Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIRES - VALVE | ||||||
| PE08060 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 10/14/2008 | 04/09/2009 | TIRE VALVE CRACKING | ||
| On october 14, 2008, odi opened pe08-060 to investigate allegations of cracked and leaking snap-in tire valves in model year (my) 2007 vehicles manufactured by ford motor company.the valves were supplied to ford by topseal auto-parts, a subsidiary of the shanghai baolong automotive corporation in china.valves made by topseal for aftermarket sale were the subject of two recent safety recalls by tech international (08t-018) and dill air controls (08t-028), the latter of which was investigated by odi in pe08-036 and ea08-022.the defect conditions addressed by the aftermarket tire valve recalls both involved inadequate resistance to ozone cracking due to issues with the supply of anti-ozonant chemicals to topseal for a period from july to mid-november 2006.the aftermarket valves were compounded with a blend of epdm and natural rubber, using a relatively low percentage of epdm (epdm provides inherent resistance to ozone cracking).hence, the need for anti-ozonant chemicals and the problems with cracking when those chemicals were missing or out of specification in some lots of valves.both recall campaigns involved inspection programs to identify and replace valves with visible surface cracking.although the topseal valves supplied to ford also appear to have been affected by the anti-ozonant supply issues in mid to late-2006, ford indicated that its valves were made at a different topseal production line and were compounded with a higher percentage of epdm rubber to meet more stringent specifications from ford.odi's analysis of complaint and warranty data provided by ford showed that problems with cracked tire valves were significantly higher for my 2007 vehicles produced from december 2006 through march 2007.ford responded by implementing changes in its material specifications for snap-in rubber tire valves and also increasing the quality and acceptance standards for valves imported for use in its vehicles.while the complaint and warranty claim rates are elevated for subject vehicles produced from december 2006 through march 2007, the rates of leaking valves are well below one percent of production for each of the peak months for all of the affected models.a substantial majority of the subject vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (tpms) which warn the driver when any tire pressures drops below 25 percent of recommended inflation pressure. as outlined in a letter to odi dated april 6, 2009, ford has agreed to send letters to owners of certain my 2007 and 2008 ford, lincoln and mercury vehicles to provide information about the cracking concern. letters will be sent to owners of vehicles built from november 2006 through may 2007.owners can opt for a free dealer inspection.valves exhibiting surface cracks or air leakage related to ozone attack will be replaced by ford under its normal warranty terms.ford expects to send the letter by approximately mid-may 2009. based on the use of tpms in the majority of subject vehicles and the relatively low rates of repairs associated with leaking valves and resultant tire damage, odi believes that the actions ford has agreed to take will provide effective and expeditious resolution for vehicles that were built during the period when valves with inadequate resistance to ozone cracking were most likely to have been used in vehicle production.further investigation of this matter would not be an efficient allocation of agency resources.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIRES | |||
| 04/23/2010 | 45000 | ||
| 2007 ford escape tire stems are fractured, the rubber is not holding up. i have repalced one and noticed a second tire loosing pressure. upon inspecting it and the reamaining stems they all requre repalcing. this has the potential of creating a severe accident. i feel these should be recalled, now. my local dealer mentioned that ford did send a postcard out telling owners to look at their tire stems. however, i did not recieve one. | |||
| 10/08/2008 | 1 | ||
| My sister owned a 2007 fird escape. there was a tire issue fixed sept. 2008 at mass tire brockton. after they fixed her tire, we experienced so loud, unsteady issue with the tires. we brought it back and there was valve work done. on oct. 08, 2008, my sister died on the highway after her car rolled over attempting to switch lanes. she was alone. *tr | |||
| 08/23/2008 | 11045 | 1 | |
| I bought a ford escape 2007. . just drive 11,000 mile and a year. the front tire is leak and have to replaced. unbelievable *tr | |||
| 05/30/2007 | 1 | ||
| Bought a 2007 ford edge in may 2007 with continental tires cross contact lx 24560r18 in a option package with a 17 inch spare. very shortly after the purchase had car at dealer for vibration. dealer balanced all 4 tires. went back second time for tire vibration mechanic and dealer claimed it was normal tire operation. at 40 mph slight vibration as speed is increased 70 mph it was more prevalent. it was not a smooth riding tire never felt this with any other vehicle we have purchased. feel this could be a dangerous problem with continental reputation and only 300 miles on vehicle at that time and now close to 1000 miles now. need nhtsa to investigate this tire because of dealers and fords neglect. do not know if it is the tires or the vehicle. with ford's problem with their tires in the past and with the injuries and deaths that had occurred i think this is a very serious problem that needs to be looked at by nhtsa and ford. rode in another ford edge with the same tires with the owner of the dealership same problem with vibration but not as bad as my personal vehicle. owner of dealership acknowledged the problem. owner of dealership made a call to representative of ford for our area waiting for a date to meet with him and discuss this problem as of today. trying to file this complaint my tire name and size and vehicle name was not on your list so i just picked one so i could send this to you again my tire is continental cross contact lx 24560r18 on a 2007 ford edge. thank you.*ak | |||
| TIRES - PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS | |||
| 08/23/2008 | 11045 | 1 | |
| I bought a ford escape 2007. . just drive 11,000 mile and a year. the front tire is leak and have to replaced. unbelievable *tr | |||
| TIRES - VALVE | |||
| 06/22/2009 | 5170 | 1 | |
| 2008 ford escape we have a tire valve stem that is cracked for some reason it will not hold the correct air pressure but it may create a hazard if it pops off while driving down the road. *tr | |||