NHTSA Safety Recall (23V-896) on 113,000 F-150 Trucks with Trailer Tow Max Duty Package

[Big Dog Daddy]

Here's some additional technical information regarding the recall.

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[Handle]

Interesting part of the document that Ford in the lab couldn’t replicate the failure.


As part the CCRG investigation, Ford obtained field-returned parts for analysis. Ford Engineering performed fracture mechanics analysis and metallurgical analysis on the field- returned parts to understand the failure mechanism. Additionally, the engineering team designed and built a fixture to replicate the failure mode. Concurrent to these workstreams,engineering conducted a vehicle durability test which ultimately did not recreate the stripped spline condition.

These activities took place from September through mid-December 2023.

 

[Facemelter]

Interesting part of the document that Ford in the lab couldn’t replicate the failure.


As part the CCRG investigation, Ford obtained field-returned parts for analysis. Ford Engineering performed fracture mechanics analysis and metallurgical analysis on the field- returned parts to understand the failure mechanism. Additionally, the engineering team designed and built a fixture to replicate the failure mode. Concurrent to these workstreams,engineering conducted a vehicle durability test which ultimately did not recreate the stripped spline condition.

These activities took place from September through mid-December 2023.

Seeing all the pics, those bolts looked like they were pulled apart.

 

[FirstFord]

So, how would this work... exactly?

It is my understanding that Ford does not have a true "root cause" identified, and therefore, no solution, as echoed in the article referenced earlier stating that Ford is "working on a solution." As per a number of posts on multiple forums, some have had broken bolts replaced just to have them break again. Some have had bolts and axle shafts replaced just to have the bolts break again. So, regardless of how the "repair" is covered - by warranty, NHTSA recall, or customer out-of-pocket - it seems to me that this same cycle may very well repeat. So, is that to say that a customer takes their truck in to satisfy the NHTSA recall, that truck is "checked off" as completed as far as the NHTSA is concerned, and is re-released back into the wild. And the bolt breaks again? Then what? What about those trucks that had one or both bolts/axle shafts replaced under warranty - do they get replaced again, or is it already considered satisfied as far as the NHTSA is concerned? Until Ford finds a true root cause based solution, not much will be gained....

 

[scott011422]

And how exactly does a broken retainment bolt cause a stripped spline? Anyone have any pictures of this? None of that made any sense. Micromovements? Really? If the splines are not press fit, There is movement. Period. Same as every CV shaft and Splined driveshaft.

 

[SEPA F150]

Wonder if this means they will stop building trucks until they have a solution.

 

[FordTruckMan]

Max tow, was that bundled with Max payload?

 

[Hog_Johnson]

And how exactly does a broken retainment bolt cause a stripped spline? Anyone have any pictures of this? None of that made any sense

When the bolt breaks the axle shaft can work itself inboard enough to strip out the splines at the hub. It happened to a couple people on here

 

[PatchManager]

The report states that:

As of December 02, 2023, there were 376 warranty reports related to rear axle bolt breakage and stripped hub splines resulting in loss of motive power and/or loss of park, received from January 8, 2022, through November 27, 2023.

Does this mean that there were 376 reports of broken bolts or that the in all of the reported instances, 376 resulted in "loss of motive power and..."?

If the total number of reported axle bolt breaks is 376 out of 113,000, that would be 0.3 percent, so I can see why Ford is having difficulty replicating the issue. It will be interesting to see if all axle bolts would eventually break (within a reasonable amount of time) or if only effects a limited number of bolts for some reason.

 

[Handle]

Wonder if this means they will stop building trucks until they have a solution.

By all indications the suspect max tow axle is not on the 2024 trucks. However, NHTSA does not permit mfg/dealer to sell vehicles that have a recall. So maybe some 2023’s on the lot may get quarantined so to speak

 

[JExpedition07]

The amount of recalls on the F-150 is absolutely atrocious to be honest.

 

[Handle]

And how exactly does a broken retainment bolt cause a stripped spline? Anyone have any pictures of this? None of that made any sense. Micromovements? Really? If the splines are not press fit, There is movement. Period. Same as every CV shaft and Splined driveshaft.

The best pictures of the spline is in this thread post #14
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/another-broken-axle-bolt.19316/

Which has a link to the other forum that has the pics

 

[FORDTEXAS]

approximately 35k miles into ownership and haven’t had them go bad yet.. lol

 

[Atlee]

Max tow, was that bundled with Max payload?

You could get Max Tow without HDPP, but you couldn't get HDPP without Max Tow.

 

[HammaMan]

Geez, didn't see this one coming

Also we've seen 3 reports here on the forum out of 376 incidents of broken bolts that led to stripped axles, which doesn't even represent 1% of all issues despite forums being a common bitching ground.

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