- Virtually 12,000 Ford F-150 Lightnings manufactured in 2023 and 2024 may very well be affected.
- The difficulty is an insufficiently torqued ball joint nut that would trigger suspension and steering elements to return unfastened
- This has up to now solely been the supply of 1 accident attributed to this flaw and Ford will start notifying house owners in early February.
Ford ended 2024 with an F-150 Lightning recall highlighting a critical difficulty that would trigger a lack of steering whereas driving. The issue stems from entrance suspension elements which will have been improperly tightened on the manufacturing unit and will come unfastened and separate, doubtlessly resulting in a critical accident.
Just one recognized accident has been attributed to this defect, and it noticed the truck veering right into a freeway barrier whereas touring at round 60 mph. When Ford investigated the car, it discovered that the truck, which was brand-new and had lined lower than 700 miles, was lacking an higher management arm nut, which induced the steering knuckle to separate. This prompted a broader investigation that resulted in a recall.
Based on the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA), which quotes data from the producer, “the nut on the higher management arm ball joint could not have achieved the right torque because of variation within the alignment or orientation between the fastening instrument and the fastener which will have induced lateral forces on the instrument, stopping it from correctly seating on the fastener.”
The variety of doubtlessly affected automobiles is 11,922, and so they have been constructed between November 6, 2023, and February 12, 2024—all might want to go to a vendor for an inspection. “Sellers will examine the higher management arm ball joint nut and change the nut and/or the knuckle meeting, as essential, freed from cost.” Ford intends to ship notification letters to the house owners of the affected automobiles beginning in early February.
The Ford F-150 Lightning was one of many first commercially out there electrical pickup vehicles, so it’s not stunning that it’s been the topic of a number of earlier recollects. One other recall additionally concerned an improperly fixed or lacking nut, however not one holding the suspension collectively—it was on the battery bus bar and will lead to a battery pack hearth.
Picture by: Ford
In case your Lightning is among the many practically 12,000 affected automobiles, a few of the signs attributable to the defect may very well be looseness and lack of steering precision or perhaps a shudder despatched up by the steering column. You may additionally hear noises coming from the entrance suspension whereas driving the truck usually or when making use of steering lock whereas stationary.
Some Lightning house owners on the F-150 Lightning Discussion board have reported an inexplicable steering judder that they couldn’t repair by altering or rebalancing the tires. In case you are experiencing any of this, you are able to do a fast visible inspection of the affected half by trying contained in the wheel nicely behind the wheel and searching for looseness within the nut highlighted within the diagram above. For those who see it’s not carried out up all the best way, it’s in all probability not a good suggestion to drive your truck till you might have it checked by a vendor.
