— A Ford F-350 valve stem leak lawsuit alleges 2017-2018 F-350 trucks equipped with aluminum wheels consistently lose air pressure that affects fuel economy, handling, tire condition and safety.
Additionally, low tire pressure from valve stem leaks may cause the tires to blow out, and driving can be especially dangerous when hauling heaving loads.
According to the class action filed by two truck owners, all Ford F-350 variants are included in the lawsuit, including the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum.
Plaintiff James Collins owns a 2018 Ford F-350 Lariat DRW which frequently must have the tires refilled with air, sometimes daily because of the valve stem leaks.
The plaintiff took his vehicle to a Ford dealership numerous times for multiple repairs, including replacement of the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors, replacement of the wheels and replacement of the tire valve stems. But the plaintiff claims nothing did any good, so he hired a third-party mechanic to replace the steel valve stems with rubber valve stems.
However, Collins says the F-350 wheels are still discolored and corroded due to the original and replacement defective steel valve stems.
Plaintiff Ken Newman owns a 2018 Ford F-350 DRW XL and claims the tires must constantly be refilled with air because the valve stems leak. The plaintiff says he complained to a Ford dealership numerous times, but the dealership told him any repair would not be covered by the warranty.
Plaintiff has allegedly paid out of pocket for numerous repairs performed by third-party mechanics, but the F-350 wheels are still discolored and corroded due to the original and replacement steel valve stems.
According to the lawsuit, every wheel has a valve stem which is affixed to a TPMS sensor, but the valve stems are made of a steel alloy while the wheels are made of an aluminum alloy. The contact between the steel valve stem and the aluminum wheel causes corrosion at the point of contact which corrodes the aluminum.
The plaintiffs say it is a well-known fact of science that aluminum and steel "present a galvanic corrosion risk."
The class action alleges the corrosion causes valve stem leaks that cause the tires to continuously lose air pressure.
When Ford dealers try to repair the problems, the valve stem problems allegedly reoccur because the automaker refuses to create permanent repairs and won't recall the F-350 trucks.
The Ford F-350 valve stem leak lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware - Collins, et al., v. Ford Motor Company.
The plaintiffs are represented by Rosenthal Monhait & Goddess, Levin Sedran & Berman, and Migliaccio & Rathod.
CarComplaints.com has complaints from owners and lessees of Ford F-350 trucks.