1996 Ford Windstar Tires & Wheels Problems

TIRE ON 2 CASES BLEW THE TREAD AND BELT, THE LATER OF THE TWO INCIDENCES WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH THAT TOTALED THE VEHICLE, AND RESULTED IN TWO INJURIES TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER. BOTH NEEDED TO BE HOSPITALIZED.*AK

THE ORIGINAL WHEELS ON MY 1996 WINDSTAR HAVE DEVELOPED AIR LEAKS AT THE WELDS. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WENT TO A SALVAGE YARD FOR A REPLACEMENT, AND THEY SAID WINDSTAR WHEELS ARE SCARCE BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I HAVE REPLACED ALL FOUR WHEELS WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS. I BELIEVE THE OEM WHEELS ARE DEFECTIVE. (IN 34 YEARS OF DRIVING, I'VE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH EVEN ONE WHEEL ON ANY CAR. 4 OUT OF 4 WHEELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON THIS VAN TELLS ME SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE PRODUCT.) OUR DRIVING IS ON GOOD ROADS, SO IT CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ROUGH USE. THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE SO FAR IS THAT TIRE PRESSURE IS SLOWLY LOST, LEADING TO LOW PRESSURE. OUR ONLY EXPENSE SO FAR IS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE WHEELS, ONE AT A TIME. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES INCONVENIENCE AND EXPENSE AT THE VERY LEAST, AND COULD RESULT IN WHEEL FAILURE, INJURY AND DEATH IF NOT ADDRESSED.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH TIRES ON 1996 FORD WINDSTAR.*MR THE CONSUMER PURCHASED A SET OF NEW TIRES FOR HIS VEHICLE. AFTER 50,000 MILES THE CONSUMER HAD A FLAT TIRE SHORTLY WHICH RESULTED FROM RIM SEPARATION (A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE OUTER RIM THAT HOLDS THE TIRE AND THE INNER PART THAT HAS THE LUG HOLES). THE CONSUMER PURCHASED ANOTHER RIM AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM TWO MONTHS LATER. TC

CONSUMER STATED THAT ALL FOUR RIMS HAD CRACKS IN THEM. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RIMS WERE DEFECTIVE. *AK

1996, WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS BROKEN WHEEL STUDS ON THE LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEELS. TWO STUDS BROKE ON RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ON FEBRUARY 15, 2004. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THE LUG NUTS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WERE SHEARED OFF. CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHIMMY VIOLENTLY ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. *PH

THE RIMS INSIDE OF THE WHEEL HAD A HOLE THAT DEVELOPED CRACKS INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WHICH CAUSED IT TO DETERIORATE. *TT

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. *NLM

THE DRIVER SIDE RIM CRACKED. *JB

SPARE TIRE IS ON OUTSIDE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE RUSTED. THIS CAUSED SPARE TIRE TO BECOME UNUSABLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

MY ALUMINUM WHEELS HAVE CORRODED AT THE TIRE BEAD SEAT SEVERELY. THIS PRODUCES TIRE PRESSURE LOSS CONSTANTLY. THE WHEELS ARE NOT CORRODED AT THE FACE BUT AT THE AREA WHERE THE TIRE SEALS. MY LOCAL TIRE STORE IN MICHIGAN SAYS THEY SEE THIS SAME ISSUE REGULARLY. I AM A FORD ENGINEER AND HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS DEFECT TO THE WHEEL ENGINEERS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO SUCH PROBLEM. THE TIRE STORE ALSO ADDED THAT ALUMINUM WHEELS COMBINED WITH MICHELIN TIRES ARE THE WORST. TWO OF MY WHEELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOW WITH THE ORIGINAL TIRES. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AS THEY KEEP LOOSING AIR. I HAVE TO ADD AIR ONCE A WEEK.PLS CALL ME- I CAN SHOW THEM TO YOU. I DISMOUNTED THE REARS AND THE CORROSION IS SEVERE. I TAKE CARE OF MY CARS-THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS LEVEL OF CORROSION. THANKS. *AK (TIRESIZE: 215X70X15)

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BOLTS BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING. HAD THEM REPLACED 3 TIMES PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRED. *AK *TT

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENTIRE WHEEL/TIRE FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, IT IS UNKNOWN IF IT WAS THE TIRE OR WHEEL THAT FAILED, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 13-7497-974. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL THEN CAME OFF, CLAIM 46-0491-262. *SLC

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:20PM ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 2001, I WAS TRAVELING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, 75MPH, SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 70, NEAR RICHFIELD, UT, WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DELAMINATED. I MANAGED TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND GOT IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE'S TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE, HAVING DEFORMED, BLACKENED AND TAKEN PAINT OFF THE LEFT FRONT FENDER, DETACHED THE LEFT PORTION OF THE BUMPER FROM THE FENDER, DESTROYING AND CASTING AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THE INNER FENDER SKIRT, BADLY DENTING THE REAR PORTION OF THE WHEEL WELL/FENDER, AND SHREDDING THE MUD GUARD THERE TO THE EXTENT THAT MOST OF IT HAD TO BE CUT OFF LATER. THE TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR THOUGH SO I WAS ABLE TO CREEP ALONG THE SHOULDER THE APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE TO THE FIRST RICHFIELD EXIT. I PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF A LARGE GAS STATION JUST OFF THE INTERSTATE AND GOT THE BY-NOW-DEFLATED-DE-LAMINATED TIRE OFF THE VEHICLE, AND THE "SPARE" TIRE ON IN ITS PLACE. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO RICHFIELD WHERE I FOUND A TIRE DEALER WHO WAS WILLING TO SELL, MOUNT, BALANCE AND INSTALL TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR ME, CHARGING ME A $55 "AFTER HOURS" FEE IN ADDITION TO THE PRICE OF THE TWO TIRES. THE FORD DEALER IN RICHFIELD, THE FOLLOWING MORNING, GAVE ME LITTLE HOPE THAT MICHELIN WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT, AND THERE WAS NO MICHELIN DEALER IN RICHFIELD THAT I COULD CONTACT. SINCE RETURNING HOME LAST FRIDAY, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GET ESTIMATES FOR REPAIRS, BUT, KNOWING WHAT SIMILAR REPAIRS HAVE COST FRIENDS, MY OWN ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN $300 AND $500 FOR THE ACTUAL REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE, PLUS THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES/AFTER HOURS CHARGE ($189.96). I FEEL THAT I WAS EXCEEDINGLY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE DE-LAMINATION; TO HAVE HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL; AND TO HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AROUND ME WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING A SAFE MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.*AK

IN 1999 WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT, WE EXPERIENCED A GRINDING NOISE. MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE HUBCAP AND FOUND THE STEEL RIM OF THE WHEEL TO BE CRACKED BADLY. WE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WHO BOTH SAID IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, BUT THAT THE OTHER SHOULD PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. BECAUSE I PUT MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR, I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED. TWO YEARS LATER, WE HAVE FOUND TWO MORE WHEELS HAVE CRACKED. THIS TIME, WE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE SPEEDOMETER WAS THE FIRST "PROBLEM" WE CAME ACROSS WITH THIS CAR. AT SPEEDS OF OVER 40MPH THE NEEDLE WOULD GO SPORACTICALLY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN ABOUT 35 AND 110MPH. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE $400 TO REPLACE SO, WE HAVE NOT YET HAD IT FIXED. SINCE THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF ITS OCCURANCE, IT ONLY MOVES BACK AND FORTH 5MPH UP OR DOWN OF OUR SPEED. PLEASE RECALL THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. WE HAVE BEEN READING ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS MANY, MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME MAKE OF CAR. THANK YOU.*AK

CONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ON A MAIN HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE, REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. TIRES WERE BOUGHT ON JULY 16, AND TIRE BLEWOUT. TIRE SIZE P20570 R15. HANCOCK TIRES DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

INSURED CALLED IN NOTICING FREQUENCY OF LOSSES TO OTHER VEHICLES, WHILE IN MOTION, THE FRONT WHEEL STARTS TO WOBBLE, STUDS SHEER AND COME OFF THE VEHICLE, CLAIM 55-S367-002. *JG

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE RIM OF THE TIRE IS CUTTING INSIDE BEAD OF THE TIRE CAUSING A BLOW OUT. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB

INSURED STATES THAT ALL FIVE LUG BOLTS BROKE OFF IN THE AREA WHERE THE BACK OF THE WHEEL AND THE BRAKE ROTOR MEETS, CLAIM 17-9180-936. *JG