1995 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON MAY 30, 2000, THE FIRESTONE ATX TIRE'S OUTER SURFACE SPLIT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. ABOUT 30% OF THE TREAD SPLIT FROM THE TIRE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE REAR WHEEL WELL BODY DAMAGE AT THE REAR AND TEARING OFF PLASTIC TRIM. THIS OCCURRED ON A PARTICULARLY DANAGEROUS STRETCH OF ROAD THROUGH TIJERAS CANYON EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. OUR SON WAS FORTUNATE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND GET OFF THE FREEWAY TO CHANGE THE TIRE. WHEN HE TOOK THE TIRE TO FIRESTONE TIRE AT 9500 MONTGOMERY NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87111, TEL: 505-293-4921, HE WAS TOLD HE MUST BUY A NEW TIRE AND THAT HE COULD MAIL THE DEFECTIVE TIRE SOMEWHERE AND THEN GET PART OF IT REIMBURSED. FIRESTONE IMPLIES THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE. THIS TIRE AND THE FOUR OTHERS ON THE EXPLORER HAVE BEEN REPLACED THIS DATE WITH FOUR NEW MICHELIN TIRES. WE WANT NOTHING MORE TO DO WITH FIRESTONE TIRES. THE COST OF REPLACING THE TIRES WAS OVER $500 INCLUDING TAX, BALANCING, CAPS. FIRESTONE'S RECALL AND OFFER TO REPLACE TIRES OF THE SAME KIND WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO US. WE HAVE LOST TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THIS COMPANY. IT IS DESPICABLE THAT THEY HAVE COVERED UP THE DEFECTS IN THEIR TIRES FOR THIS LONG AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. THEY DON'T DESERVE TO BE IN BUSINESS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER OUR COMPLAINT. THE TIMEIM FROM THE VEHICLE.CASING.( DOT NUMBER: VNHL P8 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I HAVE SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO FIRESTONE, AND AM AWAITING THEIR REPLY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75/R1 )

THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING RAIN AND HIGH WIND. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE PROBLEMS RECENTLY REPORTED IN THE PRESS I WANTED TO REPORT THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE DID ROLL OVER AND BOTH TIRES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WERE BLOWN OUT. I DON'T KNOW THE BLOWN TIRE/TIRES CAUSED OR OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE CAR ROLLING OVER.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE DRIVING ACROSS ALLIGATOR ALLEY (I-75) IN FLORIDA IN MY 95 FORD EXPLORER AROUND 8:30PM AT A SPEED OF 75MPH WITH FOUR WELL-KEPT INFLATED TIRES WITH NO VISUAL DEFECTS, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD PEALED OFF FROM THE CORE OF THE TIRE WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT OF ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. MY SUVS REAR END BEGAN TO SWERVE, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP SOME CONTROL LONG ENOUGH TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITH NO INJURES. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE CAR FROM THE TREAD BREAKING WAY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THIS REPORT RELATES TO THE CURRENT TIRE PROBLEMS WITH FORD EXPLORER VEHICLES. MY PREVIOUS LETTER TO NHTSA IS DATED 13 MAY 1997. YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND REREAD THIS LETTER. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS DELIBERATELY AND FLAGRANTLY PUTTING INCORRECT TIRE PRESSURE LABELS INTO ALL FORD EXPLORER TRUCKS. THE REASON IS THAT THE TRUCK "RIDES BETTER" WITH LOWER TIRE PRESSURE (26 POUNDS). FORDS OWN MECHANICS WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED AT LEAST 35 POUNDS OF AIR PRESSURE TO AVOID PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. THEN WHEN YOU GO BACK TO FORD AND TRY TO GET THEM TO REPLACE YOUR DAMAGED TIRES (IF THEY DON'T FAIL FIRST), THEY "STONEWALL" ALL YOUR LETTERS AND PHONE CALLS. TRUST ME, BECAUSE I WENT THRU THE WHOLE PROCESS AND GOT NO WHERE WITH FORD. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT PREMATURE TIRE WEAR OR DAMAGED/UNSAFE TIRES, THEY JUST WANT A NICE SOFT RIDE IN ORDER TO KEEP SELLING FORD EXPLORER TRUCKS. IF YOU PUT THE PROPER AIR PRESSURE INTO THE TIRES (35 POUNDS), THE TRUCK RIDES HARD AND ROUGH DUE TO THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. YOU FOLKS NEED TO CHECK THIS OUT, FORD IS LITERALLY GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER HERE. ARJ

WHILE RETURNING FROM VACATION, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON HWY. 75 IN HOWE, TX, AT 70MPH WHEN I HEARD THE TIRE BEGIN MAKING NOISE AND THEN IT BLEW OUT. THE BLOWOUT CAUSED ME TO SWERVE UNCONTROLLABLY (90 DEGREES TO THE ROAD 3 TIMES, ACROSS BOTH LANES) BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL AND ALLOWING ME TO GET SAFELY OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WERE LUCKILY NO OTHER CARS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AT THIS INSTANT. THE TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CASING AND SHREDDED. ALSO IN THE CAR WERE MY WIFE, 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND MY DAUGHTERS FRIEND. THE TIRE CAUSED DAMAGE IN THE WHEEL WELL/REAR QUARTER PANEL AND ROCKER PANEL AREA OF THE CAR AS WELL AS CRACKING THE REAR TAILLIGHT LENS AND DAMAGING THE ALUMINUM WHEEL.( DOT NUMBER: VDUUJBA227 TIRE SIZE: P225-70R15 )

PE02000, TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, TREAD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE CAME OFF AND WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT HURT. NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE IN THE TRUCK. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, NOT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. TIRE MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 20,000. TIRE WAS SENT TO FIRESTONE. OWNER WAS SENT A CHECK FOR A NEW TIRE AND TO COVER DAMAGES TO TRUCK. PLEASE LIST DOT # . *AK THE FIRESTONE DEALER PAID FOR ONE NEW TIRE AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHCILE. THE REST OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BY THE CUSTOMER. *YH

PE02000 TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50- 60 MPH, THE TIRE ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WENT FLAT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL EXPLORER. ONE OTHER PERSON WAS IN THE EXPLORER. NO ONE WAS HURT. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, HT. ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

IS THERE A POSS. RECALL , WHAT DO I DO THANK YOU. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215 75 15 )

TREAD CAME OFF OF TIRE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. WE LOOKED INTO PURCHASING TWO OF THE SAME TIRES BUT INSTEAD GOT FOUR NEW TIRES FROM A DIFFERENT COMPANY. WE ARE CERTAINLY HAPPY THAT WE MADE THAT DECISION IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION NOW. BE ADVISED WE WOULD LIKE REPAYMENT FOR OUR EXPENSE OF THE NEW TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )