NHTSA Complaint #11204541 — 2015 FORD ESCAPE

IN LATE MARCH 2019, I HIT A LARGE POT HOLE AND HAD AN INSTANT FLAT TIRE. I PULLED OVER TO AN AREA WHERE I WOULD NOT IMPEDE ON TRAFFIC FLOW. MY HUSBAND TRIED TO REMOVE THE LUG NUTS WITH THE LUG NUT WRENCH THAT I WAS PROVIDED WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I USED THE WRENCH. IT WOULD NOT WORK. AFTER SEVERAL GOOD SAMARITANS STOPPED TO HELP US, THEY WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE LUG NUTS WITH THEIR TOOLS. I REPLACED THE TIRE AND LEARNED OF THE "SWOLLEN LUG NUT" SYNDROME OF SEVERAL MAKES OF CARS. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2015. I EXPLAINED I DID NOT WANT TO BE ON A DARK, RAINY ROAD WITHOUT A USABLE WRENCH. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT, IT IS THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER, IN TURN, THE MANUFACTURER STATED IT WAS THE FAULT/RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. IN ALL OF THE PAPERWORK FROM CHECK UPS TO REPAIRS, NOTHING WAS EVER MENTIONED ABOUT SWOLLEN LUG NUTS. I HAD ALL OF THE LUG NUTS REPLACED SO MY LUG WRENCH WOULD WORK ON THE LUGS THAT ARE HOLDING MY TIRES ON. I HAVE REPLACED ALL OF THE TIRES AT ABOUT 25,000 MILES. IN ADDITION TO THE 4 TIRE REPLACEMENT, I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE TWO OTHER NEW TIRES, GET THEM WORN DOWN TO MATCH MY EXISTING TIRES AS I HAVE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE. IN REGARDS TO THE POT HOLE, I CONTACTED THE LOCAL ROAD COMMISSION TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE SITUATION. SEVERAL OTHER DRIVERS MET THE SAME POT HOLE.