Ford Motor Company is being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States for use of tire valves made by Topseal Automotive, a subsidiary of Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corp. The faulty valve stems can crack and leak, leading to NHTSA receiving 37 complaints.
Of the complaints, 23 had at least one valve that was “severely cracked or cracked and leaking” according to NHTSA. In 11 of the complaints, the tire lost inflation and had to be replaced after being damaged.
The tire stems are on more than 1 million Ford vehicles from the 2007 model year, including the Ford F-150, Mustang, Edge, Fusion, Expedition, Explorer, Focus and Escape, and the Mercury Grand Marquis, MKX, MKZ, and Milan.
NHTSA began a separate investigation of Shanghai Baolong in May over a separate 23 million valve stems manufactured by the Chinese company. NHTSA has received over 4,700 complaints of faulty stems – including a fatal rollover last fall involving a 1998 Ford Explorer equipped with the stems. The 1 million stems now also under investigation were factory-installed by Ford.
10/22, 10:44 AM
posted by:
Blakkarr
A couple of cents more per wheel would have saved millions or billions of dollars in damaged reputation.
STOP CUTTING CORNERS TO MAKE A BUCK! Just do it right the first time EVERY time and THAT more than some gimmick or buying junk parts from overseas will make you more money than it cost in the first place.
10/22, 10:48 AM
posted by:
Borat
There is something wrong in relationship between Ford and wheels. Perhaps the company should switch to manufacturing washing machines or vacuum cleaners. Those don’t have problems with under/over inflated tires, pressure valves, rollovers and consequential deaths.
10/22, 10:57 AM
posted by:
crash1433
Blakkarr read the article. I don”t think Ford was the only one involved. The nhtsa is investigating 23 million valve stems. In the article it says 1 million ford vehicles are being looked at. By my math, that means somewhere around 19 million other vehicles out there may have the same problem. But if this was a toyota problem, it would be a supplier issue and have absolutely nothing to do with toys slipping quality. but i digress
10/22, 11:14 AM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Is there anything coming out of China that doesn’t have some sort of a quality problem? Toxic childrens’ toys, tainted pet foods, melamine-overdosed baby milk, faulty tire valves…what the hell’s next?!?
10/22, 12:08 PM
posted by:
mulletmaster
1c3d0g, what is next is the recycled used condoms someone in China is making into hair ties
10/22, 1:48 PM
posted by:
elviososa
1c3d0g…the cloth that you are wearing maybe from China…so you better get naked.
10/22, 3:35 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
NHTSA Good job in bringing down consumer confidence in American brands, just single out GM and Dodge wail your at it, and maybe our sales will go down some more, and more dealers have to close there doors, and more plants and more people out of the job, GOOD LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR OWN!!!
Something goes bad in the auto industry and you look at Ford, “23 million valve stems manufactured by the Chinese company” and you say only “1 million Ford vehicles from the 2007 model year” had the same valve stems where used in >> “including a fatal rollover last fall involving a 1998 Ford Explorer equipped with the stems” << YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH THE SAME FACTORY TIRES FOR 20 YEARS, or the shop that put new tiers on the car used the same brand of valve stems, and since it was a Ford Explorer you just went all “Nazi” saying “IT IS ALL FORD’S FAULT !!!!”
Good job NHTSA, good job, and F-U-2……
10/22, 5:33 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
elviososa: no, my clothing isn’t made in China. The t-shirt’s close though, as it’s made in Vietnam. But the pants are made in Honduras and my shoes in the good old U.S.A.
10/22, 5:46 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
mulletmaster, I suppose it is somewhat appropriate that they’ll be used on a head.
10/22, 10:19 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
Since when does Mercury took over from Lincoln and started making MKZ and MKX?
10/22, 10:21 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
Since when did Mercury took over from Lincoln and started making MKZ and MKX? *Edited by Bimmer*
P.S. LLN, how about a chance to edit my own posts?
10/22, 10:36 PM
posted by:
elviososa
huahaha….1c3d0g….don’t you know that a lot of clothes that labled Made in Vietnam, or some other Southeast Asian countries are actually Made in China??