1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P255/70R16 TIRES LISTED IN THE REPORT WERE ON THE REAR VEHICLE (FORD 1997 EXPLORER, EDDIE BOWER 4X4, 4 DOOR MODEL). THESE TIRES APPEARED TO BE ORIGINAL. TOTAL VEHICLE MILES WERE APPROXIMATELY 62,000 MILES. TREAD WEAR WAS EXCELLENT FOR THESE TIRES. THERE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE-FOURTH INCH TREAD LEFT ON THESE TIRES. I HAVE BEEN INSPECTING EACH OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRES BEFORE AND AFTER EACH DAY'S COMMUTE. I NOTICED SMALL FRACTURES DEVELOPING AT THE EDGE OF THE TREAD WHERE IT MEETS THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. BOTH REAR TIRES EXHIBITED THE SMALL FRACTURES. DURING THE LAST INSPECTION (ON 08/23/00), I NOTICED THE FRACTURES WIDENING SIGNIFICANTLY. AT LEAST ONE OF THE FRACTURES ON THE OUTER SIDE OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXHIBITED STEEL WIRES PROTRUDING FROM THE BULGE. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUED USE OF THE VEHICLE AND CONTACTED A LOCAL FIRESTONE REPRESENTATIVE. BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL, THEY OFFERED TO INSPECT AND POSSIBLY PRORATE WARRANTY. I DID NOT WANT FIRESTONE REPLACEMENTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THESE MODEL TIRES HAVE DESIGN DEFECTS. I HAD ALL FOUR WILDERNESS TIRES ON THE VEHICLE REPLACED BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THE SECOND REAR TIRE HAD LARGER BULGES AND STEEL WIRE PROTRUSIONS ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I BELIEVE THAT THESE TWO REAR TIRES WERE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF CATASTROPHIC TREAD SEPARATION. THE FRONT TIRES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND I DO NOT THINK THEY ARE ORIGINAL. THEY APPEAR NEWER WITH MUCH MORE TREAD REMAINING THAN THE REAR TIRES. NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF DEFECT APPEAR ON THE FRONT TIRES. THE FRONT TIRE SPECIFICS FOLLOW: WILDERNESS AT P255/70R16. DOT VDCU1PX119. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, KENT E. PARRISH( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX076 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

TIRE LOST ALL TREAD WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. TIRE RECENTLY INSPECTED BY FIRESTONE DEALER AND SAID TO BE IN EXCELLECT CONDITION.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL IPY TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

HAVE BEEN COMPLAIN OF FRONT WHEEL SHAKE SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE AT 36,000. DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. DURING ROUTINE VEHICLE MANTINANCE FOUND LEFT FRONT TIRE INSIDE (DOT W2HL) WAS WORN AND BELT SHOWING. DEALER SAID BAD TIRE, FIRESTONE DEALER SAID NEED ALINEMENT. PUT ON SPARE TIRE ALSO DOT W2HL AND PURCHASED NEW FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE P235/7515 DOT 8XHL. HAVE KEPT OLD TIRE. TWO REMAINING REAR TIRES SHOW CRACKS IN SIDE WALL. LITTLE HELP FROM DEALERSHIP OR FIRESTONE. TIRES ARE AT USE FULL LIFE, BUT GOOD TREAD IS STILL ON TIRES. PLAN ON REPLACING ALL FOUR THIS WEEKEND . WILL NOT BE REPLALCING WITH FIRESTONE.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

CONSUMER INSPECTED TIRES AFTER SEEN THE RECALLS AND FOUND CRACKS ON FOUR SETS OF TIRES. THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER, AND DEALER POINTED OUTTHAT TIRES WERE NOT ON RECALL. *AK

WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

TREAD SEPARATION. HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

MY REAR LEFT TIRE BLOW OUT IN A HOUSTON HIGHWAY ON MAY 09, 2000, PRIOR TO THE GENERAL WARNING AND FIRESTONE TIRE RECALL. THEN I LEFT THE US FOR MY VACATIONS ABROAD AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO COLLEGE LAST WEEK AND KNOWING ALREADY ABOUT THE RECALL, I TOOK THE EXPLORER'S TIRES TO THE FORD DEALER BUT TO MY SURPRISE, HE REFUSES TO CHANGE THE TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT MANUFACTURED AT THE FIRESTONE'S DECATUR, IL. PLANT. I STILL HAVE THE WILDERNESS AT TIRE THAT BLOWNOUT, IT IS AS I SAID FROM ANOTHER FIRESTONE PLANT AND I WONDER IF MY TIRE BLOWOUT, SHOULDN'T ALL THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES FROM OTHER FIRESTONE PLANTS BE RECALL AS WELL?( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )

ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO TIRE EXPLODING OFF RIM. I HAVE ALSO GONE THROUGH 12 TIRES DUE TO IRREGULAR WEAR AND VIBRATIONS( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CRACKS AT THE BASE OF THOSE ALTERNATING TREAD BLOCKS WHICH DO NOT WRAP ONTO THE SIDEWALL. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS, "THAT SIZE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL" AND CALLS IT "NORMAL" BUT OTHER BRANDS OF SIMILAR TIRES I HAVE EXAMINED DO NOT HAVE CRACKS LIKE THESE. I WILL PROVIDE PHOTOS IF DESIRED. I WANT TO KNOW IF THESE TIRES ARE SAFE. IF NOT, I WANT THEM REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WERE SEPARATING AND STATED IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THEM, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIRESTONE AND FIRESTONE STATED EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE. NLM