1991 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE VEHICLE HAD FIRESTONE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE HAD EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. *MJS

AFTER MARKET FIRESTONE ATX TIRES , P235/75R15 SIZE, DOT#: VDHL. ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK *SLC

I HAVE A 1991 EXPLORER WHICH I PURCHASED NEW.WHEN I RECENTLY INSPECTED MY SPARE FOR THE FIRESTONE RECALL, I WAS REMINDED OF A PROBLEM I FOUND BACK IN 1991 WHERE WHEN I LOWERED THE SPARE FOR THE FIRST TIME THERE WERE 2 CUTS ON EACH SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE;DEEP ENOUGH TO CUT THRU THE STEEL BELTS.THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE FRAME CHAFING THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING. I CALLED FORD DEARBORN AND WAS TOLD TO SEE THE TIRE MANUFACTURER.THE INSTALLATION CHAFED THE TIRE ,NOT FIRESTONE.I STILL HAVE THE TIRE AND WILL TAKE A DIGITAL PICTURE AND FWD TO U.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE LOCAL INTERSTATE, THE TREAD ON ONE OF OUR REAR TIRES SEPARATED. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS AT NIGHT AND NOT MUCH TRAFFIC. THIS OCCURRED BEFORE THE RECALL, WE JUST THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A FLUKE ACCIDENT. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE, WHICH IS ALSO FIRESTONE, AND ANOTHER SPARE WAS PURCHASED. NOW, WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE OTHER REAR TIRE -- WE HAVE CALLED OUR LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER DAILY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SHIPMENT FOR RECALL REPLACEMENTS SINCE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. WE ARE NOT IN THE POSITION TO MAKE A MAJOR PURCHSE OF 4 NEW TIRES, AND FEAR OUR SAFETY. WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN WE DO? PLEASE ADVISE -- I HAVE CONTACTED FIRESTONE, BUT ONLY GET THEIR STANDARD SCRIPTED ANSWERS. I ALSO OBJECT TO THE WAY FIRESTONE IS PLACING THE BLAME OF THEIR FAULTY WORKMANSHIP ONTO THE CUSTOMER AND HOT WEATHER. IF THEIR TIRES CANNOT HOLD UP TO HOT TEXAS SUMMERS, THEN THEY SHOULD NOT BE SELLING THEIR PRODUCT IN TEXAS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO VENT.( DOT NUMBER: )

THE REAR TIRES BELTS APPEAR TO HAVE SEPERATED CAUSING LARGE KNOTS ALL AROUND THE TREAD OF BOTH REAR TIRE THEY EVEN HAVE BUBBLES ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE.ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN ABOUT A 30 MILE TRIP,YOU COULD FEEL A WOBBLE IN THE BACK THAT GROW WORSE, AND WORSE.IF I HAD NOT PULLED OF TO INSPECT THEM I AM SURE THEY WOULD HAVE BLOWN.I STILL HAVE THE TIRES BUT DON'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT THEM BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND A LEMANS TIRE COMPANY AND THERE IS NO OTHER MANUFACTURES NAME ON THE TIRES.

ON JULY 18, 1999, I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER (15 AT THE TIME) TO SUMMER CAMP FROM HENDERSON, NC TO BROWN SUMMIT, NC. SHE WAS DRIVING UNDER HER PERMIT, AND I WAS DOZING. I WAS SUDDENLY AWAKENED BY A SOUND LIKE A MACHINE GUN, AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW, WE WERE SPINNING IN CIRCLES ACROSS THREE LANES OF I-40/85. WE ENDED UP SPINNING OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT TURN OVER. I FOUND THAT MY RIGHT REAR TIRE (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT) HAD LOST ITS TREAD, AND THAT WAS THE NOISE I HAD HEARD. A PASSING MOTORIST STOPPED TO SEE IF WE WERE OK, AND HE SAID THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE AVOIDED BEING CREAMED BY AN ONCOMING SEMI-TRAILER. THE NEXT DAY (MONDAY), I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER IN HENDERSON, AND FORKED OUT $400 FOR A SET OF MICHELIN M/S TIRES. THE DEALER COMMENTED ABOUT THE FIRESTONES, "OH, YEAH, SOMETIMES TREAD DOES COME OFF LIKE THAT." WE WERE LUCKY, AND ALL WE SUFFERED WERE PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURIES, AND DAMAGED WHEEL WELL. I RECENTLY TRADED IN THE VEHICLE AND PURCHASED A NEW ISUZU RODEO.( DOT NUMBER: )

AT THE TIME OF TIRE FAILURE WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THE GENERAL PROBLEMS, SO WE DIDN'T KEEP THE TIRE, GET INFO ON THE DOT NUMBERS, ETC. APRIL 2000 INCIDENT, TIRE HAD A BIG BUBBLE ON IT AFTER SLIGHTLY HITTING IT ON THE CURB AT A TURN. WE REPLACED THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY. MAY INCIDENT THE CAR SKIDDED AFTER TAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AND CAR SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE CURB. WE ASSUMED THIS WAS PURELY A SKID BECAUSE OF RAIN SLICK STREETS, BUT NOW ARE WONDERING IF THE TIRE FAILED FIRST. WE REPLACED THE TIRE AND PAID FOR OTHER DAMAGE (DAMAGE TO THE AXLE AND SEVERAL OTHER RELATED PARTS). 4 TIRES NOW ON THIS CAR ARE THE RECALLED TIRES, SO WE BELIEVE THE FAILED TIRES WERE THE RECALLED TIRES ALSO. THEY WERE BOTH WILDERNESS AT TIRES.IT NEVER OCCURED TO US TO SAVE INFO ON THE TIRES AT THAT TIME. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A FIRESTONE DEALER HAVING THE RECALLED TIRES REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

SHEET METAL ROOF IS RUSTING BADLY AT THE POINT OF THREE OF FIVE SCREWS WHICH HOLD LUGGAGE RACK TO VEHICLE.

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF EXPLORER AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TWO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE IN THE EXPLORER. NO ONE WAS INJURED. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, P22570R156, ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. ALSO, ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1998, TREAD CAME OFF THE DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE TIRE. THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO FIRESTONE ON AUGUST 15, 2000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK FIRESTONE P225/70/R15 *MW

BOTH TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPERATION. THE LEFT FRONT WENT FIRST. BENDING THE CHROME ON MY FRUNT BUMPER AND SCRAPING THE PAINT OFF OF THE LEFT FRONT FENDER( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31X10R15 )