NHTSA Complaint #10947256 — 2013 FORD FUSION

THE ALUMINIUM LUG NUT CAPS SWELL SO THE LUG WRENCH SUPPLIED WITH THE CAR CAN NOT REMOVE THE LUG NUTS. TOW TRUCK COULD NOT REMOVE THEM SO CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER, SHORT-REDMOND 1916 JACKSBORO PK. LAFOLLETTE, TN 37766, (800) 810-9088, WWW.SHORT-REDMONDFORD.COM. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FUSION LUG NUTS AND OTHER LUG NUTS OF THE SAME TYPE. THE DEALER GOT THE LUG NUTS OFF, BUT THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $52/TIRE. MY DEALER IN ASHEVILLE, NC ALSO ADVISED MY TO REPLACE THE LUG NUTS THE NEXT TIME I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED, BUT SAID NOT TO BUY THEM FROM FORD. THERE ARE SOLID STEEL/CHROME AFTER MARKET LUG NUTS THAT ARE BETTER THEN THE ALUMINIUM CAPPED LUG NUTS THAT FORD USES. THIS IS CLEARLY AN ENGINEERING ISSUE. IT DID NOT ALLOW ME TO CHANGE A TIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH THE EQUIPMNET SUPPLIED WITH THE CAR. I HAD TO WAIT OVER AND HOUR ON THE SIDE OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY FOR A TOW TRUCK WHICH IS ALSO UNSAFE. I DO HAVE THE LUG NUTS AS WELL AS RECIEPT FROM FOR TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE LUG NUTS. THE ALUMINIUM LUG CAPS ARE VERY DEFORMED SINCE THEY HAD TO HAMMER A SOCKET ONTO THEM TO GET THEM OFF.