656 complaints reported

1997 Ford Explorer Tires

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
656
Crashes
53
Fires
2
Injuries
70

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2000 Injury

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE INS TO LOSS CONTROL. FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX WERE ALSO ON VEHICLE. V1 HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FLOP OVER. INSURED WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRES. ACCORDING TO INSURED, A LAWSUIT MAY BE FILED AGAINST THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. (CLAIM# 53-C563-980) *MW

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2000
Dec 2000

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE LEFT REAR FIRESTONE P235 TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN 2 360-DEGREE TURNS, THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED BEFORE RECALL 00T005. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 1999
Dec 2000 Injury

NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2000
Dec 2000 Crash Injury

TIRE SEPARTION CAUSED A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT. TIRES CHECKED 2/25/2000 BY MECHANIC AND OK'D. MAJOR INJURY WAS SEVERING OF 4 FINGERS ON THE LEFT HAND OF THE DRIVER. TWO CHILDREN AND ANOTHER ADULT PASSENGER WERE INTHE BACK SEAT AND SUSTAINED CUTS AND BRUISING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAMA EVEN STILL.( DOT NUMBER: )

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2000
Nov 2000

THE DEALER REPLACED FAULTY FIRESTONE TIRES WITH NEW ONES BUT THE TIRE VALVES ON TWO TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKS CAUSED BY IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TIRE VALVE RESULTING IN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE, THE CONSUMER HAD TO RETURN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, P235/75R15, DOT VDHL). NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2000
Nov 2000

BELT FAILURE ON ALL FOUR TIRES . SPARE IS NEW/UNUSED. 'HAVE BEEN BABYING VEHICLE DRIVING HABITS. TREAD IS GOOD BUT VEHICLE WOBBLES EVEN AFTER AN ALIGNMENT AND REPEATED WHEEL BALANCING EPISODES. BELTS ARE SEPARATING. SINCE I HAVE FOUR USED AND ONE UNUSED...IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO USE THESE FOR INVESTIGATIVE TESTS. *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 1998
Nov 2000

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION, CRACKING, AND VIBRATION, THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE TIRES. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2000
Nov 2000

1997, FORD, EXPLORER, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES SIZE P235/75R15 DOT#VNHL1PY027, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. CONSUMER NOTICED TIRES WERE CRACKING ALL AROUND SIDEWALL WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE SEPARATED, BUT CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES.*AK *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2000
Nov 2000

CONSUMER FELT A KNOCKING NOISE ON FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH. THEN, PULLED OVER AND NOTICED A HUMP ON TIRES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT TREAD WAS SEPARATING ON THREE TIRES. P235/75R15, DOT W2HL1PY406.*AK THE CONSUMER HAD ASKED FIRESTONE TO INCLUDE THE FAILED WILDERNESS AT TIRES IN THE RECALL LIST SINCE THEY ARE SIMILAR WITH ONES ON RECALL. *YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2000
Nov 2000

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P 235/75R15 TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL DUE TO ONE FLAT AND TREADWEAR AND VIBRATION PROBLEMS. *MJS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2000

THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION, THE TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL (00T-005), HOWEVER CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO DEFECT. *MJS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2000
Nov 2000

ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED CRACKING, THE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2000
Nov 2000 Crash Injury

THE VEHICLE STARTED VEERING TO THE LEFT EVEN WITH THE STEERING POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD,GENTLY TURNED THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT TO COUNTERACT, HOWEVER THIS HAD NO AFFECT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2000
Nov 2000

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) ARE CRACKING AROUND THE TREAD. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2000
Nov 2000

AFTER HEARING NEWS HYPE ABOUT TIRES & CHECKED THEM NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE CRACKED OR SPLIT NEAR OR ON TREAD & SIDEWALL CASING. TOOK TIRES TO FIRESTONE RETAILER & WAS INFORMED TIRES WILL NOT BE EXCHANGED DUE TO NOT BEING ON RECALL. THERE WAS WEAR ON SIDEWALL & TREAD. HAS INVOICE WITH INFORMATION. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT WITH 40,000 MILES, P235/75R15, DOT W2H1. *AK *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2000
Nov 2000

CONSUMER HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15 DOT#VNHL) ON VEHICLE, THE TIRES ARE EXPERIENCING CRACKING AND SMALL SLITS ON THE OUTER AND INNER SIDEWALLS, A SERVICE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THE SYMPTOMS ON THESE TIRES ARE THE SAME THAT ARE OCCURRING WITH THE RECALLED TIRES. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2000
Nov 2000

CONSUMER NOTICED AN OBLONG WORN PLACE ON THE TREAD NEAR THE SIDEWALL THAT WORN DOWN TO THE CORD ON A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P235/75R15), CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AND LATER RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE DOT#'S TO SEE IF THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED, THE SPARE TIRE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SO THE DEALER ASSUMED THE OTHER TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2000
Nov 2000

THE FIRESTONE TIRES MADE NOISE AND DID NOT HANDLE WELL, THE CONSUMER TOOK TIRES TO BE CHECKED OVER AND WAS TOLD THE TIRES WERE OKAY, THE CONSUMER DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH TIRES AND REPLACED THEM, NOW CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED RECALL LETTER AND HAS NO PAPER WORK THAT STATES WHETHER THE TIRES WERE INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER IS STILL REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 1999
Nov 2000

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES EXPERIENCED FLAT TIRES ON 7 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE FIRST TIRE WENT FLAT ONLY ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00T005 AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2000

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHICH CAUSED VIBRATION AND NOISE WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THESE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL, THE CONSUMER PURCHASED OTHER REPLACEMENT TIRES. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2000

TIRES WERE CUPPED AND MADE THUMPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT EVENTHOUGH THE TIRES HAD PLENTY TREAD THERE WAS EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE EDGES OF THE TIRES AND THE STEEL BELTS WERE EXPOSED, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR FAULTY TIRES. NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2000

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P235/75R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUSTAIN DAMAGE, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2000

TREAD SEPARATING FROM TIRE . TAKEN TO TIRE SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT OF TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2C1PX TIRESIZE: P25570R16)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2000
Nov 2000

HELP! I HAVE A REPORT THAT SAYS THERE IS OVER 2 MILL CLAIMS ON THIS TIRE. STILL NO RECALL. PLEASE HELP ME TO HAVE THESE TIRES RECALLED. WHO CAN I TALK TO? THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP AND FIRESTOME FABRICATED A STORY TO ME! SINCERELY TAMMY FORRESTER 949-587-3299 THANKS*****AK (TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2000

DURING APRIL WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED I NOTICED AND HEARD A THUMPING NOISE IN MY FRONT WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL SERVICE GARAGE THAT I TRUST AND THEY DETERMINE THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A TIRE. THIS GARAGE ROTATED THE TIRES. IT WAS AFTER THIS THAT I LEARNED OF THE FIRESTONE RECALL. I HAD THE TIRES INSPECTED AGAIN BY THIS SERVICE GARAGE AND THEY GAVE ME THE TIRE NUMBERS SO I COULD GO TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER. AT THE FIRESTONE STORE I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM OF THE "THUMPING TIRE" AND GAVE THEM THE TIRE NUMBERS. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TIRES WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THEY DID NOT OFFER TO INSPECT THE TIRES. STILL HAVING CONCERN I WENT BACK TO MY TRUSTED SERVICE STATION IN MARTINSBURG WV AND THEY INSPECTED THE TIRES AGAIN. NOTED SMALL CRACKS AORUND THE RIM AND ALONG THE EDGE OF THE TREAD ON ALL TIRES. NOTING THE POTENTIAL RISK OF TIRE FAILURE I PURCHASE 5 NEW TIRES ON 9/20/2000 FOR $ 420.82. PLEASE NOTE I COULD NOT FIND TIRES AVAILABLE EVEN THOUGH I WENT TO MORE THEN ONE PLACE, E.G., COSTCO - PRICE CLUB. I THEN WENT BACK TO FIRESTONE AND THEY THEN INSPECTED THE TIRES. THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE MARKED UP WILDERNESS AT TIRES AND CRACKS. HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THESE WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I CURRENTLY HAVE ALL 5 TIRES IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THEM. I DONOT BELIEVE FIRESTONE ACTED IN GOOD FAITH. ONE FINAL COMMENT, FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS NOT BLAMELESS IN THAT THEY PUT A C GRADE TEMPERTURE TIRE ON A VEHICLE THAT IS KNOWN TO BE USE OFF ROAD IN SAND AND UNDERINFLATED. WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT??? I WOULD WELCOME A RESPONSE FROM ANY INTERESTED PARTY.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL1PY127 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2000

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Ford Explorer has 656 Tires complaints on file. 53 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.