NHTSA Complaint #11064756 — 2016 FORD F-150

MY PURCHASED MY NEW TRUCK IN MARCH 2016, OWNED IT FOR 22 MONTHS AND IT CURRENTLY HAS 22.235 MILES. THE TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN OFF-ROAD OR EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT. WHILE GETTING MY TIRES ROTATED AT DISCOUNT TIRE ON JANUARY 20, 2018, THE MANAGER NOTIFIED ME THAT THE LUGS NUTS COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO "SWELLING" OF THE LUG NUT OUTER COVER. THE OEM DESIGN IS A STEEL CORE NUT WITH A PRESSED CHROME OR ALUMINUM CAP OVER IT. THE LUG NUTS SWELL OVER TIME AS WATER AND CORROSION DEVELOP BETWEEN THE LUG NUT AND COVER. DISCOUNT TIRE HAD TO USE MULTIPLE SIZE SOCKETS TO REMOVE AND REINSTALL THE LUG NUTS DUE TO NON-UNIFORM SWELLING OF COVERS ON THE LUG NUTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY I STOPPED AT COSTCO TO CHECK LUG NUT TORQUE AND THE TECHNICIAN MADE THE SAME COMMENT ABOUT SWELLING AND SEEING A LOT OF FORD VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUE. BOTH STORES STATED THAT THEY ARE REPLACING LUG NUTS WITH NEW TIRE PURCHASES OR ROTATION ON AFFECTED FORD VEHICLES WHEN THE LUG NUTS ARE DAMAGED. ADDITIONALLY, THE COSTCO TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME OF A "CLASS-ACTION" LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED IN 2017 FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I RESEARCHED THE CLASS ACTION AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. JOSH WOZNIAK ET AL. VS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY, CASE NUMBER 2:17-CV-12794 IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN. ON JANUARY 22, 2018, I DROPPED OFF MY TRUCK AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR VARIOUS WARRANTY ISSUES AND ASKED THAT THE LUG NUTS BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO SWELLING. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER AND ADVISOR VERIFIED THE PENDING LAWSUIT, BUT REFUSED TO REPLACE THE LUG NUTS UNDER WARRANTY. MY SERVICE TICKET STATES " FOUND LUG NUTS ARE DAMAGED DUE TO IMPROPER SOCKET USED DURING REMOVAL/INSTALLATION." DISCOUNT TIRE STATED THAT THE STORE WOULD NOT SERVICE MY VEHICLE AGAIN WITHOUT REPLACING THE LUG NUTS DUE TO IMPROPER LUG NUT SIZING AND SOCKET FITMENT.