NHTSA Complaint #11656563 — 2024 FORD MAVERICK

Ford provides a spare tire with their 2024 Maverick pickup truck, but does not provide a safe way to transport a damaged tire after performing a tire change. Ford's Owner's Manual for the Maverick shows on page 363 how the damaged tire is to be secured in the bed of the truck using the provided strap tied diagonally to one of the D-rings at the front of the bed and one of the cleats at the rear. Both tie down points for the strap are low enough in the bed to create a vertical force on the damaged tire and hold it down on the bed. Ford has not equipped the base model, known as Maverick XL, with the two D-rings shown in the manual. The only alternative tie down point at the front corners is a pair of cleats that are too high on the bed wall to put a vertical force on the tire. (These other cleats are shown in their Flex Bed diagram.) If attempted, the tire would be held down only by gravity and likely become a dangerous projectile. It would also be inadvisable to stow the damaged tire under the truck bed taking the place where the spare had been stored. If attempted, a damaged tire could have treads or steel cords hanging from it, which could either come in contact with a hot exhaust system or the cords could drag on the road and potentially spark a wildfire the way tow chains sometimes do. Ford's engineers have, in my opinion, designated in its Maverick Owner's Manual the only safe way to stow a damaged tire after using the Maverick's spare tire for an emergency tire change. Ford has provided the strap to secure the tire, but has not equipped all trim levels of the Maverick with the D-rings. Ford needs to provide Maverick XL owners with the two missing D-rings as well as the fasteners to mount them on the truck bed. It may also need to provide the correct size tapping tool if the existing holes were not threaded at the factory. This would remedy the inability to safely carry a damaged tire and also align with Owner's Manual instructions.