NHTSA Complaint #11400265 — 2017 FORD ESCAPE

ROTATING TIRES FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. SOME OF THE LUG NUTS DEFORMED AND WONT ACCEPT A WRENCH . THEY ARE ALL DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. AND ALL OF THEM GET STUCK IN THE SOCKET AND ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE FROM THE SOCKET WRENCH. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE TIRES. THE PICTURE SHOWS THE DEFORMED LUG NUT. IT WAS DEFORMED BY SIMPLY REMOVING THE NUT WITH GOOD FITTING HIGH QUALITY TOOLS. THE LUG NUTS DO NOT EVEN FIT THE WRENCH THAT IS PROVIDED IN THE CAR FOR CHANGING FLATS . IT WILL TAKE SPECIAL TOOLS TO REMOVE ALL THE LUG NUTS. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT ACCEPTABLE . IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. LUCKILY WAS BEING DONE AT HOME AND NOT LEAVING ANYONE STRANDED. A TOW TRUCK DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER THAN TOW THE WHOLE VEHICLE FOR A SIMPLE FLAT TIRE, AT GREAT EXPENSE. AND IT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE TOWED. IT MAY NEED TO BE PULLED ONTO A FLATBED TYPE OF TOW TRUCK AND BE CARRIED INSTEAD OF TOWED IN THE USUAL MANNER.