2014 Ford Mustang Tires & Wheels Problems

THE WHEELS ARE MACHINED IN A NON-STANDARD WAY ON THE BEAD SURFACE AND MOST REPLACEMENT TIRES CANNOT BE SEATED ON THE BEAD OF THE WHEELS. THE OEM WHEELS HAVE MACHINED SLOTS IN THEM NEAR THE BEAD SEATING AREA & THE AIR LEAKS OUT THESE SLOTS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO SEAT THE BEAD TO INSTALL THE NEW TIRES. THESE WHEELS ARE 18" X 8" SIZE AND CAME ON THE FP6 APPEARANCE PACKAGE WITH MY VEHICLE FROM FORD. I SPENT 2 DAYS AT TIRE STORES WAITING FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES ON MY CAR. SEVERAL BRANDS OF TIRES WERE TRIED AND MOST WON'T SEAT ON THE BEAD OF THESE WHEELS. ALL OF THE TIRES TRIED ARE THE STOCK OEM SIZE OF 235/50R18. IT APPEARS THAT FORD CHOOSE TO LIGHTEN THE WHEELS BY MACHINING THESE SLOTS IN THEM, BUT THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT YOU CANNOT REPLACE THE TIRES SINCE MOST BRANDS WON'T SEAT ON THE BEAD WHEN BEING INSTALLED. AFTER TRYING SEVERAL SETS OF TIRES, THE TIRE STORE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET ONE INSTALLED, BUT IT COST ABOUT TWICE WHAT I PLANNED TO SPEND ON THE NEW TIRES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE WHEEL STEM VALVES WOULD RUPTURE AND CAUSE THE TIRES TO DEFLATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 140 MPH ON A RACING TRACK, THE STEM VALVE RUPTURED ON TWO OF THE FOUR TIRES, CAUSING THE TIRES TO DEFLATE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED ON ONE FRONT AND ONE REAR TIRE BUT WAS UNABLE TO INDICATE THE POSITION OF THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THE STEM VALVES WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, THE STEM VALVE ON A REAR TIRE RUPTURE WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS OVER 120 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4000.