NHTSA will determine the next steps.
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By Zac Palmer, Autoblog
The 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks are under investigation for tailgates that reportedly open on their own without warning. The two trucks the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is focusing on are the F-250 and F-350. Both of these trucks have power tailgates that come down upon pressing the key fob button.
A year ago Ford issued a service bulletin that was supposed to address the issue—dealers
were told to inspect connectors and replace wire harnesses that could
have been damaged from water intrusion. However, the problem appears to
persist, which prompted this investigation.
Complaints filed to NHTSA
have generally followed the same lines when it comes to this issue.
People say that the tailgate will just randomly fall while traveling at
speed, sometimes causing damage. One person said it flew down while
driving 65 mph and damaged both the tailgate and the trailer they were
pulling. Another complaint stated the tailgate randomly opened at least
12 times while driving.
Depending on what NHTSA concludes from its investigation, Ford could be forced to recall all 2017 F-250 and F-350 trucks. Many different versions of Ford F-Series trucks had the electronic tailgate at this time, but the issue appears isolated to only these two Super Duty models.
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