2009 Ford Flex Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN MXV4 TIRES, SIZE: 235/60R18. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH AND HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING SOUND FOLLOWED BY THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS SEPARATED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SHOP WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 77,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I PURCHASED FOUR TIRES APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS AGO. IN THE LAST WEEK, THREE OF THOSE TIRES DEVELOPED BULGES IN THEM, WHICH COULD'VE RESULTED IN A BLOWOUT. I WAS CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY AND MY SAFETY BECAUSE I DRIVE THE HIGHWAY FREQUENTLY, TRANSPORTING MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE SHOP WHERE I PURCHASED THE TIRES. TIRE ONE WAS REPLACED WITH A ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. I DID NOT PAY FOR THE COST OF ANOTHER TIRE. JUST YESTERDAY, TWO MORE TIRES WERE REPLACED FOR THE SAME ISSUE, A BULGE. THE SHOP MANAGER TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS SUCH AS POTHOLES AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT AND IT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AS LONG AS THE ROADS ARE BAD. LATER THAT SAME EVENING, MY LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND BY THE NEXT MORNING, ON THE WAY TO DROPPING MY HUSBAND OFF TO WORK, HE NOTICED THE TIRE JUST REPLACED THE DAY BEFORE WAS FLAT. WHEN I CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, TOYO TIRES, THEY SAID THE SAME THING THE TIRE SHOP SAID, INDICATING THAT IT WAS DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS. BASICALLY, THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT IS WITH THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE/TIRE DESIGN. I THINK SOME INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE TIRES, AS THIS DOES NOT SOUND NORMAL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HAD TIRE ISSUES AND I DRIVE IN TREACHEROUS CLIMATES ALL THE TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND TOWING A TRAILER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SEIZED AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UNTIL THE WHEEL REGAINED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

WHEEL BEARING FAILED BEFORE 60,000 MILES AND NOW AT LEAST ONE OTHER IS FAILING. IF THE WHEEL SEIZES, CONTROL OF THE CAR COULD BE LOST. I BELIEVE FORD HAS PURCHASED POOR QUALITY FAULTY BEARINGS AND SHOULD REPLACE THEM FOR SAFETY OF DRIVERS AND OTHERS ON ROAD.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN OUT OF AN APPROACH, MAKING A RIGHT TURN, GOING MAYBE 5 MPH, VEHICLE COMES TO SCREECHING HALT, MAKING A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE. ENGINE DOES NOT GO OFF, NO STALLING. FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS INTERFERING WITH WHEELS. HAPPENED MONTHLY, ALWAYS OUT OF A SLIGHTLY DOWN-FACING DRIVEWAY, TURNING RIGHT. THEN ABOUT A WEEK AGO, IT HAPPENED WHILE MAKING A NORMAL LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A FLAT STREET AT AN INTERSECTION GOING A LITTLE FASTER. VEHICLE LURCHES TO A COMPLETE STOP, HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE, AND I CAN'T GO UNTIL I CAN STEER WHEELS STRAIGHT WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO DO. THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. TOOK ONCE TO A MECHANIC WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. BEEN DOING THIS EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. NOW AFTER THE LAST INCIDENT, I AM REALLY SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR! &JS