NHTSA Complaint #10245805 — 2007 FORD EXPEDITION

ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2008, I EXPERIENCED A LOW TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR WARNING ON MY 2007 FORD EXPEDITION (VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW;ALL TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES.) I CHECKED ALL TIRES AND DID NOT SEE AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE AND SINCE I WAS IN A RURAL AREA AT THE TIME I FELT THAT IT WAS IN MY BEST INTEREST TO GET TO A MORE POPULATED AREA WHERE I COULD HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED. THE TIRE QUICKLY LOST ALL AIR PRESSURE AND WENT FLAT CAUSING ME TO TAKE AN EVASIVE MOVE TO GET OFF THE ROAD. THE TIRE WAS CHANGED AND I TOOK THE FAILED TIRE INTO FUTURE FORD OF ROSEVILLE WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THE TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PUNCTURE OR REASON FOR THE TIRE TO FAIL. NO COMPENSATION FROM THE DEALER WAS OFFERED. ON OCTOBER 16, 2008, THE LOW TIRE SENSOR LIGHT AGAIN ACTIVATED. AFTER CHECKING ALL TIRES I FOUND THAT ONE OF THE TIRE VALUES WAS SPLIT AND LEAKING (HISSING). I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TIRE COMPANY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE OTHER TIRE VALUES WE FOUND THAT ALL THE VALUES (EXCEPT FOR THE NEW TIRE THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED) WERE ALL SPLIT AND WOULD EVENTUALLY START TO LEAK. I HAD ALL THE VALUES REPLACED ON ALL THE TIRES. AT THE TIME THE TIRE COMPANY, LES SCHWAB, INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTED ISSUES WITH LEAKING TIRE VALVES ON SOME FORD VEHICLES. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT CONSUMER REPORTS IS RECOMMENDING THAT ALL 2007 FORD VEHICLE TIRE VALVES BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF FOUND TO BE CRACKED. ON 10/17/08, I REPORTED THIS TO FUTURE FORD OF ROSEVILLE AND THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY TYPE OF TIRE VALVE FAILURES. SEEMS THAT CAR DEALERS SHOULD BE CHECKING FOR THIS PROBLEM ON DILL VALVES. LES SCHWAB WAS ABLE TO RECOVER 2 OF THE CRACKED VALVES FROM MY EXPEDITION. ALL ARE TR414 VALVES WHICH APPEAR TO BE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR FAILURE AND POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUES. MY COST FOR THIS PROBLEM IS NOW $250.00. *TR