NHTSA Complaint #723051 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

2 OF 4 WHEELS ON OUR WINDSTAR DEVELOPED WHEEL LEAKS ON THE WELD LINE JOINING THE TIRE BEAD FLANGE TO THE CENTER HUB SECTION OF THE WHEEL (ORIGINAL SUSPICION WAS TIRE OR VALVE STEM LEAK, BUT SOAPING RIM SHOWS AIR BUBBLING THROUGH WELD). FIRST FAILED WHEEL REPLACED BY DEALER. SECOND WHEEL REPLACED BY LOCAL GARAGE (DEALER WANTED $50 DEDUCTABLE) AND IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A DEFECT, BUT FORD DEALER MECHANIC VOLUNTEERED THAT THEY'VE "SEEN WINDSTAR WHEELS LEAK". GARAGE REPLACING SECOND WHEEL MADE SIMILAR COMMENT. A FRIEND WITH 1996 WINDSTAR HAD TWO WHEELS FAIL WITH SAME PROBLEM. DEALER REJECTED CLAIM OF ACCELERATED TIRE WEAR CAUSED BY FIRST FAILURE ($80 REPLACEMENT COST). SECOND TIRE HAS WEAR ON OUTER EDGES AND WILL NEED PREMATURE REPLACEMENT ($80!). AS A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT (LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE DUE TO WHEEL LEAKAGE COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL) FORD LOGICALLY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS RELATED TO CORRECTING THIS DEFECT. BASED ON THE LIMITED SAMPLE I'VE SEEN (4 OF 8 WHEELS ON TWO VANS FAILED; FACTORY AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS SPECIFICALLY AWARE OF PROBLEM WITH WINDSTAR WHEELS), LOGICALLY QUALIFIES IT AS AN EPIDEMIC FAILURE (ALBEIT WITH A LOW SAMPLING CERTAINTY, PENDING EXPANSION OF THE SAMPLE BASE). IT'S LIKELY THAT FORD MOTOR CO. HAS SERVICE RECORDS TO CONFIRM THESE OBSERVATIONS.