NHTSA Complaint #10240293 — 2007 FORD FUSION

SUDDEN DEFLATION AND SIDEWALL SEPARATION OF A TIRE SIDEWALL. VEHICLE E MODEL 2007 FORD FUSION SEL, 4CYL, TIRE MICHELIN PILOT SPORT MXM4 ALL SEASON 225/50VR17 93V 10500 MILES TOTAL ON VEHICLE AND TIRES. RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCES A SUDDEN DEFLATION WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT ROUGHLY 25-30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE TIRE REMOVED. THE OUTER SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE WAS FULLY SEPARATED AND THE SIDEWALL CORD STRUCTURE WAS SEPARATED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WHEEL RIM WAS UNDAMAGED ON THE OUTER AND INNER FACES. THE TIRES HAD BEEN CHECKED RECENTLY FOR PROPER INFLATION AND WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. AN INSPECTION OF THE TREAD AREA DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF PUNCTURE THAT WOULD FACILITATE RAPID DEFLATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN USED ON PAVED STREETS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY AND THE STREETS IN THE AREAS OF USE ARE IN REASONABLY GOOD CONDITION. NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IS APPARENT FROM THE TIRE FAILURE DUE TO THE LOW SPEED. NO OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE BESIDES THE LOSS OF THE TIRE. WEB SEARCH REVEALS OTHER OWNERS OF FORD FUSIONS WITH THIS SIZE TIRE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING RAPID DEFLATION FAILURES AND TREAD SEPARATIONS. *TR