2000 Ford F-250

CERTIFIED LTR REQUESTING NHTSA INITIATE A DEFECT INVESTIGATION RE SELECTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY VEHICLES LEFT FRONT INNER BEARINGS FOR ADVANCED FATIGUE CRACKS. *TS COMPLAINANT WAS RECENTLY ASKED TO CONSULT IN THE MATTER OF A FATAL HIGH SPEED HEAD ON TWO-VEHICLE COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING WESTBOUND 2001 FORD EXPEDITION VEERED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE AND STRUCK AN EASTBOUND 2000 FORD F250 LONG BED TRUCK TOWING A 5TH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER. THE RESULTING COLLISION KILLED THE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE 2001 EXPEDITION AND THE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE 2000 FORD F250 PICKUP TRUCK. THE PICK UP TRUCK AND TRAILER WERE COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES UPON OFFICER'S ARRIVAL. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE LEFT FRONT INNER BEARING FAILED ON THE EXPLORER AS A RESULT OF PROGRESSIVE FATIGUE. THE BEARING FAILURE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES. PLEASE REFERENCE ODI# 10139931 TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THE 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. *NM

ON 8/26/2000 ABOUT 5:10 PM, I WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON THE I-15 BETWEEN BARSTOW, CA AND BAKER, CA WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 70 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. I FELT THE VEHICLE PULL HEAVILY TO THE RIGHT. I COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING. IN ADDITION, CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS TAPPED OR STEPPED ON HEAVILY. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE IN ANY WAY. THE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 3514.516.5)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 3514.516.5 )

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN PULLING A 30' CAMPER FOOT AIR STREAM, ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT LOST CONTROL, CAME ACROSS THE MEDIAN, SPINNING/STRUCK THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND DEALER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK *ML

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE SECTOR SHAFT OF THE STEERING GEAR BOX SNAPPED OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING RESULTING IN A CRASH INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THIS CRASH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP. UPDATED 7/21/2006 - *NM

FIRESTONE TIRE, STEELTEX A/T, 265/75R16 123 1200, DOT# VNW8LXL2301. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE VAN, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS STILL IN TACT, BUT THE TREAD WAS GONE. *AK *SC *JB

CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 55 MPH, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NECK AND CLOSED HEAD INJURIES. NLM

MY FORD TRUCK WAS IMPACTED AT 55 MILES AN HOUR HEAD-ON. I KNOW OF AT LEAST FOUR OTHER PEOPLE PERSONALLY, WHOSE FORD AIRBAGS DID NOT BEEN EMPLOYED ON THEIR TRUCKS DURING COLLISION. YET I SEE NO REPORTS ON THE NTSA AS FAR AS AS COMPLAINTS GO. I KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT YOU DO TOO WAND IT'S NOT BEEN REPORTED. I INTEND ON CONTACTING MY CONGRESSMAN ABOUT THE NHTSA'S LACK OF RECOGNITION IN THIS PROBLEM. MY CAREER WAS ENDED BY A 55 MILES AN HOUR HEAD-ON IMPACT IN MY FORD TRUCK. HAVE SEEN NO SUCH REPORT OR COMPLAINTS ABOUT AIRBAGS ON YOUR WEB SITE.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 50-55 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF A COLLISION HEAD-ON WITH TWO WHEEL TRAILER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK A VEHICLE THAT WAS BEING TOWED, CAME OFF THE TRAILER AND HIT CONSUMERS VEHICLE HEAD ON, CONSUMERS WIFE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER FACE. *JB

TREAD SEPARATION ON HIGHWAY CAUSED TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 265/75 R16) (TIRESIZE: 265/75 R16)

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER. CONSUMER HIT OTHER VEHICLE ON DRIVERS SIDE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK *SLC

ON 2/10/01 I WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE CAR ACCIDENT IN THE FOOTHILLS NORTH OF BOULDER CO, WENT OFF A CURVE, ROLLED AN EMBANKMENT AND LANDED IN A RIVER. AIRBAGS DID NOT ACTIVATE. SUFFERED MUTIPLE BROKEN FACIAL BONES. HAVE PICTURES TO PROVE THIS. PLEASE CONTACT.*AK

CONSUMER JUST BROUGHT TRUCK 2 WEEKS AGO AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE BUMPS AND BRUISES. *AK

SPLINED SHAFT FROM GEARBOX THAT PITMAN ARM ATTACHES TO SNAPPED AT BOTTOM OF GEARBOX, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND TRUCK RAN INTO EMBANKMENT. *AK

WHEN FORD WAS CONTATCED AND IT WAS REQUESTED THEY EXAMINE THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FAILURE AND TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS, THEY DECLINED. *AK

WHILE COMMING OUT OF A TURN STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

Left front tire blew without warning, lost control of truck and trailer and crossed the median into oncoming interstate traffic. Stearing link on truck broke, not sure when. Truck and trailer were totaled. LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW WHILE PARKED A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER. No visible defects. I have attached two pictures of the left front tire taken at the scene of the accident and three pictures of the left rear tire taken as it failed in two stages, first a bulge in the tread, followed a few weeks later by a zipper-like sidewall separation. Tires were less than 10 years old when they failed. I still have the tires as well as the other two matching tires from the set. The accident occurred in Bath NY. Michelin LT235/85R16

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR,FOUND BRAKE LINE TO REAR WHEELS RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER'S DODGE RAM WAS TOWING (2000 FORD 250) HAD A BLOWOUT. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER OF THE RAM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND RUN OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE RAM AND TOW VEHICLE ENTERED THE NORTHSIDE DITCH AND THE TOW VEHICLE OVERTURNED. *TS *NM

THE DRIVER SIDE AXLE BROKE. DEFECTIVE HOSE CLAMP AND STEERING FAILED. *JB