I have a 2005 Ford F150 leased in July of 2005. I have experienced two incidences where a tire has gone flat in a matter of seconds while highway driving at speeds near 60 mph. I was able to avoid an accident in each case but this could have gone terribly wrong if I was not able to control the vehicle to pull off to the side of the road as it was difficult to control or to keep in my lane. The second incident occurred on July 17, 2006. While driving at highway speed, near 65 mph, my right rear tire went flat within 5 seconds. I had a difficult time trying to steer the truck and nearly collided with the vehicle next to me. I removed the wheel from the truck and took it to a local Ford dealer. The tire technician inspected the wheel and told me the valve stem was leaking; no hole or puncture in the tire could be found. They removed the tire from the rim and inspected the tire to find damage in the inner wall of the tire. I requested that the tire, valve stem, and labor be covered under warranty. The service representative told me that he did not think it was their fault. He stated that I would have to buy a new tire and they would replace the valve stem. I argued that I had nothing to do with the failure of the tire and I believed it should be covered under warranty. I explained that I though Ford has a safety issue with the valve stems and he continued to tell me I must have hit a pot hole or something. I was very upset that he was entirely avoiding the issue at hand and blaming me for what appears to be a manufacturer's defect.

- Amherst, OH, USA