NHTSA Complaint #10541933 — 2007 LINCOLN MKZ

THE VEHICLE START EXPERIENCING A ROAR COMING FROM THE FRONT END. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT TIRES WERE OUR OF BALANCE AND ALSO NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THE ALIGNMENT WAS DONE AND WHEELS BALANCED. DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO STATED WOULD NEED A NEW SET OF TIRES TO CORRECT SITUATION. ADVISED DEALER THAT TIRES WERE ONLY 13 MONTHS OLD THAT I WOULD TAKE TO TIRE STORE WHERE TIRES WERE PURCHASED. TIRE DEALER AGREED TO ADJUST TIRES AND PUT A NEW SET OF FOUR TIRES AND BALANCED AGAIN. NOISE STILL EXISTED AND STARTED TO GET WORSE. WENT BACK TO AUTO DEALER AND EXPLAINED NEW TIRES WERE PUT ON. DEALER DECIDED TO PULL FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLIES TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER FOR PROBLEM. BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN BEARING SEALS AND BEARINGS WERE CORRODED, ONE ROLLER BEARING WAS MISSING AS WELL. NEW BEARINGS INSTALLED AND PROBLEM SOLVED. FIRST VEHICLE OWNED THAT HAS HAD BEARING PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY AT 62,000 MILES. OWNED VEHICLES IN THE PAST WITH OVER 200,000 MILES AND NEVER HAD TO HAVE BEARINGS REPLACED. *JB