NHTSA Complaint #10242226 — 2007 FORD EDGE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS TECH INTERNATIONAL VALVE STEMS, MODEL TR413. ON JULY 16, 2008, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TIRES BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SPARE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DISCOUNT TIRE AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT ALL FOUR OF THE VALVE STEMS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE INCLUDED IN A RECALL. TECH INTERNATIONAL STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REIMBURSE THE CONTACT FOR REPAIRING THE TIRES IF THEY HAD BEEN REPLACED INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINALS. THEY ADVISED HIM TO CONTACT FORD. FORD CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES AND WOULD BE UNABLE TO REIMBURSE HIM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THE MANUFACTURERS OF THE TIRES. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REIMBURSE HIM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THE MANUFACTURERS OF THE VALVE STEM. THE SERIAL AND PART NUMBERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000.