NHTSA Complaint #11325238 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

I OWN FORD ESCAPE 2014 SE. I WAS AT MY FORD/LINCOLN DEALERSHIP FOR 6-MONTH MAINTENANCE AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALL LUG NUTS OF MY VEHICLE ARE SWOLLEN ARE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $240 + TAXES. THEY TOLD ME THAT I DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE AS THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT TIRES BACK. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND TRUSTED THE DEALERSHIP. FRANKLY, I COULD NOT VISUALIZE THE PROBLEM. UPON RETURN, I HAVE RESEARCHED IT AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT HIGH-QUALITY REPLACEMENT LUG NUTS ON AMAZON ARE $20- $40 (A PACK OF 20). APPARENTLY, INSTEAD OF SOLID STEEL NUTS, FORD SELLS ITS VEHICLES WITH LUG NUTS THAT HAVE A STEEL CORE WITH CHROME, ALUMINUM, OR STAINLESS STEEL CAPS ATTACHED TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF THE VISIBLE PART OF THE LUG NUTS. THE CAPS SWELL, CRACK, AND DELAMINATE TO THE POINT WHERE THE LUG NUTS CANNOT BE REMOVED WITH THE LUG WRENCH PROVIDED BY FORD. THIS LEAVES OWNERS AND LESSEES WHO GET FLAT TIRES OFTEN STRANDED ON THE ROADS WITHOUT THE ABILITY FOR EVEN TOW TRUCK DRIVERS TO REMOVE THE SWOLLEN LUG NUTS. THIS MEANS A TOW TO THE SHOP JUST TO HAVE THE LUG NUTS REMOVED AND THE TIRE REPLACED. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD, WITH NO LUCK SUCCEEDING, BUT WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THE DEALER AND FILING A COMPLAINT WITH MY CREDIT CARD PROVIDER IF NOT SUCCESSFUL. THERE WAS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT THAT WAS DISMISSED BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT "ENOUGH" AND THE ISSUE WAS DISMISSED. *TR