Spare Tire problems of the 1999 Ford F-350

Tread separation on left front tire, ruined wheel. After installing spare tire and driving 12 more miles. Tread separation on right front tire. Both times tires blew out, causing damage to vehicle.

Driving on blacktop divide highway and the cable that holds the spare tire broke (corroded through) letting the spare tire drop out from under the truck. The tire then rolled across the highway and just missed hitting an on coming car. This is a common problem with the spare tire holder from what I read on the internet chat rooms.

1. Left front tire on 1999 Ford f350 four wheel drive dually with 18,800 odometer miles started to shake at highway speed approximately 10 seconds before tire blew from cord separation. Tire has almost full tread depth as new tire. It is a general grabber tr in 235/85-r16 size that was equipped as original equipment on this vehicle. Tire was inflated to manufacturers specified air pressure of 65 psi. All seven tires on this vehicle had been recently checked (within the last week) for proper inflation and any abnormalities. I was not towing a trailer. There were four adults in the vehicle at the time of this incident. 2. Tire blew violently, causing vehicle to swerve into oncoming lane of traffic. Fortunately, there was no oncoming traffic at that time. Tire remains ruined fender, abs system, bumper guard, and inner fender well, along with wheel and other components before vehicle could be stopped from 60 miles per hour. 3. I was able to limp home approximately 100 miles using spare tire, and wiring, fender well, etc. Out of contact with tire. I do have the defective tire.

The consumer purchased a Ford f350 extended cab dually in 1999. Three years ago the tire cable that holds the spare tire underneath the vehicle broke while pulling into a driveway. The consumer took vehicle to dealership and they replaced the spare tire cable free of charge. The dealer had no explanation as to why it happened. Since purchase the spare tire had not been used or touched by anyone. Recently, when at a tire shop while getting tires replaced and an oil change the serviceman noted there was no spare tire underneath the vehicle. The cable was again broken. The consumer was not aware of this, and did not know when the spare tire cable broke. The consumer contacted Ford dealer, but the warranty expired and the dealer would not replace the spare tire cable. The consumer contacted Ford customer service, and they too declined to offer any assistance. The consumer felt this was a safety issue because the spare tire cable could break on these vehicles, causing an accident or injury to others.

I had just checked the tire pressures (70psi) prior to leaving home. 45 minutes into the trip, I felt 2 or 3 seconds of rough shaking of the steering wheel and then a loud noise accompanied by a "drop" of the left rear of the vehicle. I had taken my foot off of the acelorator at the shaking and maintained control while gently braking and when slowed enough, pulled off of the highway. I was towing a gooseneck trailor and all whights were within load capacity of the f350. The sepeaated tire tread completely tore up the rear panel of the truck, two estimated within $50 of each other; lowest was $2654. I filed a claim with firestone to pay or the repair and was required to send them the tire remants as part of that claim. I think those tires are too light for a superduty truck rated at 3600# load capacity. There were no injuries with the blow-out, but I cut my finger really badly undoing the bent fender strut damaged by the tire in order to get the spare tire on. (dot number: vnw81xl487 tiresize: 265/75r16).

Consumer noticed that while traveling 55 mph spare tire cable broke off from under vehicle, causing tire to roll from under vehicle.

While changing a tire consumer noticed that the spare tire carrying device cable frayed. This could have caused the cable to snap and the spare tire to fall out into traffic while driving.