NHTSA Complaint #11056020 — 2014 FORD MUSTANG

THE WHEELS ARE MACHINED IN A NON-STANDARD WAY ON THE BEAD SURFACE AND MOST REPLACEMENT TIRES CANNOT BE SEATED ON THE BEAD OF THE WHEELS. THE OEM WHEELS HAVE MACHINED SLOTS IN THEM NEAR THE BEAD SEATING AREA & THE AIR LEAKS OUT THESE SLOTS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO SEAT THE BEAD TO INSTALL THE NEW TIRES. THESE WHEELS ARE 18" X 8" SIZE AND CAME ON THE FP6 APPEARANCE PACKAGE WITH MY VEHICLE FROM FORD. I SPENT 2 DAYS AT TIRE STORES WAITING FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES ON MY CAR. SEVERAL BRANDS OF TIRES WERE TRIED AND MOST WON'T SEAT ON THE BEAD OF THESE WHEELS. ALL OF THE TIRES TRIED ARE THE STOCK OEM SIZE OF 235/50R18. IT APPEARS THAT FORD CHOOSE TO LIGHTEN THE WHEELS BY MACHINING THESE SLOTS IN THEM, BUT THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT YOU CANNOT REPLACE THE TIRES SINCE MOST BRANDS WON'T SEAT ON THE BEAD WHEN BEING INSTALLED. AFTER TRYING SEVERAL SETS OF TIRES, THE TIRE STORE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET ONE INSTALLED, BUT IT COST ABOUT TWICE WHAT I PLANNED TO SPEND ON THE NEW TIRES.