1998 Ford Explorer Tires
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
FIRSTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE FAILED. NLM
PE00.020; CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TIRES, AND TOOK VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL GARAGE. THERE WERE STRESS MARKS, AND CRACKS BETWEEN THE TREADS. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS#AT, P25570R16. TIRES WERE NOT THE ONES ON RECALL. BUT, HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE EXPERIENCED FAILURE WHILE DRIVING CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE ACCIDENT. *MJS
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P235 75 R15 EXPERIENCED CRACKING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TOP OF THE TIRE. *SLC
PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT/TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HWY SPEED OF 70 MPH IN A 1998, FORD EXPLORER, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, P255/70R16, AND DOT# UNAVAILABLE. NO INJURY REPORTED *AK *SLC
TIRES ARE CRACKING AND SEPARATING AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TREAD ON THE OUTSIDE WALL.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
THESE TIRES ARE FALITY . THEY HAVE 40000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE BEEN ROTATED EVERY 5000 MILES. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN MAKING A WHOOPING SOUND FOR A LONG TIME. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TIRERS ARE SEPERATING FROM THE TREAD. I HAVE BEEN TO THE FORD DEALER IN NILES MI, AND THE FIRERSTONE CORP. STORE IN SOUTH BEND INDIANA . EXPERT TIRE PHONE # 219-288-7800. THEY AGREE THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROM WITH THE TIRES. HOWEVER, THEY CAN NOT REPLACE THEM. THEY SAID THAT THERE NOT ON THE RECALL. I NEED HEIP. PLEASE. I THINK THE REPLACEMENT COST IS OVER $500. I WANT TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLANT THAT THESE TIRES NEED TO ALSO BE ON THE RECALL LIST.( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX018 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
I HAD REPLACED 3 WILDERNESS AT TIRES WITH 3 WILDERNESS AT TIRES BY THE TIME THE 3RD ONE BLEW OUT AND THIS TIME I ENDED UP IN A LARGE DITCH AFTER ROLLING 1 AND 1/HALF TIMES. I COMPLAINED TO FIRESTONE AND FORD BOTH SINCE I BOUGHT THE NEW TIRES AT BOTH PLACES. THEY BLAMED EACH OTHER. I TRIED TO TELL THEM THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT WEARING RIGHT, VERY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER TIRES I'VE EVER OWNED, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME, AND NOW ITS TOO LATE!!!!!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 23575R15 )
HEARD BIG BANG NOISE ON HIGHWAY. DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. TIRE WENT FLAT.( DOT NUMBER: W2CD1PX TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
THIS WAS A SIZE 16 WILDERNESS AT TIRE THAT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT BLEW OUT ON THE INTERSTATE. NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT YOU MAY HAVE OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES THAT ARE BAD!( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P25570S16 )
I HAVE REMOVED & REPLACEDED THESE TIRES AT 16,310 MILES BECAUSE I DO NOT TRUST MY LIFE TO A POSABLE RECALL. I WANT FIRESTONE TO PAY ME IN CASH OR CHECK FOR THE TIES THAT I EXCEPTED IN GOOD WILL FROM FORD & FIRESTONE. IF WILDERNESS TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE FROM ONE PLANT I THINK THEY WOULD BE IN ALL PLANTS & ALL TIRES MADE TO THOSE SPECIFICATIONS.TO ME THE TIRES DO NOT LOOK VERY GOOD NOW THAT I SEE THEM OFF THE CAR.PLEASE PUT ME IN THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IF YOU WILL.IF I MUST TAKE THE FINACIAL BURDON OF ME PUTING THE NEW TIRES ON MY CAR,SO BE IT. I WILL BE ALIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT. DRIVING IN HOT DESERT AND MOUNTAIN ROAD CONDITIONS IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH WITHOUT TAKING THE CHANCE OF ON DEFECTIVE TIERS. THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU ARE DOING FOR US. PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR USING THIS WAY OF TELLING YOU ABOUT MY PROBLEMS ,BUT I CALLED YOUR HOT LINE AND NO ONE RETURNED MY CALL.( DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRE SIZE: P255\70\R1 )
MY EXPLORER HAS ~22,000 MILES ON IT. ALL FOUR TIRES ARE SEVERELY CRACKING WHERE THE TREAD JOINS THE TIRE. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND ROTATED AT PROPER INTERVALS. I HAVE NOT DONE ANY OFF ROAD DRIVING WITH MY VEHICLE. ALL THE MILES HAVE BEEN NORMAL CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. WITH THE RECENT RECALL OF THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 15 INCH TIRES, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE SAME STRUCTURAL FAILURE IS PRESENT IN MY 16 INCH TIRES. THE CRACKING INVOLVES THE ENTIRE TIRE. IT SEEMS THAT THE TREAD COULD JUST BREAK FREE AT ANY TIME. I AM ASKING FOR YOUR HELP IN SEEING TO IT THAT ALL SIZES OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES ARE RECALLED. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND PHOTOS OF MY TIRES AND THE CRACKING THAT HAS TAKING PLACE ON THEM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70/R16 )
TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE BUT NOT ON THE RECALL LIST( DOT NUMBER: P235/75R15 )
NOT ONE OF THE RECALLED TIRES MADE AT DECATUR IL PLANT( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )
MY TIRES HAVE NOT FAILED YET BUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE RECALL I HAD THEM EXAMINED BECAUSE THEY WERE PULLING TO ONE SIDE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY "RADIAL PULL" AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. I AM NOW WONDERING IF THESE TIRES COULD BE STARTING TO UNRAVEL. I AM WILLING TO HAVE THE NHTSA EXAMINE THEM BEFORE THEY ARE REPLACED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THESE TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
MY MECHANIC SAID AT LEAST TWO OF THE TIRES WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE SAID TO GO TO THEIR DEALER, WHO SAID HE COULDN'T DETEMINE THAT THERE WAS ANY TREAD SEPARATION SIGNS. THE FIRESTONE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT HE'S NEVER SEEN SUCH SIGNS, BECAUSE AS SOON AS THERE'S A PROBLEM, THE TIRES FAIL. FURTHER, THE FIRESTONE DEALER STATED THAT, IF HE WERE THE CUSTOMER, HE WOULD REPLACE THE TIRES. I'VE SINCE REPLACED THE TIRED WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLERS. FIRESTONE HASN'T RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR THEIR CLAIM PROCESS, ONLY NOTING THAT THERE ISN'T A RECALL FOR THE 16" TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: WZCU TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
DRIVING 60MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SHIMMY. CHECKED TIRES AFTER STOPPING NOTICED TREAD HAD SEPARATED, BUT DID NOT COME COMPLETELY OFF. TOOK TO GOODYEAR & HAD 2 FRONT TIRES REPLACED. REAR 2 TIRES OKAY. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 WITH 20,000 MILES. DO NOT HAVE TIRES.*AK DOT VDHL *SLC
WAS DRIVING 25MPH WHEN TIRE BLEW OUT. THIS CAUSED THE TIRE TO PARTIALLY COME OFF THE RIM. VEHICLE WAS CONTROLLABLE. MANAGED TO GET TO GAS STATION & CONTACT ROAD SERVICE. HAD TIRE CHANGED. IT HAD A SLIT IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD & HAD POPPED. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P235/75R15 DOT W2HL1PY358 WITH 19,000 MILES.*AK
3 TIRES SEPARATED WITHIN 2 WEEKS. DEALER INFORMED FIRESTONE OF DEFECT AND RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT. FIRESTONE REFUSED REPLACEMENT. FURTHER CONTACT WITH FIRESTONE RESULTED IN REPLACEMENT BASED ON PRORATA FOR BRIDGESTONE DUELLERS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )
TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE OF REPORTED TIRE PROBLEMS WITH THIS SIZE AND APPLICATION AND AFTER EXPERT EXAMINATION THEY WERE FOUND TO BE DANGEROUS, SO I HAD THEM REPLACED WITH GOODYEAR TIRES, I HAVE SPOKEN TO FIRESTONE BUT THEY REFUSE TO ACT ON REINBURSEMENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I REPLACED THE TIRES ONE DAY BEFORE THE RECALL.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75SR15 )
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE STARTED TO COME APART AT 70 MPH ON THE TURNPIKE IN MIAMI. STOPPED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE TIRE COMING APART. DROVE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND REPLACED THE TWO REAR TIRES AND THE NEXT DAY THE TWO FRONT. THE FIRESTONE DEALER SAID THE TIRE SHOULD NOT COME APART LIKE IT DID AND WOULD SEND THE TIRES TO FIRESTONE ON 5/6/00.( DOT NUMBER: VDHLW02110 TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )
ON MARCH 6, 2000 I WENT TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE STORE IN DAVIE FL. AFTER I EXPLANED WHAT HAD ECCURRED & SHOWED THEM THE TIRE WITH THE TREAD HALF OFF, THEY REPLIED "WILL THAT BE CASH OR CREDIT?" NOW I KNOW THAT THIS WAS NOT A FLUKE & HAVE BEEN TRING TO GET MY MONEY BACK FROM FIRESTONE SO FAR WITH OUT ANY LUCK.( DOT NUMBER: )
I AM NOT IN POCESSION OF THIS VEHICLE ANY LONGER...BUT I DID TRADE IT ON A FORD EXPEDITION WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES. THEY ARE IDENTICAL IN SHAPE FORM AND FUNCTION!!!! FURTHERMORE I DID HAVE A TIRE FAILURE WITH THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TYPE TIRES ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER. I RAN OVER A TRACTOR TRAILER MUD FLAP LAYING VERY FLAT IN THE ROAD, AND MY RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE BLEW OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/15 )
TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON I-295. PUNCTURE TO RIGHT REAR TIRE, DRIVER LOST CONTROL, ROLLED THREE TIMES LANDING ON ROOF AGAINST MEDIAN GUARDRAIL. FRONT SEAT PASSENGER EJECTED AND KILLED, SECOND SEAT PASSENGER EJECTED.( DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY148 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
NEITHER FORD NOR FIRESTONE HAS COMPLIED WITH THE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES OUT-OF-POCKET TOTALING $460.00.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235 )
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1998 Ford Explorer has 679 Tires complaints on file. 72 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.