NHTSA Complaint #10269092 — 2003 FORD EXCURSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXCURSION. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN LTX M/S TIRES, SIZE 265/75/R16. WHEN THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE TIRES. THEY WERE NOT THE CORRECT TIRES HE ORIGINALLY ORDERED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE INCORRECT TIRES AND WAS GIVEN BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT TIRES, WHICH WHERE MICHELIN CLASS C'S. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. HE NOTICED THAT THE WALLS ON THE TIRES WERE CRACKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT DUE TO THE THICKNESS OF THE THREADS, THE TIRES WOULD WOBBLE. ONCE THE THREADING BEGAN TO WEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP WOBBLING. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE INCORRECT GRADE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CLASS E (LOAD RANGE 5,250) INSTEAD OF A CLASS C (LOAD RANGE 2,270). THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH MICHELIN CLASS E TIRES AT THE COST OF $907.45. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURER AND FILED A REPORT. HE CALLED BACK TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED AND WAS NOT GIVEN AN EXPLANATION. THE DOT INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 06/09/09 *BF UPDATED 06/10/09. *JB