NHTSA Complaint #10039462 — 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII

THE FACTORY 20-SPOKE CHROME DIRECTIONAL WHEELS HAVE BEEN LOSING AIR SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1999 WITH 42,500 MILES. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TIRES BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO KOONS LINCOLN MERCURY IN OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS. HOWEVER, ONCE I REPLACED THE TIRES AND STILL CONTINUED TO LOSE AIR, I WENT TO SEVERAL TIRE SHOPS OF THE FRANCHISE FROM WHICH I PURCHASED MY TIRES TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIX THE LEAKS. EVERY SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE FACTORY CHROME IS PREMATURELY FLAKING OFF AROUND THE TIRE "BEAD" AREA WHICH CREATES SMALL GAPS BETWEEN THE WHEEL SURFACE AND TIRE ALLOWING ANYWHERE FROM A SLOW LEAK UP TO A 10-POUND-PER-DAY PRESSURE LOSS. BY THEN, MY LINCOLN WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. TIRE SHOPS CAN ONLY TEMPORARILY RETARD THE LEAK WITH A TYPE OF SEALANT BUT THAT EVENTUALLY GIVES WAY TO MORE GAPS. THE ONLY WAY CONSUMERS CAN REMEDY THE PROBLEM IS TO GO OUT AND SPEND OVER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A SET OF FOUR MORE WHEELS THAT WILL SOON DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEM ANYWAY. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IMPROPERLY INFLATED TIRES CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH OTHER MOTORISTS, OBJECTS, BIKERS, PEDESTRIANS, ETC. FORD SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO RECALL THESE SUBSTANDARD ALUMINUM WHEELS AND EITHER PROVIDE IMPROVED REPLACEMENTS OR RESURFACE THE WHEELS WITH A HIGHER QUALITY CHROME COATING.