NHTSA Complaint #10435714 — 2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR

AFTER HAVING MULTIPLE FLAT TIRES - WHICH I INCORRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO BAD LUCK - I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT MY TIRES AT ALL, BUT WAS INSTEAD, THE CHROME PEELING ON THE INNER RIM OF THE WHEELS, WHICH NOT ONLY CREATED AN AIR LEAK FROM THE SEAL NOT HOLDING, BUT ALSO DAMAGED THE VERY-EXPENSIVE-TO-REPLACE TIRES. I LEARNED THIS WHEN I TRIED TO PUT 4 NEW TIRES ON THE CAR, THINKING MAYBE ALL THE FLATS WERE DUE TO THE BRAND OF TIRES, AND COSTCO SHOWED ME THE PEELING CHROME PROBLEM AND TOLD ME NOT TO WASTE MY MONEY ON NEW TIRES UNTIL THE WHEELS WERE REPLACED. WAS INFORMED THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE CHROME PLATING IS NOT A PROBLEM FORD WILL FIX AT THEIR EXPENSE AND THE COST FOR PUTTING NEW NON-CHROME WHEELS ON THE CAR WOULD ALL BE MINE. APPARENTLY SUDDEN FLATS DUE TO DEFECTIVE CHROME IS NOT REGARDED AS A SAFETY ISSUE BY FORD. *TR