NHTSA Complaint #11630747 — 2023 FORD F-150

The rear axle bolts - both - were sheared. Specifically, the bolt head and a portion of the bolt shaft were loose within the small hub cap that covers the axles. I was unaware that either bolt had failed. The failure was discovered on [XXX] when I took the vehicle into a Ford dealership for an oil change tire rotation. I was waiting for the service to be completed. The service advisor, Rocky Garcia, approached me and informed me that one of the rear axle bolts had sheared, and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. At my request he returned with one fairly large bolt head with a shaft that had clearly sheared. He said that this was not the subject of a recall, but that it was covered under warranty. When the vehicle was returned to me on Saturday, December 14, 2024 I learned from the invoice that both rear bolts had failed. The invoice states that both rear "axle shafts" were replaced. The vehicle was manufactured in July or August of 2024 and falls outside of the recall that exists for 2023 Ford F-150 with the Trailer Tow Max Package, Ford reference No. 23S65. A simple internet search reveals Ford has struggled with this same defect for years. The rear axle bolt is a critical component, and it is absurd that in 2023, Ford is struggling with using a bolt of sufficient strength. As I am reminded every time I start the vehicle, the Ford F series was in its 75th year in 2023. One would think that developing an axle bolt of sufficient strength after 75 years would not be hard. I have towed a camper approximately 10 times since the purchase of the vehicle in August 2023. The camper, fully loaded, weighs at most 3,600 lbs. The sheared bolt was retained by Covert Ford in Austin, TX. I felt no change in the handling of the vehicle at any time, there were no warning lamps, etc., and heard no noise.