2005 Ford Five Hundred Tires & Wheels Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING THE SPEED LIMIT I CHANGED LANES AND THE REAR OF THE CAR FISHED TAILED. IT HAPPENED SO FAST IT SCARED ME TO DEATH. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. IT WAS NOT RAINING AND SOME WHAT HEAVY TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. THE CAR DOES NOT MANEUVER WELL. I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHILE CHANGING LANES AND DO IT SLOWLY OR THE CAR JERKS QUICKLY AND NOT SMOOTH AS MY OTHER CARS I'VE OWNED.

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN 9E AT APPROXIMATELY 3:20PM, I HIT A POTHOLE AND POPPED MY TIRE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER CONTACTING MY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS 3 OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAD BEEN HIT BY THE POTHOLE AS WELL. THE POLICE WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED EACH DRIVER WITH AN ACCIDENT REPORT. *TR

FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL STUDS SNAP. MECHANICS NOTE- FAULTY PARTS HE COULD NOT FIND ANY SIGNS OF OVER TIGHTENING FROM THE TIRE COMPANY WHICH REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES OVER 1 YEAR AGO. *TR

WHILE CONDUCTING A WEEKLY INSPECTION AND PRESSURE CHECK OF MY TIRES, (CONTINENTAL CONTITOURING CONTACT AS P215/60R17) A SPLIT MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 2" IN LENGTH WAS OBSERVED IN THE SIDEWALL OF ONE TIRE. THE SPLIT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE CAUSED BY ANY ROAD DAMAGE OR OTHER EXTERNAL FORCE. THERE IS NO AIR LEAKAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPLIT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND NEW TIRES HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO REPLACE THIS SET. *JB

CONTINENTAL TIRES (215/60/17), CHUNKS OF THE TIRE ARE COMING OFF. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ABOUT ISSUE, DID NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISSUE (JOSE). FORD ALSO WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY TOO DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED, HOWEVER BOTH PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. A COMMON QUESTION OF BOTH WAS, DO I DRIVE ON GRAVEL ROADS. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT, HOWEVER FORD DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS SHELL AND SMALL GRAVEL ON UNDERSIDE OF CAR. THERE HAVE BEEN ROADS REPLACE IN THE AREA THAT I HAVE DRIVEN ON. BOTTOM LINE. I NOW HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TIRE SAFETY ON MY CAR AND BOTH FORD AND CONTINENTAL WILL REPLACE THEM FOR A COST, BUT BOTH REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A TIRE "ISSUE" AT THIS TIME. WILL SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. I AT ONE TIME OWNED A FORD EXPLORER AND WENT THOUGH THOSE "ISSUES". HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TIRES ON THE FORD 500 OR CONTINENTAL TIRES? COULD SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND ASSIST ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARDS. COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION WAS PRESENT. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE TIRE WAS REMOVED AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A PINHOLE IN THE TIRE THAT POSSIBLY CAUSED THE INITIAL BLOWOUT. THE TIRE WAS SHIPPED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE TIRE WAS A PIRELLI P225/55R18, DOT # N9WNF7. UPDATED 10/31/2006 - PIRELLI REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES UNDER THE CONDITION THAT ALL FOUR TIRES BE SENT TO THEM. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT CONTRITRACT TOURING CT 95 TIRES, SIZE P215/60 R17 WERE MISSING CHUNKS OF RUBBER. THERE WERE 6,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE, AND THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER THE CONTACT ONCE AGAIN NOTICED MISSING CHUNKS OF RUBBER. THE NEWLY REPLACED TIRES HAD 2,000 MILES ON THEM. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 8,000.*AK

I HAVE A 2005 FORD FIVEHUNDRED THAT IS EQUIPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTACT TOURING TIRES. ACCORDING TO CONTINENTAL'S WEBSITE, THESE TIRES SHOULD LAST FOR SIXTY THOUSAND MILES. CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE HAS 15,000 MILES ON IT AND TWO OF THE TIRES ARE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY MY DEALER THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. CONTINENTAL STATES THAT FORD SHOULD WARRANTY THE TIRES. FORD STATES CONTINENTAL SHOULD WARRANTY THE TIRES. TIRES THAT WEAR OUT THIS QUICKLY MUST BE DEFECTIVE. THIS TYPE TIRE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM BEING IN AN ACCIDENT AND/OR BEING KILLED.