← NHTSA complaints

2005 FORD F-150 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

1 injured · 538256 · 2005-06-06

Vehicle

Make
FORD
Model
F-150
Year
2005
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Component
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
Miles at failure
2,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

ON JUNE 4, 2005 AT ABOUT 6:30 PM I HAD LOADED UP SOME SCRAP ALUMINUM (FROM A SMALL SHED WE HAD TOOK APART) INTO THE BED OF MY TRUCK. AFTER FINISHING LOADING THE SCRAPS, I WENT TO SHUT THE TAILGATE WHICH STRUCK A THIN 1- 1 1/2 INCH WIDE PIECE OF SCRAP HANGING OFF THE END OF THE BED PART OF THE TRUCK ABOUT 1-2 INCHES AND THE TAILGATE CAME OFF IT'S HINGES FALLING ONTO MY RIGHT KNEE. I HAVE HAD TO GO TO THE ER 2 TIMES THIS WEEKEND. SATURDAY NIGHT I HAD X-RAYS THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT THE IMPACT OF THE TAILGATE FALLING ON MY KNEE FRACTURED MY KNEE CAP, I HAVE A TOMATO HEMATOMA IN MY KNEE, AND TORE A LIGAMENT IN MY KNEE. SUNDAY JUNE 5TH I HAD TO HAVE THE FLUID DRAINED OFF MY KNEE. TODAY (MONDAY JUNE 6) I WENT TO SEE MY DOCTOR AND WAS GIVEN A DATE TO HAVE AN MRI DONE FOR THIS COMING THURSDAY AND ALSO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE AN ORTHOPEDIC DOCTOR.THIS WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN ALOT WORSE IF IT HAD INVOLVED A CHILD BECAUSE THOSE TAILGATES ARE VERY HEAVY AND CAN CAUSE SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE. I TOOK MY TRUCK INTO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY TO HAVE THEM MAKE SURE THE HINGES ARE NOT FLAWED OR THE HINGES ARE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER AND THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WAS NORTH POINT FORD IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK AR. THE PHONE NUMBER TO THIS DEALERSHIP IS 501-945-1200.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10124331
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown