Complaint 637401

Complaint Summary

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY

Owner Narrative

REAR LEFT LEAF SPRING CRACKS, CONSIDERED A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BY FORD SERVICE TECHS. THIS FAILURE WAS ON A 2000 FORD E-150 VAN. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW IN JAN. 2001 AND ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES. I AM A DISABLED DRIVER AND DO NOT DRIVE FAST OR ANY TYPE OF OFF RODE, ALL CITY DRIVING. IN DEC. 2006 I HAD FORD PERFORM A THOROUGH SAFETY INSPECTION PRIOR TO MY 6 YEAR WARRANTY END. THIS INSPECTION INCLUDED THE SUSPENSION AND IT CHECKED OUT FINE. 9 MONTHS AND ONLY 2,000 MILES LATER 3 OF THE STEEL BARS ARE CRACKED ON THE LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING. I WAS UNAWARE OF THE CRACKS UNTIL IT WAS CAUGHT DURING A ROUTINE MAITAINANCE VISIT AT FORD. I HAD NO ACCIDENTS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, OR HIT ANY POTHOLES, BUMPS ETC. IN FACT, I HAD THE FORD SERVICE TECH AND TWO INDEPENDANT TECHS TELL ME THAT CRACKED LEAF SPRINGS NOT RESULTING FROM AN ACCIDENT ARE ALMOST UNHEARD OF. ALL THE MECHANICS SAID IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN QUITE A JOLT TO HAVE CRACKED THE LEAF SPRING. I WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED AN EXTREMELY HARD JOLT AS I DRIVE FROM A WHELCHAIR AND WITH HAND CONTROLS, BELIEVE ME, YOU ARE VERY AWARE OF EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BUMPS. THERE IS NO BENT AXLE, TIRE, SHOCK, OR WHEEL RIM DAMAGE, AND EACH MECHANIC WAS LEFT SCRATCHIN THEIR HEAD AS TO HOW THE LEAF SPRING COULD HAVE CRACKED. THE TWO NON FORD MECHANICS SUGGESTED THE POSSIBILITY OF POOR QUALITY STEEL. FORD REPLACED IT, UNFORTUNATELY 7 MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDED. I ASKED THE FORD DEALER IF THEY WOULD SEND THE PART BACK TO THE FORD ENGINEERS TO SEE IF IT WAS DEFECTIVE, THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO IF IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE IT IS 7 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD LOOK INTO SENDDING IT BACK. ANYWAY, ITS FIXED, BUT I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WASN'T CAUGHT AND CRACKED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. ESPECIALLY USING FULL HAND CONTROLS.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.