FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES Complaints

I HAD NO TROUBLE WITH THE TIRES UNTIL LATE MAY, 2000. DURING THE LAST WEEK OF MAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF JUNE 2000, I HAD FIVE FLATS ON THESE TIRES. APPARENTLY, THE TEMPERATURE IN TEXAS WAS A FACTOR. THERE WAS NEVER ANY FOREIGN OBJECT IN THE HOLE IN THE TIRE. THE HOLES WERE ALWAYS OF A RUPTURE TYPE, NEVER A CLEAN PUNCTURE. THE FLATS ALWAYS OCCURRED WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON GRAVEL ROADS. THE LAST FLAT WAS ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I WAS AGAIN ON A GRAVEL ROAD AND WAS FORCED TO BRAKE SUDDENLY. IMMEDIATELY UPON BRAKING, I EXPERIENCED A RAPID, ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS, DEFLATION OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE, AS THE STAR SHAPED HOLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2-3 INCHES IN DIAMETER. AFTER THIS FAILURE, WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES WEAR ON THEM, I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES ON MY TRUCK. AT THAT TIME, NOTHING HAD BEEN MADE PUBLIC ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONE TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W273WMA279 TIRESIZE: P26575R16)

FIRST OFF THERE HAS BEEN NO FAILURE AS YET. I COULDN'T GET THIS FAR WITHOUT SAYING THERE WAS. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT ABOUT THE TIRES I HAVE IS ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES BEING RECALLED? I STILL DON'T HEAR WHY THEY ARE FAILING. IF AS I SUSPECT THAT IT IS THE GLUE IS THERE A DIFFERENT GLUE USED ON 16"? I'M CURIOUS TOO ABOUT WHETHER THE TIRE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FEELING THAT THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL VERY EASILY. I'VE NOTICED IN A COUPLE OF CIRCUMSTANCES OF QUICK BRAKING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT THAT THE VEHICLE LIKE THE CENTER OF GRAVITY IS SOMEWHERE ABOVE THE TOP OF THE CAB. THIS IS NOT IN A SITUATION WHERE THE VEHICLE IS SLIDING SIDE WAYS EITHER. IT JUST FEELS LIKE IT COULD VERY EASILY FLIP OVER. I SEE NO APPARENT FLAWS IN THE TIRES AT THIS POINT AND THEY SEEM TO BE WEARING AS WELL AS ANY OTHER TIRE ON THE MARKET. THEY JUST DON'T FEEL RIGHT AND DIDN'T PRIOR TO THE RECALL ACTION. THIS IS A FYI FROM ME TO YOU AND AT THIS POINT I HOLD LITTLE IF ANY HOPE OF THESE BEING RECALLED. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR ME? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *AK (TIRESIZE: P245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P245/75R16 )

THESE TIRES HAVE NOT YET FAILED IN AN EXTERNAL SENSE. THEY HAVE BEGUN TO MAKE A GROWLING SOUND THAT WAS NOT PRESENT EARLIER.I HAD THEM CHECKED THIS SUMMER WHEN THE ORIGINAL RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR DIFFERENT TIRE SIZES AND THEY WERE JUDGED ALLRIGHT. THE NOISE HAS INCREASED ALTHOUGH FAILURE HAS NOT HAPPENED. *AK (TIRESIZE: 265/75/15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265/75/15 )

ALL 4 OF MY TIRES WERE BAD AT 44,000 MILES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225/70/16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/70/16 )

CALL RED HICKEY FOR IMPORTANT CAUSE FINDING OF TIRE WEAR IN SUSPENSION 828 253 4311 HE HAS INVESTIGATED IT ON MANY EXPLORERS. AS SOON AS YOU ROTATE YOUR TIRES THE TROUBLE STARTS. THE WEAR ON OUR VEHICLE AT BOTH FRONT IS NOT THE AIR PREASURE. HICKEY SAYS IT IS A FORD DESIGN FLAW KNOWN AND IGNORED FOR YEARS AND OVERLOOKED BY MOST SHOPS. HE IS IN THE ALLIGNMENT BUSINESS THE LAST 40 YEARS AND KNOWN AS AN EXPERT IN THE AREA FOR PROBLEMS OTHERS CAN'T FIX.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

TIRE BLEW OUT ON DRIVER REAR CAUSED NEAR UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDCU1PX429 TIRESIZE: 255/70/16)

WE WERE TRAVELING ON I77 ON OUR WAY TO CHARLESTON,SOUTH CAROLINA. OUR ESTIMATED SPEED AT THE TIME OF TIRE FAILURE WAS 60MPH. THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT WAS 65MPH. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE FRONT LEFT TIRE PRACTICALLY EXPLODED AND TORE APART. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS WE MOVED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, I FOUND A DISINTEGRATED TIRE, WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. I HAD MY ENTIRE FAMILY IN THE CAR WITH ME WHICH INCLUDED MY WIFE AND THREE YOUNG BOYS AGES 10,5, AND 1. THE AIR PRESSURE IN ALL FOUR TIRES WERE AT RECOMMENDED LEVELS AT THE ONSET OF OUR TRIP, WHAT IS THE EXPLANATION OF THIS MISFORTUNE?*AK (TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

TIRE CAME APART WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W29V TIRESIZE: P265/75R15)

CUSTOMERS STARTED OBSERVING WEAR OF FRONT RIGHT TIRE APRIL/2000. SPARE TIRE WAS PLACED ON VEHICLE. NOW, FRONT LEFT TIRE HAS WOREN OUT AS WELL, IT WAS FIRST OBSERVED IN AUG./2000. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: 235/15)

I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE TIRES IF REVIEW IS NEEDED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRESIZE: 235/75R15)