) broke leaving part of the bolt inside the axle and the broken end inside the wheel assembly along with the large washer the bolt had secured to the axle. A cursory exam of the broken piece indicates it occurred some time ago from the smooth end of the broken part of the bolt. There were no warning lights or indicators. The broken bolt and washer were discovered during a routine tire rotation. No one other than the Ford dealer I took the vehicle to for routine maintenance has inspected the vehicle. The vehicle has 20400 miles on it and no after-market modifications. This defect potentially endangered my family and I since the axle can now move and possibly reduce propulsion or cause a loss of power. There are hundreds of other owners with the same vehicle package ("Max Tow Package") posting online about the same issue. This is a known problem from Ford, yet they have neither notified owners or proactively offered a solution or recall.