Tailgate Lock problems of the 2018 Ford F-150

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and hauling a keystone cougar trailer, the tailgate opened unintendedly, which the contact noticed after making a stop. The contact stated that the failure caused damages to the vehicle and the trailer. The contact stated that the upper part of the tailgate was bent, and the outer side of the tailgate had buckled in. Additionally, the contact noticed that the propane tank of the trailer had been pushed back. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 117,500.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated he received a notice of Ford campaign number: 21m06 for enhanced unintended tailgate opening remedy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the repair was completed. The dealer then informed the contact that he would need to press the power release button twice in order to open the vehicle; however, upon testing the vehicle, the tailgate failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the tailgate would only open while the vehicle was turned off. The dealer informed the contact that another software update would need to be perform on the vehicle to repair the issue. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 21v983000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while transporting a wild animal in the bed of the truck, with the top lid enclosed, the tailgate failed to open. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the extended warranty. The dealer was unable to open the tailgate. The vehicle was diagnosed that the actuator was inoperable. The actuator was replaced. The animal died in the truck. The contact was concerned about a child being trapped in the bed of the truck. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.