1993 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TIRE BLEW OUT AT POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED (75MPH) ON INTERSTATE 40 EAST OF GALLUP, NM. AIR PRESSURE SET TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECS APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES EARLIER. SUBJECT TIRE APPERENTLY NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL AT THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH I WOULD ENCOURAGE IMMEDIATE RECALL. NOTE THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURED PRIOR TO NATIONAL ATTENTION TO PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONE A/T TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWA196 TIRE SIZE: P225/75R )

INCIDENT 1 HAPPENED ON HWY 5 GOING NORTH TO SANTA ROSA. TIRE TREAD SPUN OFF AND DESTROYED THE WHEEL WELL AND SIDE MOULDINGS. SINCE FIRESTONE COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN I BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES TO REPLACE THE ALL BUT THE SPARE. THE ORIGINAL TIRES CAME FROM CANADA. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED IN PALM SPRING AND AGAIN THE FIRESTONE DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY BUT SOMETIMES IT JUST HAPPENS. THIS SECOND DETREADING OCCURRED AFTER ONLY 27000 MILES. I REPLACED THE SECOND TIRE WITH WILDERNESS BUT I AM CURRENTLY USING THE ORIGINAL SPARE SINCE I DIDNOT WANT TO BUY 4 NEW TIRES TO MATCH.( DOT NUMBER: W1HL TIRE SIZE: 235R15 )

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH RIGHT REAT TIRE BLEWOUT AND WENT FLAT. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, CAUSING IT TO FLIP OVER 3 TIMES. CONSUMER WAS INJURED, AND AUTOMOBILE WAS TOTALLED.*AK *MJS

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON TURNPIKE. THEN, VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING, AND IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL. RIGHT TIRE EXPLODED, AND THE TREAD SEPARATED. ALSO, TIRE DAMAGED RIGHT REAR MOLDING/ MUDD FLAPPS AND THE TRIMMING ON THE SIDE OF VEHICLE. TIRE WAS FIRESTONE #ATX, P23575 R15, AND #DOT VD. *AK

PEOO 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH HIGHWAY AND HEARD A POPPYING NOISE. LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. THERE WAS DAMAGES TO VEHICLE. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE 440. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. CONSUMER BOUGHT FOUR NEW TIRES PRIOR TO FIRST INCIDENT. AT SECOND INCIDENT SIX DAYS LATER, LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIRES.*AK WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED ON TWO TIRES WITHIN SIX DAYS CAUSING DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. THESE TIRES WERE FIRESTONT 440. *YH

THE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING ON I-8 AT 70 MPH AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT FRONT AND SIDE MY EXPLORER. THE TREADLESS TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE AND I SAFELY SLOWED AND GRADUALLY STEERED TO THE SHOULDER. THE OTHER 3 ATX'S ALSO HAD A NETWORK OF CRACKS ON THE TREAD NEAR THE SIDEWALL. INCREASED HANDLING PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE SEPARATION.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PB196 TIRE SIZE: P235 75R15 )

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 10, THE TREADS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A 360 DEGREE SPIN. IT HIT A TURNAROUND DIVIDER, CONTINUED AROUND AND HIT ONE SIDE RAIL OF THE INTERSTATE, CONTINUED TO SPIN AND CAME TO REST WITH THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE ATOP THE CURB WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL.( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON TEXAS HIGHWAY 288 BETWEEN MANVEL AND LAKE JACKSON, THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND CAME OFF. THE TREAD DAMAGED THE WHEEL WELL, THE CORNER OF THE REAR BUMBER, AND THE TRIM BELOW THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE TIRE DID NOT LOSE AIR AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER AND SAFELY STOP. THIS HAPPENED AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 90 DEGREES. THERE WERE FOUR ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 2 RIDING IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

ON TWO OCCASIONS (AUG/1998 & MAY/2000) I EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE - TOTAL TREAD SEPARATION. EACH INCIDENT OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED IN EXTREME HEAT. MY EXPLORER WAS FULLY LOADED WITH PASSENGERS AND LUGGAGE (DRIVING FROM PHX ARIZONA TO MEXICO). FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES AS THE TIRES HELD AIR PRESSURE EACH TIME. THERE IS BODY DAMAGE FROM THE TREAD SLAMMING THE BODY OF THE CAR.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75-15 )

HAD BEEN DOING SOME LOCAL RESIDENTIAL DRIVING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, STOPPED FOR SHOPPING ABOUT 30 MINUTES THEN ENTERED I 75. AFTER ABOUT 5/10 MINUTES I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS'NT ACTING AS NORMAL, I MENTION THIS TO MY WIFE, THIS ALL LASTED 3/5 SECONDS, THEN STARTED TO LOSE CONTROL, REDUCED SPEED GOT OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE AND CHANGED TO MY SPARE. TOOK THE DAMAGED TIRE BACK TO DISCOUNT TIRE WHERE I PURCHASED AND ASK WHAT CAUSE THIS BLOWOUT SINCE I COULD'NT FIND ANYTHING IN THE TIRE. HE SAID PROBABLY SOMETHING IN THE ROAD( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )