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Aftermarket Ball Joint for Ford F-150 May Fail

NHTSA campaign 21E027000 · Reported Apr 12, 2021 · Tenneco Automotive

high How serious is it? About this label

An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can affect control of the front wheels and increase the risk of a crash. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign number	21E027000
Reported to NHTSA	Apr 12, 2021
Manufacturer	Tenneco Automotive
Part affected	Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
Vehicles covered	1 model/year combination, model years 2018
Do-not-drive advisory	No
Park-outside advisory	No
Repair	Free at any franchised dealer

What's wrong, in plain English

Certain aftermarket MOOG ball joints sold for installation on Ford F-150 trucks may have a dust boot that is misaligned, and may be missing the alignment hole and installation warning tag. Without these, the ball joint may end up installed incorrectly.

What you should do

1. Check your vehicle's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2. Contact your dealer, or call Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.
3. The repair is free.

Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?

Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 21E027000. More in how recalls work.

Affected vehicles (1)

2018 Ford F-150

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Ford Suspension Recalls Involve Control Arms, Loose Fasteners, and Axles · all 18 Ford recalls in this area

Other Ford F-150 recalls

Jun 9, 2026Ford F-150 Daytime Running Lights Fail to Dimmedium
Jun 9, 2026Ford F-150 Transmission May Select Wrong Gearhigh
Jun 27, 2025Ford and Lincoln rearview cameras may show blank imagemedium
Apr 11, 2025Ford F-150, Expedition Recalled for Brake Fluid Leakhigh
Nov 8, 2024Ford and Lincoln vehicles missing dashboard airbag warning labellow
Apr 14, 2022Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks rearview camera problemmedium

All 27 F-150 recalls

Official notice

Component: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
Summary: Tenneco Automotive (DRiV) is recalling certain MOOG K500359 ball joints, for aftermarket installation on 2015-2018 Ford F-150 trucks. The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint.
Safety risk: An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: DRiV will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the ball joint, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.