NHTSA Complaint #767325 — 1995 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

FIRST OF ALL I AM NOT SURE OF THE MONTH WE BOUGHT THE CAR BUT IT WAS IN 1996. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.MY DAUGHTER WAS OVER AT THE OREGON COAST AND HAD JUST PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN THE LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT CAME APART AND THE FRONT WHEEL COLLAPSED INWARD. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS NO BODY DAMAGED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOT. ON YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND TWO (2) RECALLS SUMMARYS: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS : 98V322000 AND 96V135000. THESE DEAL WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS AND THE PITMAN ARMS ON THE 1995 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. I ASKED THE DEALERS IN NEWPORT, OR. AND JUNCTION CITY, OR AND THEY CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF EITHER ONE. IN ADDITION I WAS GIVEN AN NUMBER FOR THE MAIN CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICE FOR FORD BACK EAST. THEY DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALLS EITHER. BOTH DEALERS I TALKED TO SUGGESTED REPLACING ALL FOUR OF THE BALL JOINTS (UPPER AND LOWER) WHICH I DID. IT COST $561.63. I HAD A TOWING BILL OF $142.00 AND A CAB BILL OF $57.75. I ASKED THE DEALER TO BE REIMBURSED AT LEAST OF THE REPAIR AND TOWING BILLS. THEY REFUSED. IF MY DAUGHTER HAD BEEN DRIVING ALONG AT 55 MPH AND THE BALL JOINT CAME APART SHE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND IT CAME APART, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THEY CLAIM THAT THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED GIVEN THE YEAR OF THE CAR AND MILES DRIVEN. I FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD PAY THE REPAIR BILL AT LEAST. IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME, IT COULD HAPPEN TO OTHER OWNERS OF THE 1995 CROWN VICTORIA'S, AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE ALREADY SINCE YOU HAVE RECALLS SUMMARYS CONCERNING THEM.*AK