NHTSA Complaint #10311622 — 2008 FORD F-250 SD

BOTH FRONT WHEELS ON MY 2008 FORD KING RANCH F-250 PICK-UP ARE CRACKING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CRACKS ARE IN THE WELD AREA ON THE FLAT PART OF THE WHEEL UNDER THE TIRES CAUSING THE TIRES TO NO LONGER HOLD AIR. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIMS THE PROBLEM IS MINE SINCE THE TRUCK RECENTLY SURPASSED WARRANTY MILEAGE HOWEVER I AM CERTAIN THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE WHEELS ARE READY TO COME APART AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT . IF THE TIRES HAD NOT BEGUN TO LOSE AIR I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN THEY WERE CRACKING. THIS TRUCK HAS HAD THE BEST OF CARE AND HAS NEVER HIT ANYTHING OR BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. FORD DENIED RESPONSIBILITY WITHOUT EVEN EXAMINING THE CRACKED WHEELS. THE TIRE SHOP BELIEVED THE SITUATION WAS SO UNSAFE THAT THEY RECOMMENDED TOWING INSTEAD OF DRIVING THE TRUCK. THIS CASE # 1526770470 WITH FORD WAS DENIED AND THEY QUOTED OVER 800 DOLLARS PER WHEEL TO REPLACE THE CRACKED WHEELS. ALL AFTER MARKET WHEELS I CHECKED ON WERE AROUND 250 DOLLARS WITH A LIFETIME GUARANTEE. I HAVE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND HAVE OWNED SEVERAL VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. *TR