1998 Ford Explorer Tires

TIRE BLEW OUT, TIRE COMPLETE GONE, TREAD SEPARATED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WE WERE DRIVING ON HWY. 50 EAST IN SACRAMENTO, CA WHEN WE HEARD A NOISE, THEN THE CAR STARTED VIBRATING AND WEAVING. WE PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRE HAD BLOWN. TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE TIRE CHANGED TO THE SAME EXACT TIRE. WE WERE NOT GIVEN ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE HISTORY OF THESE TIRES.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I-75 APPROX. 8 MILES NORTH OF GAINESVILLE,FL ON 7/31 & EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TIRE FAILURE AT 70 MPH. THE SENSATION WAS OF HAVING HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD, BUT I SAW NOTHING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR (EXCEPT LOTS OF BIG TRUCKS BEARING DOWN ON ME). ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I BEGAN TO LOSE STEERING ABILITY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL AND STOP THE VEHICLE WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. THE CAR SWUNG OUT AS FAR AS ONE-QUARTER TURN TO THE LEFT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BUT I WAS ABLE TO COUNTERSTEER AND GET OFF THE ROAD. THE AAA WRECKER ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SEEN "LOTS" OF THESE BLOWOUTS AND THAT THE TREAD USUALLY RIPPED ALL THE WAY OFF AND TORE UP THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. LUCKILY, I HAD ABOUT 4 INCHES OF MATERIAL HOLDING THE TIRE TOGETHER WHEN I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY AT ABOUT 3:00 PM. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DOT# ON THIS TIRE IS NOT VD, BUT VN. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT FIRESTONE HAS NOT BEEN TOTALLY FORTHCOMING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL 1PY TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH TREADS ON THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OFF, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL WHICH ENDED IN A ROLLOVER. TRUCK WAS TOTALLED.*AK.ET.

WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A THUMPING NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE. I PULLED OVER AND FOUND A LARGE LUMP ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREAD. THE TIRE DEALER SAID IT WAS TREAD SEPARATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNCU TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: AFTER PARKING VEHICLE, HEARD AIR LEAKING FROM FRONT LEFT TIRE, NOTICED CRACKS AROUND THE OUTER EDGES OF TIRE, AND RIGHT FRONT WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998 FORD, EXPLORER, P235/75R15, DOT# W2. TIRE IS AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P235/75R15 DOT W2HL. ALL 4 TIRES SHOW EVIDENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE TIRES.*AK *SLC

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998 EXPLORER, P235/75R15 SIZE DOT# VDHL1PY487. TREAD ON LEFT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE SEPARATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER, RESULTING IN 4 MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK *SLC

MY TIRES WERE CRACKED WORSE THEN THE THREE RECALLED SIZE 15 THAT I SAW !*AK (DOT NUMBER: P255570R16 TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)

ALL TIRES ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND ARE DEVELOPING CRACKS ALONG THE ENTIRE OUTSIDE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE WHERE IT MEETS THE TREAD. THESE CRACKS HAVE CONTINUED TO ENLARGE AND TWO SEPARATE TIRE DEALERS IN MY HOME AREA HAVE OBSERVED THE TIRES AND STATED THAT THEY ARE SEPARATING AND SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON. I HAVE ADVISED FORD VIA A LOCAL DEALER AND VIA E-MAIL TO THE MAIN HEADQUARTERS AND HAVE HAD NO SATISFACTION. THESE TIRES ARE KEPT AT A 32 PSI MINIMUM AND ARE EVEN REMOVED IN THE WINTER MONTHS. I WOULD THINK THAT SOMEONE FROM FIRESTONE WOULD WANT TO VIEW THESE BEFORE THEY COMPLETELY SEPERATE AND THEY MAY HOLD A BETTER CLUE AS TO THE SEPERATION PROBLEM THAT IS TAKING PLACE. (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE(P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

WHEN THE VOLUNTARY RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, I CONTACTED AN AUTHORIZED CENTER, WAS PLACED ON A WAITING LIST, AND WAS TOLD I SHOULD HAVE REPLACEMENT TIRES IN THREE WEEKS. LAST WEEKED, FOUR WEEKS LATER, I WAS INFORMED THAT NO PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE AND IT COULD POSSIBLY BE 9 MONTHS BEFORE I RECEIVED REPLACEMENT TIRES. BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS, I HAD THE FIVE TIRES REPLACED WITH ANOTHER MANUFACTURER'S TIRES YESTERDAY. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL NOTICE, I AM ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR $100 PER TIRE REIMBURSEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY THIS AMOUNT DOES NOT COVER THE COST OF MY REPLACEMENT TIRES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE $100 PER TIRE REIMBURSEMENT IS EQUITABLE BECAUSE MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES IS APPROXIMATELY $200. IN VIEWING FIRESTONES WEBSITE EARLIER TODAY, I NOTICED UNDER A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PLAN, CONSUMERS WHO REPLACE OTHER TIRES UNDER A NHTSA CONSUMER ADVISORY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A $140 PER TIRE REIMBURSMENT. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS ADDITIONAL AMOUNT WOULD COVER THE OUT-OF-POCKET COST OF MY REPLACEMENT TIRES, WHY IS THERE DISPARITY IN THE REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNTS?*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PY507 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 255/70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70R16 )

I WAS INSPECTING THE TIRES AND TESTING THE INFLATION PRESSURE BEFORE DRIVING OUR EXPLORER WHEN I NOTICED A CRACK RUNNING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRES WHERE THE SIDEWALL MEETS THE TREAD ON BOTH REAR TIRES. I ALSO NOTICED THE FRONT TIRES STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF CRACKING IN THE SAME LOCATION. WE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER AND HAD THE TIRES REPLACED UNDER PRO-RATED WARRANTY. FORTUNATELY FOR MYSELF, MY WIFE AND OUR 16-MONTH-OLD SON, I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT RESULTED IN A BLOW-OUT SITUATION. I STRONGLY BELEIVE THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL ALL WILDERNESS AT TIRES AS THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS FLAW WHICH POSES A THREAT TO ANYONE WHO OWNS THESE TIRES. I ALSO FEEL THAT IT IS UNFAIR THAT I HAD TO PAY ANY AMOUNT TO HAVE THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES REPLACED AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM RECALLED SO I CAN RECEIVE TOTAL REIMBURSEMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

THIS TIRE WAS ADJUSTED BY FIRESTONE WITH A NEW WILDERNESS AT, THE SPARE WHICH WAS NEW WAS PUT ON THE GROUND TO MATCH THE NEW TIRE. I WAS AFRAID OF THE OTHER TIRES BECAUSE THEY SHOWED SIGNS OF SEPARATING ALSO, A HAIRLINE CRACK APPEARING ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. SO THESE TIRES WERE ALSO REPLACED. NOW AFTER THIS NEWS OF DEFECTIVE TIRES, I INSPECTED MY TIRES AND THE ORIGINAL SPARE NOW SHOWS SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. SO OF FIVE ORIGINAL TIRES, ONE HAD THE TREAD SEPARATE, AND THE OTHER FOUR SHOW SIGNS OF IMINENT FAILURE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

PE00020; ORIGINAL TIRES ON A FORD EXPLORER. TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT W2HL. TREAD SIGNS OF SEPARATION. *AK THE TIRES WERE NOT ON RECALL. THERE WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 15" BUT 16" WILDERNESS ARE ON THE LIST FOR REPLACEMENT BY THE MANUFACTURER. *YH

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, EXPLORER, P235/75R15, DOT#: WTHL. TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES IS STARTING TO SEPARATE ALONG THE SIDEWALL.*AK

ALL 4 TIRES CRACKING ON INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF TIRE NEAR TREAD LINE AS WELL AS THE CENTER MINOR DIAMETER. TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTERS DECLARED UNSAFE. FIRESTONE CLAIMS "NORMAL WEAR" WILL NOT PRO-RATE TIRES.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRESIZE: P255/70/16)

FIRESTONE AND FORD REFUSE TO CO OPERATE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

PE-00020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON FORD, EXPLORER, TIRE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS SIZE P25570R16. WHILE DRIVING 68 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY TREAD ON DRIVER'S SIDE/REAR TIRE SEPARATED. *AK DOT # IS VNCU1PX507. *SLC

THE FIRESTONE ATX P 235/75R15 1053 M/S TIRES ON THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND ONE BLOWOUT, THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, CONSUMER IS HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DEFECTIVE TIRES AND IS BEING DENIED SERVICE BY THE DEALERSHIP. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) *MJS

THE TIRE WAS SPLIT ON THE SIDEWALL NEAR TREADS,FORD CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY (FIRESTONE). *ET

PEOO 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON THE ROAD AND FELT VIBRATION. FRONT TIRE AND REAR TIRE TREAD STARTED TO SEPARTE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS#AT, P234/75R15, #DOT#W-2 . THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND SHE HAS CONTACTED FIRESTONE. AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED. *AK

TIRES WERE INFLATED TO 22LBS. BECAUSE I COMPLAINED ABOUT ROAD NOISE. I HAD PUT THE PRESSURE @ 28. TIRES CAME BACK @ 22. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO FIRESTONE AND FORD AND BOTH TELL ME TO CONTACT EACH OTHER. THE TIRES ARE NOW @ 28. I HAVE ASKED BOTH IF THE TIRES HAVE BEEN DEGRADED AND AGAIN BOTH TELL ME TO GO TO THE OTHER. I'M AT A LOSE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN. THERE ARE NUMEROUS STOPLIGHTS SO I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 30MPH. AT THIS TIME, MY CAR BEGAN PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I PULLED OVER EXPECTING A FLAT TIRE. WHAT I DISCOVERED WAS A FLAT RIGHT FRONT TIRE; HOWEVER, THE STEEL CABLE THREADS WERE SHOWING THROUGH WHERE THE TREAD WAS WEARING OFF. THE ENTIRE TIRE HAD BEGUN TO COME OFF THE RIM. THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WAS ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF THE SAME PROBLEM--THE TREAD WAS COMING OFF AND YOU COULD SEE THE STEEL WIRE CABLE COMING THROUGH.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225-70-15 )