NHTSA Complaint #10345369 — 2007 FORD FUSION

OUR 20 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE WHEN HIS LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE RIM WAS DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS. AFTER ORDERING A NEW RIM AND WHEEL, I WAS GOING TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN WE NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS NOW FLAT. ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO GET ENOUGH AIR IN IT TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE DID. AT THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE VALVE STEMS WERE EITHER CRACKED OR LEAKING, SO THEY ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE WERE UNAWARE THAT THE 2007 FORDS HAD FAULTY VALVE STEMS, HAD WE KNOWN THIS, WE WOULD HAVE REPLACED THEM FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. WE WERE LUCKY, ONLY ONE VALVE STEM BROKE WHILE OUR SON WAS DRIVING AND HE MAINTAINED CONTROL, THE 2ND VALVE STEM LOST AIR WHILE PARKED IN OUR DRIVE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE AND I SHUDDER TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. *TR