Fiesta Defect

[Astraman]

Yesterday evening I was behind a fiesta when the spare wheel fell out from under it.
I wouldn't take any notice if this was the 1st time I'd seen it but it's actually the 4th time I've seen this happen to a fiesta in the last few months.
The spare wheel is underneath the car held in with some kind of shackle as opposed to being in the boot like most cars.
Has anyone else seen this happen or does anyone here drive a fiesta.
I'd imagine that this is quite a dangerous fault for if it happened at high speed it could cause alot of damage to a car following.

[WhipLash]

Hi Astraman, long time no hear ;)

I used to own a Pug 106. They too have the spare wheel bolted in under the car, with the jack+wheel-brace inside the wheel (I think, I never got a puncture!). This design of course provides more boot space, but at the same time the spare is very inaccessible. I never had any problems with the wheel falling out of place, but then again I'd say that with the spare positioned under the car that it was probably well stuck into place with several layers of caked mud!

I just wonder if you were travelling right behind when the wheel fell out and caused damage to your car or even caused you to crash, who’d be liable?

[Astraman]

I'd say the car travelling behind may be liable as 99.9% of the time the car travelling behind is liable as they should be a safe enough distance behind the car in front to avoid all eventualities.
It's hard to know really as this would have to be put down as a freak occurence.

[Joe]

This also happened to my Aunt who has a Fiesta. The bolt holding the spare is fine, but what actually holds the wheel in place amounts to a fairly flimsy tray (plastic I think).

If the car is a few yrs old and abused, there's every chance the shaggin thing will come loose at speed.

[BeCos]

I wonder were they brand new wheels, as in, unused spae wheels that fell out. If so it would indicate a fault or somebody in the factory not tighteneing things properly.

But more likely its caused by people on a dark wet night lashing (no pun intended) the punctured wheel back in and not bothering to tighten it up enough.

Most small French cars have this set up including out last Clio 16V and the curent new 206. I can't see how either could ever fall out unless not tightened enough!!

[Phil]

I use to drive a fiesta. Never again. Funny keys and the rest, you can keep them.
I had some nice problems with my one. In winter in the cold the locks on my car had the nack of freezing up at the wrong times. I won't tell you what I use to defrost the locks. No hot cups of water around when you need them.
The best one was with the petrol cap. I opened the petrol cap fine, but I could'nt get the fecking key out in order to drive the car.

I know I'm going off the subject but wait. There is a problem with these spare wheels falling out from under the car, but after a few years all going well and you don't have flats, the dam thing rusts up and you'll never get the fecking wheel off again.

I will never forget the wet night that it happen to me. Why does it alway have to rain????

Cheers Phil.