2000 FORD EXCURSION Complaints

ON SAT. (08/10/02) MY FAMILY AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A LEISURELY DRIVE INTO THE HILL COUNTRY JUST OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 FORD EXCURSION ON HWY 71, WESTWARD AT AN APPROX SPEED OF 65 WHEN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM ITS TREAD. THIS OCCURRED UNEXPECTEDY FOR THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD AND NO OBJECT WAS HIT OR STRUCK. THE SEPERATED TREAD TUMBLED OVER AND OVER IN THE WHEEL WELL AREA CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. I NARROWLY ESCAPED HITTING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND MANAGED TO LIMP THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED - NO BLOW OUT, TREAD SIMPLY CAME APART! AFTER RECOVERING TREAD FROM ROADWAY, THE TIRE WAS CHANGED WITH SPARE AND FURTHER LIMPED BACK TO AUSTIN TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP. DEALER SERVICE MANGER REVIEWED DAMAGE AS WELL AS DREW MY ATTENTION TO OPPOSITE FRONT LEFT TIRE WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE A "BUBBLE" ON ITS TREAD. THE EXCURSION, UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T LT 265/75R16 TIRES ORIGINAL TIRES PURCHASED WITH VEHICLE - I ASSUMED FORD WOULD PAY TO REPLACE TIRES AND FIX DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. I AM NOT PLEASED TO REPORT FORD IS POINTING FINGER AT FIRESTONE AND INFORMS ME ANY DAMAGE CLAIMS MUST BE DIRECTED TO FIRESTONE HQ. I FILED INCIDENT REPORT #818333 WITH FIRESTONE AND WAS REQUIRED TO SHIP BOTH TIRE & TREAD TO THEIR HQ. AFTER ONLY 1/2 DAY INVESTIGATION - FIRESTONE MAILED FORM LETTER IN RETURN STATEING "..TIRE FAILURE DID NOT RESULT FROM DEFECT IN EITHER MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP".BUT RATHER "INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE". THIS IS NOT TRUE. I AM METICULOUS IN THE CARE AND MAINTENCE TO THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING ITS TIRES. PRESSURE WAS CHECKED JUST PRIOR TO OUR OUTING THAT SAME DAY. I WOULD NEVER PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK DUE TO NEGLIGENCE ON MY PART. ITS SAD TO SEE NEITHER FIRESTONE NOR FORD TAKE ANY RESPONSIBLITY FOR THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES.*AK

SIDEWALL BLEWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED -- LOST THE ENTIRE TREAD, RIM AND SIDEWALL WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. TIRES HAD 35000 MILES ON THEM AND WERE REGULARLY ROTATED. TIRE PRESSURE HAD JUST BEEN CHECKED 25 MILES BEFORE INCIDENT.

AS A RESULT OF A TIRE BLOWOUT CONSUMER RAN INTO A WALL AND PASSENGER'S DOORS OPENED UPON IMPACT. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ALL FOUR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES SHOWED SEVERE CRACKING IN THE SIDEWALLS AND WERE REPLCED BY FIRESTONE ON A PRORATED BASIS. NO ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED, PROBLEM NOTICED IN DRIVEWAY AND REMIDIED IMMEDIATELY.*AK

FRONT BRAKES PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ALONG WITH VIBRATION AND PULSATION. ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AT 12,000 MILES ALONG WITH PADS/ROTORS AND CALIPERS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 70-75MPH ON HIGHWAY, HEARD A NOISE AND SAW SMOKE FROM REAR MIRRIOR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. RIGHT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEWOUT. FIRESTONE, LT265.75R16,119/STEELTEX.*AK CONSUMER CHECKED THE REMAINING TIRES AND FOUND THEY TOO WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY HAD STRESS CRACKS IN THE RUBBER AROUND THE RAISED WHITE LETTERING. YOU COULD LIFT THE RUBBER AS THOUGH IT WERE HINGED AND SOME LIFTED AS FAR TO SEE THE CORD BENEATH. CONSUMER REPLACED THE REMAINING TIRES AT OWN EXPENSE. CONSUMER IS ASKING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR MONIES PAID. *JG

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND WITH IGNITION ON WHEN IT ROLLED A 1/2 FOOT FORWARD.THIS WAS COMMON FOR THE VEHICLE. . FORD WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, FIRESTONE HONORED THE WARRANTY ON THE TIRE AT 50 PERCENT REPLACEMENT COST BECAUSE THE TREAD DEPTH WAS HALF USED.(FIRESTONE TIRES, NO OTHER TIRE INFO.)*JB *TS

TREADS SEPARATED AND WRAPPED AROUND FRONT AXLE, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO LOCK UP. *AK

DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THERE WAS NO DAMGAGE TO THE VEHICLE. FIRESTONE STEELTEX LT265/75R16, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (DOT UNKNOWN), MOUTNED ON A FORD EXCURSION 2000.*AK CONSUMER ADDS THAT A THIRD TIRE BLEWOUT 1 WEEK LATER. ALL TIRES HAD PLENTY OF TREAD AND ALL HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *TT