1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE TIRES HAVE LARGE CRACKS WHERE THE TREAD TIES TO THE CASING AT EACH LUG. THERE IS A SEPARATION CLEAR AROUND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TIRES WHERE THE STEEL BELT ENDS. ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE SMALL CRAZING CRACKS ALL OVER THEM. THE TREADS ALL HAVE SEVERE CRACKING THROUGHOUT. I HAD THE TIRES REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE ON AUG. 16, 2000 DUE TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE RECALL. AT THE TIME, I DID NOT KNOW THAT JUST THE TIRES WITH DOT # VDHL WERE INVOLVED. I STILL HAVE THE TIRES, BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE THEM LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES WHILE THEY WERE ON MY EXPLORER. I THINK MY ONLY SAVING FACTOR WAS THAT I DO NOT DRIVE AT EXCESSIVLY HIGH SPEEDS.( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

BELT SEPERATION AT SIDEWALL HAS EXPOSED STEEL CORDS, TIRE HAS MORE THAN 8/32 IN. OF TREAD ON TIRE , TIRE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE UNSAFE BY DEALER BUT DUE TO THE WRONG DOT NUMBER REFUSED TO REPLACE UNDER CURRENT RECALL STATUS. DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT HE WAS OWED MORE THAN $30,000 IN TIRE REPLACMENT FROM FIRESTONE.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: 235 75 R15 )

I HAVE A 97 FORD EXPLORER - THE TIRES ON MY SUV NOW ARE DIRECT FROM FIRESTONE. I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT FACTORY TIRES THAT I HAD ORIGINALLY DID IN FACT 'ALMOST' SPLIT. BY THE TIME I HAD THEM REPLACED (AT AROUND 50,000 MILES) THERE WAS A 6" LINE OF STEEL SHOWING THROUGH RUBBER ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL ON THE BACK TWO TIRES. I'M VERY GLAD THAT I GOT THEM REPLACED WHEN I DID - BUT I THOUGHT THAT THIS INFORMATION MIGHT BE OF SOME HELP. THE ONLY SYMPTOM THAT I HAD WAS A SHAKE IN MY CAR ONCE I HIT 70 MPH. IF I HAD NOT DONE ANY HIGHWAY DRIVING I NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. (EXCEPT FOR HAVING IT SERVICED AND LIFTED - REGULAR MAINTANCE WOULD NOT HAVE REQUIRED SOMEONE LOOKING AT THAT INSIDE SIDEWALL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE BLOWOUTS, TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FIRESTONE RECALL. *MJS

ENGINE MAKING TICKING NOISE WHERE TIME CHAIN IS. AFTER DISASSEMBLY BY MECHANIC FOUND TENSIONER WITH TIMING CHAIN WAS DEFECTIVE. NEW TENSIONER AND TIMING CHAIN INSTALLED( DOT NUMBER: )

1/TIRE BLEW ON PAVED OFF-RAMP FROM I-4; 2/STEEL BELTS STARTED SHOWING AT 45,000 MILES.( DOT NUMBER: 25400URBMO TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELAERATOR BRACKET(ARM) DETACHED FROM THE FIREWALL WHERE IT WAS WELDED. THIS IS THE SAME INCIDENT THAT WAS REPORTED ON ODI ID 858739.

BOTH OF THESE TIRE BLOWOUTS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON WASHBOARDED GRAVEL ROADS. NO ROAD HAZARDS WERE FOUND DURING REPAIR (E.G. NO NAILS OR OTHER OBJECTS). THEY APPEAR TO HAVE JUST BLOWN OUT.( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX446 TIRE SIZE: P255 70R16 )

IT IS MY BELIEF THAT ALL THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE, NOT JUST THE ONES MADE IN DECATOR. OUR TIRES WERE WEARING FROM 3 MONTHS INTO OWNING THE VECHICLE, BUT NEITHER FORD NOR FIRESTONE WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION. I BELIEVE IT'S A DESIGN FLAW! FIRESTONE SHOULD COMPENSATE OWNERS OF ALL THE TIRES. PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION FURTHER INTO ALL BRANDS, NOT JUST THE VDHL CODED TIRES. THANK YOU. GARY J. SPANEDDA( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRES ARE CRACKING AT BOTTOM OF TREAD LINE ON SIDE WALL, ALSO "CHUNKING"AT TOP OF TREAD, PIECES OF TOP OF TREAD ARE LIFTING FROM TIRE( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: P235/75/15 )