NHTSA Complaint #10223616 — 1999 MERCURY VILLAGER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY VILLAGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT AIR WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE STEEL WHEEL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WHEEL AS A FREE REMEDY. THREE YEARS LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, BUT THE STEEL WHEEL WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE. FIVE YEARS LATER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FAILED AND THE STEEL WHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DRIVING CONDITIONS AND SPEED WERE NOT FACTORS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000.