NHTSA Complaint #10898131 — 2016 FORD MUSTANG

THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN AN EFFORT TO RECTIFY SQUEALING BRAKES, I CHECKED EACH LUG NUT TO ENSURE THEY WERE TIGHTENED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATION. ALL TWENTY (4 WHEELS WITH 5 LUG NUTS EACH) WERE ONLY TIGHTENED TO APPROXIMATELY 90FT-LBS OF TORQUE. FORD SPECIFIES IN THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT LUG NUTS BE TORQUED TO 150FT-LBS. I USED TWO DIFFERENT STYLES OF TORQUE WRENCH TO CONDUCT MY TEST. ONE TYPE WAS USED TO LOOSEN TEN LUG NUTS AND ANOTHER WAS USED TO LOOSEN THE REMAINING TEN. MY INTENT WAS TO RULE OUT ANY GROSS ERROR IN TORQUE READINGS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE WHEELS HAVE NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE, THEREFORE I SEE THREE POSSIBILITIES: THE DEALER REMOVED THE WHEELS FOR SOME REASON AND DID NOT TORQUE TO SPECIFICATION OR THE LUG NUTS ARE LOOSENING THEMSELVES EVENLY OR THEY WERE NOT TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION FROM THE FACTORY. I FEEL THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO IS THAT THEY WERE NOT TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION FROM THE FACTORY.