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 | |||
| 04/11/2010 | 14500 | ||
| The continental tire on my 2008 mercury milan has developed unusual sidewall cracking and deterioration. the defect cannot be traced to weather, chemical, or physical damage. it is most likely a result of improper curing or other manufacturing defect. the other tires on the same vehicle do not exhibit any unusual sidewall cracking. the vehicle is equipped with tire sensors and routine pressure checking has never revealed any under-inflation. | |||
| 03/09/2009 | 8700 | 1 | |
| I own a 2008 mercury milan which came from the factory with michelin p225/50/r17 v93 m&s radial tires on it. i discovered a bubble in the sidewall of the tire and had to throw the tire away with only 8700 miles on it. i contacted michelin and inquired about these 50 series sidewall configuration tires having this problem as told to me by my tire dealer. they agreed with their dealer that these tires can't take potholes and would bubble on the sidewall and could blowout at highway speeds!! they said they have no control where the car manufacturers sell their cars with these type of tires installed on them. this problem exists on all 50 sidewall configuration tires sold by all tire manufacturers. i live in new jersey, the pothole capitol of the usa! these tires are dangerous, if a bubble appears on the inner sidewall where it can't be seen and replaced, it could blowout at high speed. i have received a courtesy reimbursement of 50% from michelin. i have also been told that i cannot change these tires and have a 55 sidewall configuration tire installed because the factory abs and tire pressure sensors will malfunction!!! i have sent a letter to ford/mercury engineering division to request their help in solving the problem of these sensors malfunctioning upon replacing these 50 sidewall tires with 55s as of this writing, i have not received a reply. i have been doing business with this tire/repair facility for 40 years and they are fully aware of this problem existing with all manufacturers 50 sidewall configuration, and i trust them. i believe these tires should be offered as an option only in the northeast with a warning about the pothole damage. they were standard equipment on my milan...a 149 mile per hour tire on a 4 cylinder sedan!!!! i want the car manufacturers to do whatever is necessary at their expense to correct the sensor malfunctions if this 50 tire is replaced with one of a higher sidewall. *tr | |||
| TIRES - PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS | |||
| 10/31/2010 | 26700 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2008 mercury milan. the contact started the ignition and the tire pressure monitoring system warning indicator illuminated until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. the technician informed that the four tire rims were not equipped with the tire monitor sensor. the vehicle was not repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 26,700. js | |||