Tenneco Automotive recall 21E027

Affected vehicles (2)

Component / system

Defect

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.

Risk / consequence

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.

Chronology of events

1. Feb 8, 2021

   February 8, 2021: DRiV received a report of a broken ball joint stud on Upper Ball Joint Part No. K500359. An initial evaluation of the claim indicated that the installer did not orient the ball joint correctly into the factory OE control arm, causing restricted movement of the stud, leading to breakage. February 8 – April 2, 2021: DRiV undertook an investigation of the concern. An inspection of parts from DRiV’s inventory revealed that the subject parts were not produced with an alignment hole and warning tag, which assist the installer in orienting the ball joint correctly into the OE control arm. The investigation also revealed that, in some cases, the dust boot installed on the part was misaligned during the assembly process. Because the dust boot contains features/markings that assist in proper orientation, this misalignment may also contribute to the risk of an incorrect installation. DRiV also undertook to evaluate the extent to which a misaligned/misoriented ball joint may lead to stud joint breakage.

2. Apr 5, 2021

   April 5, 2021: DRiV’s Global Warranty Committee reviewed the results of the investigation and decided to initiate this safety recall. DRiV is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition.

Notification schedule

Dealer notification

APR 19, 2021 - APR 23, 2021

Owner notification

MAY 10, 2021 - MAY 14, 2021