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Aftermarket ball joints on Ford F-150 may break

NHTSA campaign 21E027000 · Reported 2021-04-12 · Tenneco Automotive

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A broken ball joint can suddenly take away control of a front wheel and cause a crash, so if your truck had these parts installed, get them checked right away rather than putting it off.

What's wrong, in plain English

This recall covers replacement MOOG ball joints sold for 2015-2018 F-150 trucks, not parts that came from the factory. A ball joint is the pivot that connects the front wheel to the suspension. Some of these parts left the factory with a crooked rubber boot and without the alignment hole and warning tag, so a shop could install them wrong. Installed wrong, the joint's stud can snap. Dealers inspect the part and replace it if needed.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN and repair records at nhtsa.gov/recalls, and look for MOOG K500359 ball joints on any front-end work receipts.
2. Contact the shop or dealer that installed the parts, or Tenneco Automotive customer service at 1-877-489-6659.
3. Have the ball joints inspected and replaced if necessary - this is free of charge.

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: which control arms and toe links break? · all 18 Ford recalls in this area

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.