1998 Ford Explorer Tires

PE00020: WAS DRIVING 60MPH WHEN IT FELT LIKE VEHICLE HAD A FLAT. RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS DEFLATED, BUT TREAD WAS STILL ATTACHED. HOWEVER, CASING HAD SEPARATED. TIRE WAS CHANGED WITH SPARE. DO NOT HAVE TIRE. WERE ORIGINAL TIRES WITH VEHICLE. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P225/70R15 WITH 25,000 MILES. *AK *SLC

WHILE CONSUMER WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SLID OUT AND VEHICLE BEGAN SPINNING, OFFICER INSPECTED TREAD SEPARATION OF THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 DOT W2HL1P2158. *SLC

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS/ATX TIRES ON THE FRONT OF THIS VEHICLE BEGAN TO WEAR THROUGH, BOTH OF THEM. CONSUMER NOTICED THIS PROBLEM, AND HAD THE TIRES CHANGED BEFORE A PROBLEM COULD OCCUR. *AK

WHEN TOWING TRALIER WITH THIS TIRE/VEHICLE COMBINATION AT SPEEDS OVER 65 (IN A 70 MPH ZONE) MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO FISHTAIL. THE TRAILER AND ITS LOAD ONLY WEIGHED 1,400-1,500 POUNDS ON EACH OCCASION WITH CORRECT BALANCE. THE LAST TIME THIS VEHICLE TOWED A TRAILER WITH THESE TIRES THE TRAILER WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLABLE FISHTAIL. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE ENDING IN THE MEDIAN WITH THE TRAILER BREAKING LOOSE. AFTER PURCHASING NEW DUNLOP TIRES AND A NEW TRAILER THE VEHICLE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH FISHTAILING. ON A FEW OCCASIONS I TOWED AN 18 FOOT BOAT AT LOWER SPEEDS AND REALIZED VERY QUICKLY THAT THERE WAS NO WAY IT COULD PULL ITS RATED LIMIT OF 5,500 POUNDS (THAT BOAT COMBINATION WAS 2,200 POUNDS). I THINKS THE NHTSA SHOULS TEST THIS TIRE UNDER TOWING CONDITIONS AS WELL. THESE TIRES NEVER PEELED, BUT THEY WERE NOT GIVEN A CHANCE AS THEY WERE REPLACED AT 10,000 MILES. I HAVE TOWED ENOUGH IN MY DAY TO REALIZE WHAT IS USER ERROR OR EQUIPMENT FAILURE. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE TO TOW WITH AT LEAST NOT ON AN EXPLORER. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 2357515 )

PE00020: WAS TRAVELING 75MPH WHEN VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING BADLY. STOPPED & PULLED OVER. CHECKED THE TIRES. NOTICED THE SURFACE WAS WAVY & BUMPY. TREAD WAS SEPARATING IN THE CENTER, BUT STILL REMAINED ATTACHED. RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT AT 20,000 MILES, AND LEFT FRONT WENT OUT AT 25,000 MILES. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS, AND SIZE 0235/75R15. *AK

PE00020, 1998 EXPLORER, REAR DRIVER'S TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. OTHER THREE TIRES WERE FORMING CRACKS ALONG THE TIRE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. TIRE SIZE P235/75R15 AND DOT # VDHL1PY457. *AK

ON MY WAY TO POWAY,CA, SOUTHBOUND I-5, MY CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SHAKE. I PULLED OFF TO CHECK MY TIRES. CHECKING ALL 4 TIRES FOR CORRECT INFLATION, I FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I GOT BACK ON THE FREEWAY, AS I WAS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, LOWERED MY SPEED AND CONTINUED. AS I APPROACHED POWAY THE FRONT END STARTED TO MAKE A THUMPING NOISE. I WAS LESS THAN 1 MILE FROM MY SISTER'S HOUSE, SO I LOWERED MY SPEED AGAIN AND FINISHED MY TRIP. WE LOOKED AT THE TIRES AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A BULGE IN IT. IT WAS ABOUT 5" IN SIZE ALONG THE TIRE TREAD. ON 7/17 I TOOK MY EXPLORER TO THE FORD DEALER OF POWAY (PERRY FORD) FOR AN INSPECTION. ROBERT SAW THE BUBBLE AND SAID THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE SUGGESTED A NEW SET OF FIRESTONES. HAVING HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM ON OUR 1993 RANGER, AND SEEING THE BUBBLE ON A TIRE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED I REFUSED. HE WAS VERY PERSISTANT SAYING FIRESTONE MAKES A GREAT TIRE, BUT I REFUSSED. HAVING ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED, MOUNTED, BALANCED, AND AN ALIGNMENT, IT COST $550.21 TO GET MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN HOME TO ANAHEIM. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE EXPLORER IN 1998, WE ASKED FOR THE TIRES AT THAT TIME, BEFORE PICK-UP, TO BE REPLACED AS WE HAD HAD PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONES ON THE RANGER. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM, BUT GAVE US THE NAME OF A PLACE TO GO TO GET NEW TIRES AND POSSIBLY AT A DISCOUNT AS THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE NEW AND COULD BE BOUGHT BACK. IF THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR AWHILE, WHY WOULD THE FORD DEALER OF POWAY SUGGEST(ALMOST INSIST) THAT THE SAME TIRE BE PUT BACK ON?? ISN'T THAT A LITTLE NEGLECTFUL OF ROBERT AND THE DEALER KNOWING I WAS GOING TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY WITH MY CHILDREN AND DRIVE OVER 80 MILES? I AM VERY ANGRY AND UPSET ABOUT HEARING ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION GOING ON AND THE FACT THAT NOTHING WAS SAID TO ME, AND IT COST ME $550.00 FOR A PROBLEM THAT THEY CREATED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

AFTER DRIVING SHORT DISTANCE, TIRE WENT SUDDENLY FLAT. IT WAS SITTING ON THE RIM WHEN DRIVER GOT IT OFF THE ROAD INTO A PARKING LOT. A REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE EXCEPT THAT IT HAD NO AIR IN IT. THERE WAS NO TREAD SEPARATION.

TWO TIRES FAILED INTERNALY, REPORTED TO DEALER, ROTATED TO REAR, FURTHER REVIEWE ON MY PART DECIDED TO REPLACE WITH NON-FIRESTONE( DOT NUMBER: )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND LEFT REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. TIRE WAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS.*AK

I WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND IN THE RIGHT LANE OF IH 35 IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AT ABOUT THE # 3 MILE MARKER. WE HAD LEFT WICHITA, KS EARLIER THAT DAY AND WERE ENROUTE TO OUR HOME IN CARROLLTON, TX. I HAD BEEN NOTICING A SHUDDER IN THE VEHICLE NOT UNLIKE THE ONE I FELT PRIOR TO LEARNING THAT ANOTHER ONE OF THE TIRES HAVING SEPARATED ON A TRIP FROM CORPUS CHRISTI TO SAN ANTONIO EARLIER IN THE SUMMER. THE FIRESTONE DEALER IN S. A. ADVISED THAT YOU COULD NOT TELL BY LOOKING AT THE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I PAID AN ADJUSTED PRICE FOR THAT TIRE AND JUST PURCHASED ANOTHER NEW WILDERNESS TIRE ON 7/28/2000 BOTH OF WHICH WERE MOUNTED ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE TWO TIRES ON THE REAR WERE ORIGINALS. I HEARD A LOUD BANG TO MY LEFT AND IMMEDIATELY FELT THE VEHICLE LURCH INTO THE LEFT LANE. I BELIEVE THAT ONLY MY POLICE TRAINING IN DRIVING VEHICLES AT HIGH SPEEDS ENABLED ME TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND DUE TO THE TIRE ONLY SEPARATING AND NOT LOSING AIR PRESSURE WAS I ABLE TO LIMP INTO GAINESVILLE, TX TO GLEN POLK FORD. I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE WITH SO MUCH DAMAGE FROM A TIRE SEPARATION. I HAD TO PAY FOR ANOTHER ADJUSTED WILDERNESS TIRE AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED OF SEVERAL LAWSUITS AGAINST FORD AND FIRESTONE FOR FATAL ACCIDENTS RESULTING FROM TIRE SEPARATIONS OF THIS SAME TIRE ON EXPLORER'S AND MINIVANS. AS A COINCIDENCE, WHEN I WENT TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON THE DAMAGE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CARROLLTON, ONE OF THE REPAIR ESTIMATORS SHOWED ME ANOTHER EXPLORER WITH WILDERNESS TIRES IN THE AUTO BODY SHOP WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT REAR DUE TO A TIRE SEPARATION INCIDENT. THE DRIVER OF THAT VEHICLE WAS LUCKY BECAUSE THEY WERE TOWING A TRAILER WITH A PORSCHE ON IT WHEN THE TIRE SEPARATED AND AN ACCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR. *AK( DOT NUMBER: V0H11PY527 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE RUBBER SEPARATED FROM TIRE. VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO ROLL OVER INJURING MY WIFE AND I.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES AT STANDARD EQUIPMENT. WHILE DRIVING 70MPH A PIECE OF THE FRONT TIRE SEPARATED. FIRESTONE HAS REPLACED THE TIRE. *AK

PE00020, TIRE TREAD SEPARATION : WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65-70 MPH, TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED THE EXPLORER TO FLIP OVER. DRIVER WAS THE ONLY PASSENGER IN THE TRUCK, AND WAS NOT INJURED. TIRES ARE FIRESTONE, WIDLERNESS ATX, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. OWNER HAS CONTACTED FIRESTONE. FORMS WERE SENT TO CONSUMER TO FILL OUT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE HYDROPLAINED AND RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT AFTER A TREAD SEPARATION, ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P23575R16) DOT # VR6M07459-5. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING IN A FORD EXPLORER 1998(VIN #[XXX]) AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65-70 MPH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES (DOT#VDHL1PY387 / P235/75R15) BLEWOUT AND TREAD SEPARATED ON PASSENGER'S REAR TIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE OVER WITHOUT INJURIES; TIRE & TREAD ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I RETURNED TO FIRESTONE STORE AND COMPLAINED ABOUT A DEFECTIVE TIRE WHEN IT APPEARED THAT THE TIRE WAS OUT OF ROUND. THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. I RECENTLY ON TWO OCCASIONS, TOOK SUV TO HAVE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. WAS TOLD THAT ALIGNMENT WAS WITHING SPECS, THAT THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSSED WHAT THEY CALLED "RADIAL DRIFT". THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO PULL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. THIS IN TURN WOULD CAUSE OVERHEATING AND IN MY OPINION CAUSE TREAD SEPARATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK( DOT NUMBER: 027477 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

DETREAD CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL, VEHICLE ROLLED 2-1/2 TIMES. SEVERE ROOF CRUSH. TIRE REMAINED INFLATED AFTER CRASH.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PY118 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A THUMPING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS, AND NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS A#AT, P255.70R16. *AK

PEE00 020; CONSUMER WAS PUTTING AIR INSIDE OF TIRE AND NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES IN INNER SIDE OF TIRE TREAD WERE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS #AT P25570R16. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

CONSUMER WANTS A REFUND FOR FIRESTONE TIRES THAT HE REPLACED BEFORE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, FIRESTONE IS NOT WILLING TO DO SO. *AK THE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 15 INCH TIRES. *SLC

THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE! THE POLICE REPORT STATES THAT THE RIGHT REAR TREAD CAME OFF AND RESULTED IN A MULTIPLE ROLL-OVER ACCIDENT CAUSING BODILY INJURY TO THE DRIVER. PLEASE ADD THIS TO THE LIST OF FIRESTONE INJURIES ASAP. THE VEHICLE ACCIDENT OCCURRED BEFORE THE FIRESTONE TIRE RECALL WAS MADE PUBLIC, SO THE TIRE AND VEHICLE ARE SO FAR UNRECOVERABLE. THE DOT# IS UNKNOWN, BUT WE DO HAVE PICTUREA AND VIDOE OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT SHOW THE DEFECTIVE TIRE AND TYPE. THANK YOU, AARON COOLEY (DOT NUMBER: ??? TIRESIZE: P235/75/15)

TREAD SEPARATED - TIRE IS ONE OF THE RECALLED TIRES; TIRE WENT FLAT GRADUALLY WHICH AVOIDED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELLING WITH ME AND BOTH SHE AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. I HAD TRIED TO GET REPLACEMENT TIRES BUT WAS ONLY PUT ON THE WAITING LIST. CALLS TO FORD AFTER THE INCIDENT DID NOT GET ANY ACTION. HELP!!!!!!!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R7515 )

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. ALL FOURS TIRE HAVE CRACKS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SIDEWALL. TIRE SIZE P23575R15, DOT # W2HLIPY228. ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT WITH 38,000 MILES. OWNER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH MICHELIN TIRES. *AK

CONSUMER HAD INSPECTED THE SET OF TIRED ON THE VEHICLE AND HAD SEEN LINE AROUND THE TREAD. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P235/75 R15 BUT MADE IN CANADA. *AK