1991 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

PE00 020; TOOK HER VEHICLE FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAD CRACKES ALL AROUND THE TIRE WALLS. *AK

ON 02/16/2000 THE LEFT REAR TIRE DE-LAMINATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75MPH. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE DE-LAMINATING AT THIS TIME. BOTH TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN 1997. THEN ON 7/28/2000, A THIRD ATX TIRE, PURCHASED JAN. 1999, WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DE-LAMINATION. WHEN THE MATTER WAS TAKEN UP WITH A FIRESTONE DEALER, THE DEALER DENIED THE DEFECT AND OFFERED TO PUT 40% OF THE PRICE OF THE NOW DE-LAMINATING TIRE TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 28TH, 1999 IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA. THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED MY VEHICLE HITTING A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME (I WAS TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 35-45 MPH AND REACHED AN INTERSECTION WHERE TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED FOR THE LIGHT. I HIT THE BRAKES AND THOUGHT I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT I ENDED UP REAR-ENDING A TRUCK (AT THE POINT OF IMPACT THE CAR WAS PROBABLY TRAVELLING 5-10 MPH)). ANYHOW WHEN I RECEIVED MY CAR FROM THE REPAIR SHOP IT RODE EXTREMELY ROUGHLY. AFTER TAKING IT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY TREAD HAD 'SEPARATED' AND TOLD ME THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO BUY NEW TIRES. THIS IS ALL VERY CIRCUMSTANCIAL EVIDENCE (I REALIZE), BUT AFTER READING ABOUT OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS REGARDING THE SAME EQUIPMENT, I FELT COMPELLED TO REPORT THIS ACCIDENT AS WELL IN CASE THE TIRE TOO WERE RESPONSIBLE. THE FAULTY TIRES (2 OF 4) HAVE SINCE BEEN DISCARDED. I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING WHETHER THE TIRE SEPARATION COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT AS I KNOW THINK IT MAY HAVE (THE TIRE'S TREAD WAS NOT SEPARATED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND THE OTHER TIRES WHICH HAD BEEN PURCHASED AT THE SAME TIME ARE STILL ROADWORTHY). *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

BLWOUT AT 60 MPH ON BUSY FREEWAY RR TIRE. DAMAGED REAR PORTION OF THE SUV. TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM TREAD AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR WRECK BUT FOR THE SKILL OF THE DRIVER AND GODS GRACE. HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR THE DRIVER(MY GRANDAUGHTER). I REPLACED THESE TIRES AT THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER BUT AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. I CAN'T AFFORD 4 NEW "SAFE" TIRES, WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WHEN THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE TIRES WORE OUT ON MY FORD EXPLORER, I REPLACED THEM WITH WHAT THE DEALER RECOMMENDED, NAMELY FI RESTONE ATX TIRES. BOTH REAR ATX TIRES DEVELOPED CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALLS AND HAD BEGUN TO SEPARATE. THE FIRESTONE DEALER BLAMED ME FOR THE PROBLEM, SAYING THAT I MUST HAVE HIT A CURB WHEN PARKING. WHEN I POINT OUT THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM HE MADE THE SAME EXCUSE AND TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TIRES AND THAT THE WEAR ON THE SIDEWALLS WAS MY FAULT. I GOT SO DISGUSTED AT THE FIRESTONE TIRE DEALER'S LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY AND FAILURE TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE STEPS THAT I DROVE TO COSTCO AND HAD THEM REPLACE ALL 4 FIRESTONE ATX TIRES WITH MICHLEANS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 70 X 15 )

I WAS CRUISING THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 60/65 MPH WHEN THE REAR DRIVERS-SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL CASING. THE LOOSE TREAD DID SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL-WELL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/R15 )

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: THERE IS HAIR LINE CRACK ONE HALF INCH INSIDE THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER, ALL AWAY AROUND ALL FOUR TIRES. THESE ARE FIRSTONE ATX TIRES, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PROVIDE BY FORD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

TIRE BLEW OUT AT 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY; TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 23575R15 )

PE0020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH TREAD ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER SAFELY. THERE WAS ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE EXPLORER. NO ONE WAS INJURED. TIRE WAS SOLD WITH THE EXPLORER. OWNER NOT SURE WHAT TYPE OF FIRESTONE TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

EA00012, SPARE TIRE WINCH CABLE: WHEN OWNER WENT TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE, THERE WAS NO SPRARE TIRE ON THE EXPLORER. OWNER HAD NO IDEA WHEN OR WHERE THE TIRE FELL OFF. CABLE THAT HOLDS SPARE TIRE WAS SNAPPED IN HALF. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK