1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE LEFT REAR TIRE SHREDDED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. YH 2 INJURIES, 1 FOOT INJURY AND 1 FINGER INJURY. FIRESTONE TIRE, POLICE REPORT PROVIDED - ALABAMA UNIFORM TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT #00062455. *SLC

WHILE IN A PARKING LOT SPACE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING, LOST CONTROL AND STROKE A BULDING. *AK

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SEPARATING/CRACKING AROUND TREAD LINE. TIRE SIZE WAS P25570R16, ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE TIRES. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TIRES. *AK ALL FOUR TIRES THAT CRACKED ALONG TREAD LINE WERE REPLACED BY THE CUSTOMER. *YH

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH REAR RIGHT TIRE SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL, WANDERING SIDE TO SIDE. OTHER EXPERIENCE WITH FIRESTONE TIRES WILDERNESS AT WAS THAT REAR LEFT TIRE WAS PEELING. *AK

VEHICLE HAD BRAND NEW TIRES ON IT WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT IN APRIL, SO TIRES HAD LESS THAN 6000 MILES WHEN TIRE FAILURE OCCURRED.THE THREE REMAINING TIRES NOW HAVE ALITTLE LESS THAN 10,000 MILESAND THEY ALL SHOW SIGNS OF SEPERATION. THE TIRE FAILURE THAT OCCURRED HAPPENED ON INTERSTATE 64 EAST, JUST WEST OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. THE ROAD CONDITIONS AND WEATHER WERE IDEAL EXCEPT FOR THE HEAT.WE HAD GONE APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AFTER A LENGTHY STOP FOR FOOD AND GAS WHEN THE TIRE FAILED, WITH NO WARNING. WE SWERVED TO THE LEFT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND LUCKILY THERE WAS ENOUGH SHOULDER TO "CATCH" THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE TREAD CAME OFF OF THE TIRE , IT BEAT UP THE FENDER AND THE FRONT BUMPER AND THEN KICKED OUT TO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WERE IT TORE THE MOULDINGS OFF OF THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.WE NOW HAVE A CLAIM FILED WITH FIRESTONE FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUR INSUANCE DEDUCTIBLE AND COST OF A NEW TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VD TIRES TIRE SIZE: P23575R15 )

THESE TIRES DO NOT HAVE A DOT NUMBER BEGINNING WITH A "VD" RATHER BM. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION- THERE ARE FINE CRACKS AROUND THE COMPLETE CIRCUMFRANCE OF THE TIRE, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE APPROXIMATELY 1/2-INCH DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THE TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: BM 07459-3 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED VEHICLE ROLL OVER. THIS WAS SECOND OCCURRENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION, THE FIRST NOT CAUSING ROLL OVER ALTHOUGH SPEED WAS ABOUT 70MPH (SAME BRAND TIRE) (RIGHT REAR TIRE, DAMAGE OF $883 TO REPAIR RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL, 11/10/99) HAVING NO PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM, I CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH THE SECOND FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT AND RISK MY LIFE LIKE A DUMB FOOL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WE WERE DRIVING BACK TO AZ FROM PA ON I-40 IN AR WHEN OUR FRONT LEFT TIRE DISINTEGRATED. THERE WAS NO NOISE JUST THE SUDDEN VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE VEHICLE, FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND GET IT TO THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN WE GOT OUT THE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE TWO SIDE WALLS OF THE TIRE. WE HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING A FEW HOURS THAT DAY AND IT WASN'T THAT HOT OF A DAY, IT HAD BEEN RAINING AND WAS GETTING READY TO RAIN AGAIN. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS OK JUST 1 WEEK PRIOR. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL OF THIS TYPE OF TIRE AND AM CONCERNED THAT EVEN THOUGH MY TIRES WERE NOT MADE IN THE EFFECTED ILLINOIS PLANT THEY ARE ALSO DEFECTIVE. MY TIRES SAY THEY WERE MADE IN CANADA. *AK( DOT NUMBER: NOT LISTED TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THE REAR LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING AT 60 MPH ON I-95 BETWEEN BALTIMORE AND WASINGTON D.C. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND ONLY HIT THE GUARDRAIL INSTEAD OF OTHER VEHICLES. THE TIRE COMPLETELY SHREDDED AND WRAPPED AROUND MY AXEL. IT WAS NOT DUE TO A PUNCTURE. I HAD TO GET THE ENTIRE DRIVER SIDE OF MY TRUCK REPLACED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55MPH WHEN HEARD SLIGHT THUMPING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY HUGE NOISE, WHEN I REALIZED MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE FORD EXPLORER REMAINED VERY STRAIGHT AND I PULLED OVER. THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED INTO PIECES. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS A STRANGE BLOW OUT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM INSTANTANOUS. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. ALWAYS ROTATED, ETC.. SINCE THE TIRES HAD 42,000 MILES I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE SAME BRAND!! IT WASN'T UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE TIRES ON THE NEWS THAT I REALIZED WHY IT HAPPENED. I WONDER HOW MANY OTHERS THERE ARE THAT NEVER EVEN REPORTED A PROBLEM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75/15 )