Ford Fusion Loses Tire In Spectacular Fashion: Video

It’s unsettling to think how many vehicles on the road are in rough shape, some just moments away from breaking down or falling apart completely. That was the story for one Ford Fusion caught on a Reddit user’s dashcam, which parted ways with its tire in a matter of seconds.

The dashcam capture, posted to the r/IdiotsInCars community, shows a blue Ford Fusion traveling in the far right lane as the cammer (or the person who recorded the video) approaches from the far left. Thankfully, traffic is moving slow, but the Fusion shows that something’s wrong almost immediately when the vehicle starts limping on its left front. The driver already appears to be aware of the issue – before they come into frame, they have their emergency flashers on.

That left front wheel starts to wobble. And then, as the cammer approaches, it gets worse and worse. The wheel becomes looser and the Ford Fusion lists dangerously to the left. The video doesn’t give a good look at what’s happening inside the sedan, but it’s not hard to imagine the driver fighting with the wheel, trying to keep the vehicle pointed in the right direction. And then, the inevitable happens.

The wheel pops off. The wheel cover goes flying. The Ford Fusion slams down onto its left front, undoubtedly dealing some damage to its front bumper cover and sending sparks flying. The wheel and tire bounce into traffic, but miraculously, it doubles back on itself and actually rolls clear of traffic, winding up in the grass on the shoulder. There’s no evidence that it took the axle with it, so it seems that the wheel separation was caused by an issue with the hub – or perhaps improperly tightened lug nuts.

This Ford Fusion is a bit too old to offer the tech, but future Blue Oval vehicles could feature tech that takes the guesswork out of tires. For example, they could get tech that informs users about tire pressures during inflation, along with sensors designed to keep an eye on tread depth and tell the driver when a rotation is needed, or when the useful life of certain parts will expire.

Alexandra is a Colorado-based journalist with a passion for all things involving horsepower, be it automotive or equestrian.

Alexandra Purcell

Alexandra is a Colorado-based journalist with a passion for all things involving horsepower, be it automotive or equestrian.

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  • Good thing the tire bounced away from traffic or that driver would have been in deep do-do, not to say that injuries might have occurred.

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