NHTSA Complaint #10129397 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

TRAVELING @ 65 MPH ON I-580 IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA, MY SPARE TIRE FELL FROM ITS CABLE HELD BRACKET BELOW THE FRAME WHERE IT IS SECURED ON THE VEHICLE, BOUNCED ON THE GROUND, THEN STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR BUMPER, WHICH WEDGED THE TIRE BETWEEN THE BUMPER AND GROUND, CAUSING THE REAR OF THE SUV TO CATAPULT OFF THE GROUND. THE FORCE AND PRESSURE ON THE TIRE BEING WEDGED BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND THE GROUND CAUSED THE TIRE TO POP FROM BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND PROCEED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC AT A HIGH SPEED, EVENTUALLY ENDING UP IN THE CENTER DIVIDER OF THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, BUT BARELY. THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE TRUCK AT THE REAR BUMPER, PLUS THE STRESS AND DIFFICULTY OF KEEPING THE TRUCK IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE TRYING TO COME TO A STOP AFTER THE REAR TIRES WERE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND APPROX. 6-8". THE PRESS FITTTING ON THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE SEPARATED CLEANLY FROM THE CABLE. THE CABLE DID NOT BREAK OR FRAY, JUST THE PRESS- FITTED COUPLING CAME LOOSE AND SEPARATED FROM THE CABLE, ALLOWING THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THIS SPARE TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SPARE POSITION SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, AND OF COURSE,IS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SPARE TIRE THAT COMES FROM THE FACTORY, AND THE VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED TO FACTORY SPECS, NO MODIFICATIONS, NO ALTERATIONS, ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I SECURED THE PARTS THAT I COULD FIND FROM THE HIGHWAY. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, MICHAEL STEAD FORD, OF SAN RAFAEL, ON JULY 13TH AND ORDERED A REPLACEMENT SPARE TIRE WINCH AND CABLE SET FOR THE EXPEDITION. THE PART ARRIVED YESTERDAY AND WAS INSTALLED. I DO HAVE THE OLD WINCH, CABLE, AND CLAMP THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE. CERTAINLY THERE MUST BE A BETTER AND MORE SECURE WAY TO SECURE THE CABLE TO THE FITTING THAT SUPPROTS THE SPARE TIRE UNDER THE CAR THEN THIS SMALL FITTED UNIT THAT IN MY CASE CAME LOOSE.