# 2005 FORD F-150 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
> NHTSA complaint `538256` · 2005-06-06 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** F-150
- **Year:** 2005
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
- **Miles at failure:** 2,000
## 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.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*