1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

PEOO 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND FRONT END STARTED TO WONDER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THEN, WHEN STARTING TO ACCELERATE TO 60MPH AT 65MPH, VEHICLE STARTE TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE FRONT TIRES BELTS WERE BROKEN. THEY REPLACED THEM. THEN, HE STILL EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REAR TIRES. THE FIRESTONE #ATX RADIAL P235 75 R15. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. *AK

LAST MONTH I NOTICED THAT PART OF MY RIGHT REAR FORD EXPLORER SPORT TIRE WAS SEPARATING AT THE BOTTOM. THE THREADS OF THE TIRED WERE SMOOTH IN THE AREA AND THE STEEL BELTS PROTRUDED OUT. I BELIEVE THIS CONDITION MAY BE GENESIS OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE FIRESTONE APX TIRES. THIS TIRE, AND THE OTHER THREE MOUNTED, IS NOT ONE OF THE VD TIRES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ITS SIZE IS THE SAME (P235-75R15) BUT ITS DOT # IS W2HL1MO353. STRANGELY, MY FULL SIZE SPARE IS THE VD BEING RECALLED. IF AN INSPECTION OF THIS TIRE WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL1MO353 TIRE SIZE: P235-75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND THERE WAS A LOUD POP THEN A LOUD BANG UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE CONSUMERS SAW THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT (FIRESTONE ATX). NLM

AS A RESULT OF A COMPLETE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE LEFT REAR TIRE, DRIVER LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN INJURIES, AND DEATH OF TWO INDIVIDUALS.

HYDRAULIC LIFTGATE WELD CYNLINDER HATCH UNEXPECTEDLY CAME DOWN ON CONSUMER'S HEAD. *AK

ON 03/14/00, WHILE DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 75 IN SARASOTA, FL (MILE MARKER 211) AT A SPEED OF 70MPH, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL SHARPLY TO THE LEFT OFF OF THE MAIN ROAD. THE EXPLORER FLIPPED END OVER END APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES BEFORE SETTLING UPRIGHT. UPON VIEWING THE DAMAGED VEHICLE, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE INITIAL TIRE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE TIRE TREAD FROM THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. A POLICE REPORT IS ON FILE AND ALL NECESSARY INSURANCE INFORMATION, INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE SEPARATED ON X-WAY, VERY NEARLY CAUSING SERIOUS ACCIDENT, AND DESTROYED TAIL LIGHT, WHEEL WELL TRIM AND SEVERELY BENT BACK QUARTER PANEL.( DOT NUMBER: ??? TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

AT THE END OF JUNE OF THIS YEAR, I HAD BEEN ON TRIP TO SEATTLE IN 90 DEGREE WEATHER AND UPON ARRIVING BACK HOME IN FOREST GROVE, OREGON MY LEFT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT. MY HUSBAND IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT TO LOOK AT IT AND FOUND THAT THE BELTS UNDER THE TREADS HAD SEPARATED, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS VERY ODD. HE THEN LOOKED AT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WHERE THE SAME PROCESS HAD JUST BEGUN. WE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED THE NEXT DAY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2HL 1MO 2 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, AT ABOUT 65MPH, AND CHANGING LANES WHEN THE TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE. THEN THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND AND PART OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STRIPPED OFF AND FLEW UP HITTING THE SIDE MOLDING OF THE CAR DAMAGING THE PLASTIC PLATE. THE TRUCK WAS JERKED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND I STOPPED IN THE GRASS. WHEN I WENT TO FIRESTONE I WAS TOLD BY MIKE CROWSON, THE MANAGING PARTNER OF THE FIRESTONE IN ALLEN, TX, THAT MY TIRES WERE TOO OLD AND "UNLESS I WANTED THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN TO THE OTHERS THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THEM". HE ALSO SAID THEY WERE NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL SO HE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME EVEN THOUGH I HAVE LESS THAN 46,000 MILE ON MY CAR AND THE TIRES STILL HAVE GOOD TREAD ON THEM.( DOT NUMBER: W2UU1MX384 TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

THIS CAR WAS TOTALED. ON THE REPLACEMENT EXPLORER I GOT WE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE A TIRE THAT WAS LOOSING THE TREAD. WHEN WE HEARD THE LATEST INCIDENT WE IMMEDIATELY REPLACED MY TIRES WITH GOODYEAR. WE CONSIDER IT A MIRACLE THAT I WASN'T HURT BADLY( DOT NUMBER: WRECKED TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )