2009 Ford Flex

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN MXV4 TIRES, SIZE: 235/60R18. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH AND HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING SOUND FOLLOWED BY THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS SEPARATED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SHOP WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 77,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I PURCHASED FOUR TIRES APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS AGO. IN THE LAST WEEK, THREE OF THOSE TIRES DEVELOPED BULGES IN THEM, WHICH COULD'VE RESULTED IN A BLOWOUT. I WAS CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY AND MY SAFETY BECAUSE I DRIVE THE HIGHWAY FREQUENTLY, TRANSPORTING MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE SHOP WHERE I PURCHASED THE TIRES. TIRE ONE WAS REPLACED WITH A ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. I DID NOT PAY FOR THE COST OF ANOTHER TIRE. JUST YESTERDAY, TWO MORE TIRES WERE REPLACED FOR THE SAME ISSUE, A BULGE. THE SHOP MANAGER TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS SUCH AS POTHOLES AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT AND IT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AS LONG AS THE ROADS ARE BAD. LATER THAT SAME EVENING, MY LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND BY THE NEXT MORNING, ON THE WAY TO DROPPING MY HUSBAND OFF TO WORK, HE NOTICED THE TIRE JUST REPLACED THE DAY BEFORE WAS FLAT. WHEN I CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, TOYO TIRES, THEY SAID THE SAME THING THE TIRE SHOP SAID, INDICATING THAT IT WAS DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS. BASICALLY, THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT IS WITH THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE/TIRE DESIGN. I THINK SOME INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE TIRES, AS THIS DOES NOT SOUND NORMAL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HAD TIRE ISSUES AND I DRIVE IN TREACHEROUS CLIMATES ALL THE TIME. *TR

PURCHASED FLEX IN 2009, DAY 1, 5 MILES, STATION WAGON HAS VIBRATION. TO THIS DAY, STILL HAS VIBRATION. 58000 MILES NOW. BBBAUTOLINE SAYS IT'S OUT OF COVERAGE FOR ARBITRATION. FLEX WAS IN SHOP MIN 12X FOR SAME ISSUE. DEALER AND ENGINEERS SAID BAD BRAKES, THE HAVE PUT ON 5 SETS OF PADS AND ROTORS. BAD WHEELS, MINE WERE THE 17" STYLE, NOW I HAVE 19" LIMITED WHEELS, VERY EXPENSIVE TIRES. STILL VIBRATES.... ONE 3 DAY SERVICE STOP AT VARSITY FORD , A@$$$$@ TECH OR MECHANIC DROVE MILES TO THE TUNE OF 750!!!!! AND I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE UPSET.....TEST DRIVING IT..... OK, 12,000 MILES, ON NEW 19" HANKOOK JUNK TIRES, OPTIMO, THEY WERE BALD, DEALER SAYS I HAVE TO REPLACE MYSELF, A 60,000 MILE TIRE, LOL ON ME. 31000 MI, DEALER SAYS DON'T BRING BACK, WE CAN'T FIX.... AND SAID IT'S A LEMON, GO ARBITRATE IT OUT, WE KNOW IT'S A BAD CAR, BUT WE CAN'T GET YOU A NEW ONE. 35,000 MILES, SPOUSE TAKING KIDS TO DAYCARE, TURNS CORNER, SAYS SHE HEARD SOMETHING POP, AND SHE COULD NOT STEER, HIT A PARKED CAR.... AFTER LOOKING WITH POLICE, I HAVE VIDEO AND PHOTO PROOF, INNER TIE-ROD SNAPPED, CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. SO, 4,000$ OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR, FROM A TIE ROD NOT BEING INSTALLED RIGHT. THERE WAS AN INCH OF PLAY, UP AND DOWN, SIDE TO SIDE, ON THE OUTER TIE ROD, FROM NOT BEING INSTALLED CORRECTLY AT THE FACTORY, HMMMMMM, MADE IN CANADA. SO NOW, AFTER ACCIDENT, CAR FIXED, I THOUGHT FOR SURE, IT WOULD BE A WHOLE NEW DRIVING VEHICLE? SHAT NOT! 58,000 NOW, AND VIBRATING LIKE AN OFF BALANCE WASHING MACHINE. AND BBB AND FORD ARE NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. ALL I WISH WAS FOR A FLEX THAT DROVE SMOOTHLY. .... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK ON THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND THE LEAK WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE AIR CYLINDER THAT LIFTED THE THIRD ROW SEATS WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE REAR HATCH OPENED ON ITS OWN FIVE TIMES; THE DEALER REALIGNED THE DOOR TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE REAR MAIN OIL SEAL FAILED SO IT WAS ALSO REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE EFFECTIVELY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION EXCESSIVELY SHIFTED INTO GEAR WHEN DOWN SHIFTING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND SHAKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE MADE A POPPING NOISE WHEN HE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP. THE DOOR MOLDING AND WINDOW MOLDING SILLS BECAME WARPED. LASTLY, ONE OF THE TIRES (THE CONTACT COULD NOT RECALL WHICH ONE) BLEW AND THE SIDEWALL SEPARATED; HE REPLACED THE TIRE AT HIS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT ONCE THE VEHICLE LEFT THE MANUFACTURING PLANT, IT WAS THE DEALERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,283. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,526. THE BATTERY HAD TO REPLACED. UPDATED 12/30/10*JB