2017 Ford F-450 Body & Structure Problems

Tailgate opens in transit and allows contents of bed to fall out of vehicle causing issues for drivers behind truck

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD CRUNCHING SOUND AND BECAME AWARE THAT THE TAILGATE HAD FALLEN ONTO THE TRAILER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SHAWNEE MISSION FORD (11501 SHAWNEE MISSION PKWY, SHAWNEE, KS 66203) WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THOROUGHBRED FORD (8501 N. BOARDWALK AVE, KANSAS CITY, MO 64154) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DENT WAS BEING REPAIRED AND THE PART WAS BEING REPAINTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT A CLAIM NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-450. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND HAULING A TRAILER, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A HARD RIGHT TURN WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE TAILGATE DISENGAGED AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE TAILGATE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,700.

TAILGATE TO TRUCK HAS OPENED 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER 2019. I AM NOT SURE AT THE EXACT TIME AND CONDITIONS THAT THE TAILGATE OPENED BUT WEATHER WAS RAINING MID-DAY ON TWO OF THE OCCASIONS, THE THIRD WAS EARLY MORNING. ONE OF THE TIMES THE TAILGATE OPENED WAS WHILE TOWING A CARGO TRAILER WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE TOP OF THE TAILGATE AS IT FELL ON THE TRAILER TONGUE JACK HANDLE. AS A NEWLY RETIRED NAVY PILOT I 'PRE-FLIGHT' MY TRUCK AND TRAILER BEFORE EVERY DRIVE CHECKING SAFETY CHAINS, LOCKS, TIRES AND LIGHTS.

BROUGHT MY TRUCK INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE DOOR WAS NOT LATCHING CLOSED AT ALL. THE TRUCK IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS LESS THAN 20K MILES. LATER THAT DAY THE DEALERSHIP CALLED AND TOLD ME THE TRUCK WAS FIXED AND READY TO BE PICKED UP. LESS THAN 48 HOURS LATER THE LATCH AGAIN WOULD NOT WORK. I DROVE THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHILE HOLDING THE DOOR CLOSED WITH ONE HAND SO IT WOULDN'T FLY OPEN IN TRAFFIC. THEY AGAIN SAID IT WOULD BE FIXED AND THEY TOLD ME I WAS GIVING THEM 'ATTITUDE' BECAUSE I WAS UPSET THAT IT DIDN'T GET FIXED THE FIRST TIME. ONCE I GOT HOME I CALLED ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. MY BIGGEST GRIPE IS THAT THE FIRST DEALERSHIP NEVER INFORMED ME OF A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE AFTER BRINGING IT IN TWO TIMES WITHIN A THREE DAY PERIOD. I FOUND IT TO BE ALARMING THAT THEY WOULD SEND ME BACK OUT ON THE ROAD WITHOUT FIXING OR EVEN INFORMING ME ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD F-450. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO LOCK WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GOT COLD. THE CONTACT CALLED SIEMANS FORD AT (269) 465-5344 (LOCATED AT 8961 RED ARROW HWY, BRIDGMAN, MI 49106) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE VEHICLE DOORS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE FAILURE AND THERE WAS NO REMEDY TO KEEP THE MOISTURE OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.