2001 Ford Focus wheels problems

“The contact owns a 2001 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving her vehicle at approximately 35 MPH, the ball joint snapped on the vehicle's passengers side. The contact stated there were no warning lights illuminated nor any indication of a failure prior to the ball joint snapping. The contact stated that when the failure happened to her vehicle it caused her to crash into a ditch. The contact stated that no injuries were sustained and the vehicle was towed to the residence where it remains currently. The contact stated that she did contact the dealer as well as the manufacturer who advised her to contact NHTSA. The failure mileage was 190,000.”

“AS I WAS COMING FROM DR'S APPT. WITH DAUGHTER AND MOM A ROARING SOUND STARTED IN THE REAR. IT KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER, CAR'S REAR WOULD SWAY TO THE RIGHT SIDE A LITTLE. BUT AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET TRYING TO AT LEAST GET US ALL HOME SAFE. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF AND JUST ROLLED DOWN THE STREET ABOUT A HALF-A-BLOCK. A MAN CAME OUT NOTICING THE TIRE ROLL PASS HIM, HELPED ME RETRIEVE IT AND GET IT BACK TO MY CAR. LOOKED AT THE WHEEL AND CAR AXLE I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT, AND TOLD ME MY WHEEL BEARINGS WERE GONE. *TR”

“FIRST, I HEARD A NOISE IN MY REAR WHEEL WELL. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE NOISE GOT WORSE AND I COULD FEEL LIGHT SHIMMYING IN THE CAR. I BROUGHT IT IMMEDIATELY TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED A BROKEN REAR WHEEL BEARING THAT MY WHEEL TO WOBBLE AND LOSE STABILITY. REPLACEMENT REQUIRES A WHOLE NEW DRUM, AT THE COST OF $300. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD FOCUS. WHILE MERGING OFF THE HIGHWAY AT 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND NOTICED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE ROLLING BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. SHE RECOVERED THE TIRE AND NOTICED THAT THE BOLTS, LUGS, NUTS, AND WHEEL BEARING WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE TIRE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01I017000 (WHEELS LUGS, NUTS, BOLTS); HOWEVER, THE DEALER COULD PROVIDE A WARRANTY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.”

“WE HAVE HAD THREE INCIDENTS INVOLVING TWO VEHICLES IN WHICH WHEELS HAVE COME OFF OF FORD F-550 VEHICLES DUE TO SHEARED LUG BOLTS. THE WEIGHTS OF ALL OF OUR VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECORDED AND FALL BELOW THE MANUFACTURERS GVWR. PER A TIRE COMPANY'S RECOMMENDATION, WE HAVE ISSUED A MANDATE THAT ALL SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE THEIR WHEELS RE-TORQUED, TO MEET THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS AFTER DRIVING, AFTER TRAVELING 50 MILES FOLLOWING ANY WORK DONE ON THE WHEELS. WE HAVE HAD THE WHEELS ON VEHICLE THAT DID NOT COME OFF INSPECTED AND CHECKED TO PROPER TORQUE FOLLOWING ALL INCIDENTS AND THEY HAVE BEEN TORQUED APPROPRIATELY. THE INCIDENT DATES WERE, 12/29/07 ,02/15/08, AND 07/17/08 . ON 12/29/07 AN EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING UP A ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 20 M.P.H. WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE BACK DUAL WHEELS CAME OFF DUE TO BROKEN LUG BOLTS. THIS WAS A NORMAL USE OF THE VEHICLE ON A WELL-MAINTAINED DIRT ROAD. ON 02/15/08 TWO EMPLOYEES WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 84 TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 M.P.H. WHEN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEELS CAME OFF THE VEHICLE AND PASSED THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING MILE. THE STUDS WERE ALSO SHEARED OFF IN THIS INSTANCE. THE INTERSTATE WAS IN GOOD…”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE A NOISE IS HEARD COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S REAR WHEEL, THE WHEEL ALSO STARTED WOBBLING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.”