I set an appointment to take my 2014 Ford Escape into The Faricy Boys Ford Dealership in Cañon City, Colorado for a “The Works” service on 21 Oct 2022. This oil change service includes oil change, oil filter, multi point inspection and tire rotation. I took it in that morning for this service and waited in the waiting area for my vehicle to be completed. I was approached by [XXX], my Service Advisor, and told they encountered an issue. [XXX] told me my “lug nuts are swollen” and need to be replaced immediately for safety issues in addition to the fact that without new lug nuts they’re unable to do the tire rotation on my vehicle. I was told that swollen lug nuts meant there’s no way to change a tire with the provided tire wrench in the vehicle. She proceeded to tell me that they have the lug nuts in stock for just under $200.00. Sounded odd, extremely expensive and so I refused. $200.00 for lug nuts when this is a Ford issue with inferior product on an item as simple as the tires! According to what I found, “lug nuts can swell and delaminate after changes in temperature and exposure to moisture. Vehicle owners then have to try (and apparently fail) to remove the swollen lug nuts with a lug wrench supplied with the Ford. They have to replace them.” At home I looked this up and found that six models of Ford vehicles from mid 2010’s that all have the same problem. The core of the manufactured lug nuts is steel with chrome, stainless steel or aluminum to match the wheels. Now I’m in a place where my lug nuts may not come off if I have a flat, which could strand me who knows where in addition to not knowing what other long term problems these cheap lug nuts will cause all of us who own these vehicles. We should have these lug nuts replaced at no cost with correct lug nuts that are safe and won’t abandon us in unknown location, especially someone like me with Rheumatoid Arthritis!! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
2014 Ford Escape wheels complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 46, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I have to keep replacing the lug nuts due to swelling. I’ve replaced them 3 times so far and they are not saying they need to be replaced again
Could not replace tire, swollen lug nuts
I had a blowout on my left driver tire. We were on a interstate highway. The Highway patrol was unable to get the lug nuts off to change the tire. I had the tire iron that came with the car and the Highway Patrol had a 4 way tire iron. None of them were able to get the lug nuts off. When I had it towed to a Ford dealer I was told that this is a problem with all the Ford Escapes. The lug nuts swell up and cannot be removed. I was told to get the lug nuts changed out and I would not have this problem. I did this at my expense. Why is Ford not required to change these out at their expense and why were we not notified before I had this blowout out on a interstate???? It cost me $150.00 to get all the lug nuts replaced.
Lug nuts on wheels I have been asked to replace the ford lug nuts for swelling first....when I purchased new tires,and I just went in for service to ford and they didnt say anything.
All Lug nuts needed replaced due to swelling
Light went off for low tire pressure. Rear passenger side tire was low. Filled with air and drove for a couple weeks; light again went off. Filled tire again and took to service center this morning to see if something had penetrated tire or if bead had loosened. Service center found nail in tire and repaired. They had to replace 4 lug nuts as they were swollen. (I didn’t even know this was possible!). A simple and inexpensive tire repair turned into more than expected, which is rough when you’re on a small, fixed income. My fear is that I will eventually have the same experience/expense, at some point in time, with the other three tires. As a side note, and something that maybe should be filed as a separate complaint, is that the back-up camera malfunctions frequently…sometimes with image appearing upside down or a completely black screen. I spoke with two separate repair shops and was told it couldn’t be fixed…had to be replaced…and was quoted over $500 to replace it…obviously something I cannot afford to do. Was told it’s a common issue on Escapes, yet there have been no recalls for this issue. If we’re really trying to improve safety, then maybe this issue needs to be addressed as well. I have heard they will be required on new cars in the future; but something needs to be done about existing failures…and to set a standard regarding future failures on those new cars. My camera went out after warranty expiration, so I had no way to afford to fix it. Ford should stand behind their product and replace these defective cameras. My car now has 95,207 miles on it, and the camera failed over a year ago. I wouldn’t think a 7-year-old (6-year-old at time of failure) car with less than 100,000 miles on it should have that type of failure. Ford needs to use better equipment or offer better warranties. For most of us, $500 is a pretty substantial expense, and I’ll bet there are a lot of Escapes with defective cameras that people can’t afford to fix.
Subj: ford's swollen wheel lug-nut issue issue: wheel lug-nuts on ford vehicles become swollen and un-serviceable. The tire wrench tool that ford provides will not fit these defective lug-nuts and because of such a flat tire can not be easily nor quickly changed.; a safety as well as a consumer issue.
I had a flat tire on the driver's side rear tire and when aaa came out to change the tire, they could not get the lug nuts off, so aaa had the car towed to a local shop. The shop had told me that the lug nuts where almost impossible to get off, which they thought was due to over tightening and recommended that all the lug nuts on all the wheels be replaced. I had them replace all the lug nuts. Then a few months later as I was driving on tollway driving 60 MPH, I started to hear a thumping sound and my car shaking. Thinking I had another flat tire I got off on the next exit, which was close to the shop I took the car before (luckily). I told the shop manager what was happening and when the shop took the car for a test drive the front passenger wheel broke off damaging the car and luckily not hurting anyone. The shop said that the stems for lug nut broke off! He was not sure how this could have happened. Now that I have read the other complaints on the federal safety agency website this seems to be a manufacture defect of the stems holding the lug nuts. If this happened to me when I was driving to work at 60 MPH I could have been killed! The cost to fix the damage to my car is $2,110.53, which I had to file a claim with my insurance company, state farm. Claim and repairs are still in process. After reading other similar complaints I do not feel comfortable driving this car on the highway everyday going to work.
Tire low air sensor will not automatically reset when properly inflated. Therefore, when the tires are actually low, it's wearing the tires out & cause the car to skid on wet roads.
Driving 65 MPH, slight curve to the right. Heard a big bang and the driver side tire popped causing the car to veer to the right. The tired never shredded or anything. Upon inspection, the link kits had exploded and the stability arm had been bent.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. The contact stated that the lug nuts were swollen due to a manufacturing defect. The contact stated that it was difficult to remove the lug nuts in order to change or replace the tires. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to remove the lug nuts. The contact called currie motors ford of valpo (2052 w morthland dr, valparaiso, in 46385, (219) 336-1373), and informed the dealer of the failure. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency. The failure mileage was 112,000.
I own ford escape 2014 se. I was at my ford/lincoln dealership for 6-month maintenance and was informed that all lug nuts of my vehicle are swollen are to be replaced at a cost of $240 + taxes. They told me that I do not have a choice as they won't be able to put tires back. I have never heard of anything like that and trusted the dealership. Frankly, I could not visualize the problem. Upon return, I have researched it and have discovered that high-quality replacement lug nuts on amazon are $20- $40 (a pack of 20). Apparently, instead of solid steel nuts, ford sells its vehicles with lug nuts that have a steel core with chrome, aluminum, or stainless steel caps attached to improve the appearance of the visible part of the lug nuts. The caps swell, crack, and delaminate to the point where the lug nuts cannot be removed with the lug wrench provided by ford. This leaves owners and lessees who get flat tires often stranded on the roads without the ability for even tow truck drivers to remove the swollen lug nuts. This means a tow to the shop just to have the lug nuts removed and the tire replaced. I have filed a complaint with ford, with no luck succeeding, but will be following up with the dealer and filing a complaint with my credit card provider if not successful. There was a class-action lawsuit that was dismissed because there were not significant "enough" and the issue was dismissed.
My tire got a razor blade in it while I was driving. I was unable to switch to my spare after parking in my parking structure because the standard lug wrench included did not fit over the lug nuts. The lug nuts were too big for the lug wrench provided by ford. I had to drive with a flat tire because I was unable to change it to a spare. Thankfully I was able to get to a safe place, but I am concerned for the welfare of the people who get a flat tire on a highway or an unsafe area.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While the vehicle was undergoing routine service at sanderson ford (6400 n 51st ave, glendale, az 85301, (800) 729-3501), the dealer diagnosed that all 20 lug nuts were detached and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The warranty failed to cover the repairs. The failure mileage was 26,000.
I went in for an oil change, and my lug nuts had to be replaced because they went "bad." it was explained to me that the lug nuts for these vehicles were built in 2 parts. When the weather gets cold it can cause swelling and debris to get trapped in between. They told me all 20 of my lug nuts needed replaced and this just happens from time to time. I was told I had to replace them because I would be unable to change my tire in the event of a flat because the tire iron would not fit around the lug nuts anymore. When on my way back to the dealership in the shuttle, my courtesy driver was chatting with me about what I had done. I explained the situation and how I had to pay $150 to get my lug nuts replaced. He was shocked it wasn't a recall. He said they already know the makes and models affected by these faulty lug nuts.
Pirelli tire type p235/50 zr18 97w right rear tire blew apart while driving at a steady 65 MPH on a straight section of the garden state parkway . The car began to veer from side to side but I was able to coast to a stop at mile 119.9 . Called aaa & they sent repairman from p&j towing to change to the spare. Tire was purchased from holman ford, turnersville, nj. When contacted they directed us to contact pirelli. When contacted, pirelli told us to have ford ship the failed tire to them so "their lab" could examine it. I informed the pirelli representative I was concerned about the other 3 tires on the car failing in the same manner but he offered nothing. I was told to purchase a replacement and they would offer a prorated refund. The tire was given to ford to ship to pirelli & replacement tire was purchased at a cost of $200. I am still concerned that the other tires could fail similarly. I have attached pix of the failed tire and data from other tires purchased as part of the original set.
I went in for a routine tire rotation. The shop was unable to remove my tires, as most of the lug nuts were swollen. Shop told me I would have been unable to remove my tire if stuck on the side of the road. Very dangerous issue, all because ford manufactured the lug nuts with a 'soldered cap" unlike most which are one piece. The soldered cap leaks water inside, which freezes and causes the lug nut to swell, and no longer fit the tire wrench.
January 9, 2019 at 10:39pm my 2014 ford escape caught on fire. Driving down interstate 81, going speed limit 70 MPH, vehicle shut off and said "service engine now". Steering and brakes did not lock up but the vehicle lost rpms and was not running as I pulled over to the right hand shoulder, I was in the left hand lane when my vehicle shut off. As I stopped, I put vehicle in park and turned key off, all while it said "service engine now". I turned my hazards on and got out my phone to call someone for help. As I looked up I seen flames coming from the windshield wiper area and smoke in front of my lights, I grabbed my work bag and jumped out of the vehicle, jumped across the guard rail, and immediately called 911 from a safe distance. In approximately 6-9 minutes the entire front end of my vehicle was engulfed in flames as I was on the phone with 911. Took responders about 15 to 20 minutes to arrive and to put out the fire. As soon as responders finally showed, I could hear both tires explode a few minutes apart from each other. Once fire was safely put out, the entire front end of my vehicle was melted and the inside as well was beyond recognizable. I was told my vehicle is totalled, obviously, and I got a tow to take vehicle to my house where the 2014 ford escape is sitting in my yard. I figured my insurance company might come look at it but they didn't because all I had was liability on it. I did not know until a couple days later there was in fact a recall on my vehicle, due to risk of engine fire.
Had both front wheel bearing hubs replaced 10/18/18 at cost of $520.on 10/20/18 a loud grinding sound started happening. Took it back to dealership on 10/25/18 who said one of the bearings was defective. Ford motor company sent bad bearings to ford dealership bob maxey ford. Bearing could've caused an accident that resulted in my death or the death of another motorist.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While the vehicle was at heiser ford lincoln (1700 w silver spring dr., glendale, wi) for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that all of the lug nuts were swollen and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist because it was not related to a recall. The manufacturer stated that the federal safety agency was responsible for issuing recalls and referred the contact to the federal safety agency. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
Recently went in for an oil change. While there I was informed of a coolant flush that was needed however I was not informed of a technician note that states "passenger front wheel has swollen lug nuts. Had never heard of this. Whenresearching swollen lugs nuts found many people have online complaints. Why would they not inform me? I do have receipt with statement.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While driving various speeds, the low tire pressure indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the tire needed to be changed; however, the lug nuts were unable to be removed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (harrisonburg ford, 3155 s. Main street, harrisonburg, va 22801) where it was diagnosed that the lug nuts swelled and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was partially repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no prior complaints for that failure existed. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000. *bf
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While the vehicle was being serviced at russ milne ford (24777 hall rd, macomb, mi 48042), the dealer noticed that the lug nuts needed to be replaced due to the material expanding, which would cause extreme difficulty removing the wheel. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000.
Breaking makes knocking sound
Bought 2014 ford escape the instrument panel failed to notify me when all four of my tires were not inflated at proper tier pressure causing the car not to drive correctly on road causing me to slide off road drove car home since was only 2 miles from house husband and step son came out told them what happened they both checked all 4 tires said everyone was under inflated which was the cause of car not driving properly husband ask if the panel told me and I said no they put air in all 4 tires .taking car to ford dealer to have them check it out while fixing 2 other recalls.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a tire rotation, the technician advised that the lug nuts for all four tires needed to be replaced. The contact mentioned that the lug nuts for all four tires were previously replaced. The vehicle was not repaired for the recent failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000.
Aaa operator reported that lug nut was swollen; couldn't remove with standard equipment. Dealer today said all lug nuts needed replacing as they were "swollen" due to corrosion underneath the cap. This is a safety hazard as the supplied tire iron can't remove them. Sometimes they must be sawed off to replace. Apparently, same happened with my 2010 ford fusion. Many similar reports on the internet.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While driving approximately 50 MPH in the snow, the vehicle shook uncontrollably. The dealer diagnosed that all four tire rims were packed with snow and caused the vehicle's wheel balance to fail. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 4,900.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While driving approximately 3 MPH and making a left turn, the front passenger side wheel suddenly separated from the vehicle. The contact's vehicle crashed into a second vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering mechanism was defective. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000.
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