NHTSA Complaint #11322546 — 2015 FORD MUSTANG

THE MUSTANG HAS THE ECOBOOST PERFORMANCE PACKAGE WITH 19" EBONY BLACK PAINTED WHEELS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT DESPITE BEING 5 YEARS OLD THE LUG NUTS ON EACH WHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE NUTS WERE SWELLING AND A STANDARD SIZE WRENCH COULD NOT REMOVE THEM. THIS PROBLEM WAS DETECTED AT 25,000 MILES AND VERIFIED BY THE FORD DEALER RECENTLY. TODAY, THE FORD DEALER REPLACED THE LUG NUTS, WHICH COST $13.03 APIECE PLUS INSTALLATION AND TAX FOR A TOTAL OF $316.91. HOWEVER, THE REAL PROBLEM IS THE POTENTIAL THAT A WHEEL COULD NOT BE REMOVED IN CASE OF A FLAT TIRE OUT ON A HIGHWAY. IN ADDITION, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT LUG NUTS WHOSE THREADS WERE NOT STRIPPED NEED REPLACEMENT WHICH APPEARS TO BE AT 30,000 MILE INTERVALS. I HAVE CARS THAT HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES ON THEM AND NEVER HAVE LUG NUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE BECAUSE BEING ABLE TO CHANGE A TIRE WHEN NECESSARY SHOULD NOT REQUIRE A MAJOR OPERATION.