2014 Ford Focus Tires & Wheels Problems

Had brakes and rotors replaced 4/07/2025 and both repair shops indicated that the front passenger tire is bulging but they state also that these are not in warranty since they were only purchased 11/8/2023 and are an 85,000 mile rated tire which I purchased all new, with balancing and alignment at time of purchase. Mavis where I purchased them refuses to fix this problem stating they aren't in warranty any further which I don't see how when I definitely didn't drive 85,000 miles in less than a year and a half. When looking up this tire it seems they're not easily available at this point either.

The service technician at local authorized Ford dealership (Bill Alexander Ford) informed me that during the service today they were not able to rotate my tires because the aluminum lug-nuts had swollen to such an extent that they could not get a socket on the nuts. The technician advised me to purchase steel lug-nuts and then the dealership could break off the aluminum nuts and replace them with the new ones. Of course I am concerned that breaking off lug-nuts may damage the wheel. Several years ago I replaced several lug-nuts with locking nuts and found covering them with the correct sized socket was so difficult that I have been concerned ever since about whether I could remove a flat tire in case of an emergency. Now I am hesitant to drive the car in case I get a flat.

A majority of the lug nuts on my wheels had to be replaced because of the severe corrosion to them due to the crappy aluminum caps on the original vehicles. Three of them had already fallen off within the past 6 months. Mechanic said I would not have been able to remove a flat tire if that had occurred do to the damage on the lug nuts. The tires shop was installing my winter tires and notified me of the need to replace them. They are NOT cheap. It appears there have been a number of complaints about this issue. Some kind of reimbursement would be appropriate, yes?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FOCUS. PRIOR TO A ROAD TRIP, THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE LUG WRENCH WOULD NOT FIT THE LUG NUTS BECAUSE THEY WERE SWOLLEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AL PACKER FORD WEST PALM BEACH (LOCATED AT 1530 N MILITARY TRL, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409, (561) 689-6550) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LUG NUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS25082526. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

HI, Ortega Highway in California. got a flat tire. I pulled over to change to the spare and can't get the lug wrench (OEM) on the nuts...(drizzling steadily) I see I am risking stripping the lugs. I'm in the forest- cell signal is spotty. I'm left no choice but to drive on my flat tire slowly to a gas station (several miles) And they can't get it off. I call for a tow to tire shop. They show up in a car w/ a 4 way lug wrench..because of course, they assumed they had to fit. must be my ineptness..and he can't get one lug loose. And now I miss my appt., I have to wait another two hours for a tow truck, while several creepy people want to "help" me.... (help me get thrown in their trunk they mean.. ) I'm making light of it now, but I really resent my safety being put in jeopardy and not even given a heads up when Ford knows it's a problem...no surprise, I've got a Focus transmission .Any integrity & ownership of defective design is non existent.. I can forgive mistakes, they happen. And as long as I am aware of them, I can prepare... But Ford doesn't give a [XXX] about our safety. I've had it, no trust is left. Cost benefit analysis is their concern, which saves them money short term yay, for stockholders & CEO bonuses. Ignoring their long term loss of customers due to unethical behavior. Tangent over.. I made it to the tire shop 15 minutes before close. That shop was the place I first learned of the lug nut "2 metal swelling and stripping" issues. He had a special tool just for Ford Lug nuts. This has happened several times since then... I have had to leave my car on the side of the road, also, drive it to the tire shop slowly. damaging my rim... But my real concern is getting a flat tire that I cannot change myself because the lugs strip/ swell in some isolated area... was lucky it was day that first time, scary as [XXX]...Ford puts drivers in unsafe situations because irresponsibility is now it's business model. Cost us time, money, & piece of mind INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

OEM ALUMINUM LUG NUTS DEFORM OVER TIME AFTER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. LUG NUTS SWELL AND BECOME STUCK TO THE WHEEL. PROVIDED OEM TIRE WRENCH CANNOT REMOVE LUG NUTS. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A CAR TRYING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ROAD HAZARD. MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO PERFORM RECALL AND PROVIDE REPLACE WITH NON-DEFECTIVE LUG NUTS. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED SAME ISSUE, BUT FORD THUS FAR REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. HTTPS://WWW.HBSSLAW.COM/CASES/FORD-LUG-NUT-DEFECT/PRESSRELEASE/FORD-LUG-NUT-DEFECT-FORD-OWNERS-SUE-OVER-DEFECTIVE-LUG-NUTS-IN-MILLIONS-OF-VEHICLES

LUG NUTS. I HIT A CURB NEAR MY HOUSE CUTTING THE SIDE WALL OF MY TIRE. TIME WENT FLAT. WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE THE LUG WRENCH WOULD NOT FIT ONTO THE LUG NUT. I CALLED FORD FOR HELP THE TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE ALUMINUM COVER ON NUT "SWELLS" MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE WRENCH TO FIT. I HAD TO POUND THE WRENCH ON WITH A RUBBER MALLET, AND KNOCK IT OFF AFTER LOOSENING THE NUT. IF I WAS ON A FREEWAY WITH OUT ACCESS TO A MALLET I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED AND IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FORD TOLD ME IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL MANUFACTURES, LES SCHWAB WHERE I BOUGHT MY TIRES TOLD ME THEY SEE IT EVERY DAY, A COMMON PROBLEM, THE TIRE SHOP AT COSTCO WHERE I WORK TOLD ME THE SAME. I SOUNDS TO ME YOU ARE PUTTING PEOPLES LIVE IN DANGER BY LETTING CAR COMPANY'S GET AWAY WITH THIS. THEY SHOULD AT LEAST BE SUPPLYING DRIVERS WITH RUBBER MALLETS.

WENT TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE & TIRE ROTATION AND WAS TOLD ALL LUG NUTS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE RUST MADE THEM SWELL. CAP WAS NEVER SEALED TO PREVENT RUST FROM BUILDING UP BETWEEN SILVER CAP ON LUG NUT AND STEEL NUT ITSELF, ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD AND HAD TO REPLACE ALL 20 LUG NUTS

GOT A FLAT TIRE. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HIS TOOLS WERE NOT ABLE TO REMOVE THE BOLTS NOR WAS MY CROWBAR FROM FORD. STRIPPED BOLTS AND SWELLING. TOOK CAR TO DISCOUNT TIRE THEY SAID THIS IS COMMON WITH FORD CARS AND THAT THE MATERIALS USED ON THE BOLTS WERE NOT OF GOOD QUALITY. RECALL SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. I HAD THE FLAT WHILE I WAS AT HOME. BUT IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY I WOULD HAVE HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. WHICH IS NOT SAFE. ADVISED TO GET ALL OF THE BOLTS REPLACED.

LUG NUTS ARE UNABLE TO BE REMOVED WITH LUG NUT WRENCH. FORD DEALER SAYS THE LUG NUTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO 'SWELLING'. FORD CORPORATE SAYS THESE ARE WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND WILL NOT REPLACE. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ITEM AS THE TIRES ARE UNABLE TO BE REMOVED OR CHANGED TO A SPARE TIRE AFTER A FLAT TIRE OCCURS.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. CAR WAS SAFELY PULLED TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD FAILED IN MULTIPLE PLACES. CAR WAS CAREFULLY DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET TO SAFE LOCATION FOR WHEEL REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT WITH SPARE. UPON REMOVAL IT WAS NOTED THAT TIRE HAD FAILED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ON BOTH SIDEWALLS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ROAD HAZARD DAMAGE TO THE TREAD AREA NOR WAS ANY ROAD DEBRIS NOTED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

CONTINENTAL TIRES ON MY 2014 FORD FOCUS SE, ALSO NOTICED OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR SAME THIN FROM OTHERS. FRONT PASSENGER TIRE HAS DEVELOPED BUBBLE IN SIDEWALL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. BOUGHT VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN RALEIGH, NC. VEHICLE AND TIRES HAVE 30,000 MILES.

THE CAR WAS DRIVEN BY MY DAUGHTER DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH.MY DAUGHTER HEAR A LOUD POP SOUND AND THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT, CAUSING SEVERE RIM DAMAGE, INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD DAMAGE, DENT TO THE INNER FENDER, AND THE HUB CAP SPLIT. THERE IS A HUGE GAPING FLAP ON OF THE SIDE OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE IS MADE BY CONTINENTAL SOLD BY FORD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FOCUS EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTI PRO CONTACT TIRES, SIZE: P215/55/R16 (NA). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING SOUND. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,088.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FOCUS EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTI PRO CONTACT TIRES, SIZE: P215/55R16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRES BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,364.

ON 10/07/15 I TOOK MY 2014 FORD FOCUS IN TO CHECK AIR PRESSURE ON TIRES AFTER THE TPMS LIGHT TURNED ON A COUPLE DAYS PRIOR WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE WAY TO WORK ON NORMAL PAVEMENT. THEY CHECKED THE TIRES AND FOUND LEAKS ON RIGHT FRONT AND REAR TIRES. FORD MECHANIC TOLD ME THEY WERE UNREPAIRABLE. HE TRIED GETTING ME INTO NEW TIRES BUT WHY IF I ONLY HAD 12000 MILES ON THEM. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. WHEN I ASKED IF THE WARANTY COVERED HE SAID THEY DIDN'T BUT IM SURE IT DOES.

TUESDAY JULY 29 2015 MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING MY BRAND NEW 2014 FORD FOCUS SE IN WILTON MAINE DOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 50MPH... WITH NO WARNING THE LEFT REAR CONTINENTAL TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL WITH 2700 MILES IN IT. HE DID NOT HIT ANY OOTHOLE OR ANYTHING ELSE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR VEHICLES AND THANK GOD HE KEPT CONTROL TO PULL OVER. FORD DENIED ME HELP . INSISTING HE RAN SUMTHING OVER EVEN AFTER AN APPEAL. WE FEEL VERY UNSAFE . AFTER PRICING NEW TIRES IT WILL TAKE ME SUM TIME TO REPLACE ALL 4 AND A RIM I FEEL FORD AND CONTINENTAL SHOULD BE FIXING THIS PROBLEM OR WILL THEY WAIT TILL WE GET KILLED FROM THESE HAZARDOUS TIRES? I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR IN MARCH I GO 1 MILE TO WORK EACH DAY NOT FAR THANKFULLY. IM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD MOTOR AND CONTINENTAL TIRE FOR PROVIDING UNSAFE AND IN MY OPINION DEFECTIVE TIRES.THIS BLIWOUT ALSO DAMAGED MY RIM WHICH WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION .

THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT INVOLVING CONTINENTAL CONTACT TIRES. WE OWN A FORD FOCUS 2014 WITH THE CONTINENTAL CONTACT TIRES. IN APPROXIMATELY, FEBRUARY 2015 THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A BLISTER. TODAY, 6/11/15, A BLISTER WAS NOTICED ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE. FORD DECLINED TO PAY FOR THE TIRE.

IN LATE MAY 2015, I NOTICED A BUBBLE IN MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSISTED THAT IT WAS MY FAULT. I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE TIRE. NOW, NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS LATER, I NOW HAVE A BUBBLE IN MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE. THE TIRES ARE FROM THE SAME BATCH. THE TIRES ARE CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT 215/55R16 93H TIRES. WITH THESE BEING POTENTIAL BLOWOUTS, THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE. THE BUBBLES MUST BE A DEFECT. I NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH THE TIRES ON MY OLD CAR.

IN LATE JANUARY 2015 A BLISTER WAS NOTICED ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE ABOVE WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT, A SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 6/11/2015 ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE. A COMPLAINT FOR THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS FILED WITH NHTSA ON 6/11/2015, COMPLAINT NUMBER 10724836.