2000 Ford F-150 Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE HAD PIERCED THROUGH THE BED OF THE TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000.

2000 FORD F-150, UNIT 1 STATED THAT HE WAS SOUTHBOUND ON THE EXIT RAMP OF IR 80 OHIO TURNPIKE TO GATE I80 WHEN ITS FRONT AXLE/BALL JOINT BROKE. UNIT 1 DROVE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK THE CURB. *BF IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE BALL JOINT BROKE PRIOR TO THE TIRE STRIKING THE CURB. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0357-91)*JB

IN 2009 THE BRACKETS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME THAT HELD UP GAS TANK DETERIORATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED TO PREVENT THE TANK FROM FALLING OFF THE TRUCK. SOON AFTER THAT REPAIR WORK WAS DONE TO LEAF SPRING BRACKETS WHICH HAD RUSTED OFF THE FRAME. IN 2010,THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION, IT COULD NOT PASS BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS TOO RUSTED AND LIKELY TO BREAK AT ANY TIME, THIS TRUCK HAS ALWAYS HAD ALL MAINTENANCE NEEDED WHEN SCHEDULED AND FROM THE EXTERIOR, IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, BUT CONSIDERED TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND BE ON THE ROADS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD F150 XL 4X4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION ON THE VEHICLE FAILED DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION. BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, HE HEARD A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. HE STATED THAT OTHER FORD F-150 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE HAULING SOMETHING AND THE REAR SUSPENSION FAILS AND CAUSES A MAJOR CRASH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,900.

WAS ON A SLICK ROAD. I WAS GOING 15 MILES AN HOUR, WHEN MY 2000 FORD F-150 SPUN COMPLETELY AROUND. WHEN THE TRUCK SPUN AROUND IT WENT TOWARDS THE DITCH BACKWARDS. WHEN I HIT THE DITCH THE TRUCK FLIPPED ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED ON THE SCENE HE INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR TIRE BROKE OFF THE AXLE. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING AT SUCH A SLOW SPEED, NEITHER HAD THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS A HEAVY HALF TON LOAD AXLE . WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE AXLE IN THE LIGHT IT APPEARED THAT IT CRYSTALLIZED AND SNAPPED. I AM A WELDER AND WORK WITH METAL EVERY DAY AND THE AXLE LOOK ALMOST LIKE CAST. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE FLIPPED SIDEWAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE FRONT END WAS REBUILT. THE EXACT COMPONENTS REPLACED WERE UNKNOWN.

DT:THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE FRONT END SHIMMIED. ALSO, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THERE WERE *AK NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

THE VEHICLE'S LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS VEHICLE. *SC THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ON WHETHER OR NOT HIS PROBLEM SHOULD CONSTITUTE A RECALL. *TC *JB

THE VEHICLE'S UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WORE PREMATURELY. THE CAUSE OF THE PREMATURE WEAR HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WILL COLLAPSE. *NM *LA

LEFT FRONT WHEEL MAKES NOISE OVER BUMPS. STEERING IS OFF BECAUSE OF IT AND IT FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BREAK ANY SECOND. *AK

LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE AND TRUCK FELL TO GROUND. *NLM

BALL JOINTS HAVE BECOME REAL LOOSE, WHEN GETTING BALL JOINTS CHECKED, THEY CAN BREAK AT ANY TIME. DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO PAY FOR WORK ON VEHICLE.*AK *SLC

THIS IS NOT A SERVICEABLEE PART AS THEY NO LONGER PUT A GREASE FITTING ON THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. ON THE REPLACEMENT PART THERE IS A GREASE FITTING. THIS SHOULD A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. HAD I BEEN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, INSTEAD OF BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT 2MPH, THE POSSIBLE DAMAGE, AND DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. CHECK ARROUND, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THESE BALL JOINTS HAVE A MAJOR DESIGN DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.*AK

DUE TO FRONT END MISALIGNMENT FRONT TIRES HAD WORN OUT. WHEN CONTACTING DEALER , DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS A FRONT END DESIGN DEFECT, BUT WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY TORSION BAR BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT EVERY SIX MONTHS THE TIRES ARE WEARING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH BALL JOINTS AND CAN'T ALIGN. NLM

VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SLIP OUT OF ALINGNMENT WHEN DRIVEN OVER BUMPS AND POTHOLES DEALER HAS REALINGED VEHICLE SIX TIMES. *AK LOWER A ARM MOVES AND WEARS OUT TIRES WITH PULL. *YH

STRONG VEHICLE VIBRATION DURING BRAKE APPLICATION, ESPECIALLY DURING DOWN HILL BRAKING. CALLED CORNING FORD DEALERSHIP, WHERE I BOUGHT TRUCK NEW. THEY REFUSED TO HONOR ANY WARRANTY WORK ON BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THAT MANY MILES ON TRUCK. CALLED CUSTOMER 800# - THEY ALSO REFUSED REPAIR COVERAGE. TOOK TRUCK TO SCHWAB TIRE IN REDDING, CA.( IT'S THIRTY+ MILES TO SCHWAB TIRE FROM MY HOME. IT?S ALMOST EIGHTY MILES ONE WAY TO CORNING FORD FROM MY HOUSE.)SCHWAB TELLS ME THAT VEHICLE VIBRATION ON BRAKE APPLICATION INDICATES WARPED ROTORS. AFTER FIVE TRIPS TO SCWAB TIRE FOR ROTOR TURNS, THEN COMPLETELY REPLACING ALL FOUR ROTORS....NOTHING STOPPED VIBRATION. BY NOW THE VIBRATION IS MUCH MORE SEVERE THAN WHEN IT FIRST STARTED. DURING THE WHOLE HISTORY, FROM 43,958 MILES TO THE PRESENT 74,762 THE VIBRATION/SHAKING HAS NEVER GONE TOTALLY AWAY. THE LAST THING SCHWAB DID WAS REPLACE ALL FOUR SETS OF BRAKE PADS, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T NEED IT. BY THEN SCHWAB WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF IDEAS. I FINALLY TOOK THE TRUCK TO CORNING FORD, HOPING IT WAS POSSIBLY COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. IT WAS. CORNING FORD SERVICE MANAGER, STEVE LOWERY, SAT ME DOWN AND EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT WAS WRONG!!! FORD MOTOR CO. REFUSES TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR BRAKE SYSTEM. CORNING FORD DOES NOT DENY THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING DESIGN. FIRST, THE BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. THEN, AND MORE IMPORTANT, THE PROBLEM IS THE FRONT WHEEL HUBS/BACKING PLATES ARE TOTALY SEALED AFTER ASSEMBLY. THERE ISN'T ANY WAY TO LUBRICATE/SERVICE THE BEARINGS AT REGULAR INTERVALS. THE SEALS EVENTUALLY DRY OUT AND THE BEARING LUBRICANT/GREASE SEEPS ON TO THE HUB ASSEMBLY ON ONLY THE INBOARD BRAKE PAD. THIS THEN MEANS THAT DURING BRAKE APPLICATION, THE INBOARD PAD IS SLIPPING AND ONLY THE OUTSIDE PAD IS APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ROTOR. THE OUTSIDE ROTOR IS HAVING TO WORK HARDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IS CREATING UNNECESSARY HEAT ON THE ROTOR, THUS WARPING THE ROTOR.

FRONT END SHAKES AND VIBRATES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING AT 40-60 MPH. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER'S SHOP ON FIVE OCCASION, VARIOUS REPAIRS WERE DONE AND PARTS REPLACED, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK