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HEADLINE: Government investigating Ford tire valves

1284 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  stone
I didn't post this in recalls as it is not an official recall yet...though this is valuable information for all Ford owners...
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Copyright 2008 Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

Associated Press Online

October 21, 2008 Tuesday 8:24 PM GMT

SECTION: BUSINESS NEWS

LENGTH: 293 words

HEADLINE: Government investigating Ford tire valves

BYLINE: By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writer

DATELINE: WASHINGTON

BODY:

The government is investigating more than 1 million Ford Motor Co. vehicles after receiving reports of tires leaking from faulty valve stems made by a Chinese company.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said Tuesday the investigation involves the tire valves on 12 vehicles from the 2007 model year. Ford has received some complaints but no reports of crashes or injuries.

"We've seen reports of cracking and leaking. We have not identified a risk to motor vehicle safety," Sherwood said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has received 37 complaints of faulty valve stems but no crashes or injuries have been reported. In 23 of the complaints, the vehicle had more than one valve that was "severely cracked or cracked and leaking" and needed replacement.

Eleven complaints said the valves led to lost tire inflation and required the tire to be replaced.

The vehicles with the valve stems include the Ford F-150, Mustang, Edge, Fusion, Expedition, Explorer, Focus and Escape, and the Mercury Grand Marquis, MKX, MKZ, and Milan. The valves are made by Topseal Automotive, a subsidiary of Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corp.

NHTSA said it has opened a preliminary evaluation to "assess the scope, frequency and safety consequences" of the alleged defect in the Ford tires. Defect investigations can lead to vehicle recalls.

The highway safety agency opened a separate investigation in May into 23 million valve stems manufactured by Shanghai Baolong in 2006. NHTSA said more than 4,700 complaints have been filed because of the valve stems, including allegations of a fatal rollover crash involving a 1998 Ford Explorer in November 2007.

On the Net:

Ford Motor Co.: http://www.ford.com/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

LOAD-DATE: October 21, 2008
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Squishy said:
With the new TPMS systems, the tire should survive even a complete blowout of the valve stem. Who the heck are those eleven people? :bang:

I had a batch of valve stems that blew out when I set the bead with carb cleaner. Hasn't happened before or since, but I guess that's what happens when you play with fire. :play:
haha, thats funny cause i did that a few days ago for my lawn tractor, only i used brake clean.
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