1994 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

3 BROKEN STEEL BELTS IN 17,541 MILES. 2 WHEEL DRIVE SUV SO NO OFF ROAD DRIVING. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

I HAD THREE FIRESTONE TIRES FAIL ON MY FORD EXPORER BETWEEN 8/98 & 4/99. THE FIRST TWO TIME WERE WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY, FROM WHICH I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT PULL OFF THE ROAD. BOTH OF THESE FAILURES WERE CATASTROPHIC WITH THE ENTIRE TIRE FALLING APART. THE THIRD FAILURE WAS SIMPLY THE TIRE GOING FLAT. THIS TIRE HAD VISUAL CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALL JUST BELOW THE TREAD. ALL THREE FAILURES WHERE INDICATIVE OF TREAD SEPARATION. THE FIRST TWO WERE PRECEEDED BY THE VECHILE RIDING ROUGHLY. SHORTLY AFTER EACH INCIDENT I REPLACED THE BAD TIRE WITH THE FIRESTONE ATX OR ATX II AS THIS WAS THE MANUFACTURE'S (FORD'S) ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THE EXACT DATES OF THE INCIDENTS ARE ESTIMATED BASED ON THE TIRE REPLACEMENT RECIEPTS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235575R15 )

6 TIRES RUINED BECAUSE OF TREAD / BELT SEPARATION/SAME TIRES USED AS REPLACEMENT LATEST REPLACE 1ON 12/99 AND 2 ON 3/00/ CAUGHT AFTER EXTREME VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/15 )

AT APPROX 1:30PM ON 3/22/99, WE WERE RETURNING TO PHOENIX FROM YOUMA, ARIZONA ON INTERSTATE 8 WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE LOST ITSTREAD. MY 25 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHILCLE, SO NO ONE WAS INJURED. IT TOOK UNTIL 7/14 FOR FIRESTONE TO REIMBURSE THE COSTS NOT COVERD BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2UU1MX194 TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

LEFT REAR FIRESTONE ATX TREAD SEPARATED FROM BELT WHILE TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS SAFELY STOPPED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED. THE RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR QUARTERPANEL FROM THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION AMOUNTED TO $3300 IN BODY REPAIRS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

ONE YEAR AGO ON AUGUST 22,1999, WHILE DRIVING ON THE SAM HOUSTON TOLLWAY NEAR GREENSPOINT DRIVE IN HOUSTON,TEXAS AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH, AN 8 INCH LONG PIECE OF THE TIRE TREAD ON MY RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. I DID NOT SUFFER A BLOWOUT AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY CHANGE THE TIRE AND CONTINUE HOME. THE FOLLOWING DAY I PURCHASED 4 BRAND NEW MICHELIN RADIAL TIRES AT NTB. I DID NOT REPORT THIS TREAD FAILURE TO FIRESTONE OR THE FORD DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME SINCE I WAS UNAWARE THAT OTHER EXPLORER DRIVERS WERE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR TREAD FAILURES. AFTER READING RECENT REPORTS ABOUT FIRESTONE ATX TIRE TREAD FAILURES IN USA TODAY I DECIDED TO SEND THIS E-MAIL SO THAT MY EXPERIENCE CAN BE DOCUMENTED AND INCLUDED IN YOUR STATISTICS. I DID NOT KEEP THE DAMAGED TIRE NOR DO I HAVE ANY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TREAD FAILURE. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THAT THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT AND I DID NOT SUFFER THE SAME FATAL CONSEQUENCES AS OTHER FORD EXPLORER DRIVERS. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I COULD FEEL AN EXTREME BUMPINESS BEFORE THE PIECE OF TREAD LET LOOSE WITH A LOUD "POW" AND A CLOUD OF DUST AND RUBBER IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. HOPEFULLY MY EXPERIENCE WILL HAVE SOME VALUE IN YOUR INVESTIGATION, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS MY EXPERIENCE WITH YOU FURTHER. - CHARLIE CURTIN S( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

IN ALL CASES THE TREAD ABRUPTLY SEPARATED FROM THE BELTS, BUT THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED. (FORTUNATELY, AS THAT LAST ONE COULD HAVE KILLED US.) DATE AND MILEAGE OF FIRST INCIDENT, AND MILEAGE OF LAST INCIDENT, ARE APPROXIMATE. HAVE NOT HAD DAMAGE ESTIMATED FOR THE LAST INCIDENT, WHICH THRASHED THE ENTIRE SIDE OF THE CAR; NO APPARENT DAMAGE FROM FIRST (NOT COUNTING THE NEW TIRE), AND ~$150 FROM THE SECOND FOR THE TAIL LIGHT AND DAMAGE TO EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE FIRST INCIDENT I ATTRIBUTED TO ROAD DEBRIS THAT I HADN'T SEEN (IT WAS NIGHT), AND THE LAST ONE I THOUGHT I WAS SAFE BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS NOT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND IT ONLY HAD ~30,000 MILES ON IT. TREAD WAS GOOD ON ALL TIRES (>~1/8" ON THE OLD ONES, LOOKING NEW ON THE NEWER ONE). HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD ~45 MINUTES (FREEWAY) FOR FIRST AND LAST, AND ~10 MINUTES FOR THE SECOND INCIDENT. THE FULL LOT # ON THE LAST TIRE, READING CLOCKWISE FROM THE DOT STAMP, IS: W2HL IMO 434 SL531 K04R. I STILL HAVE THAT CARCASS. (BY THE WAY, IT'S A REAL PAIN TO HAVE TO RESTART THE WHOLE FORM TO CORRECT A TYPO IN THE BEGINNING)( DOT NUMBER: W2HL IMO TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED, IDENTICAL TO THOSE SEEN ON TELEVISION, CAUSING TREAD TO BECOME STUCK ON UNDERCARRIAGE OF VEHICLE, END OF TREAD COMING UP AND STRIKING TAILGATE OF VEHICLE, CAUSING BODY DAMAGE. REPORTED TO AND DOCUMENTED BY STATE FARM INSURANCE AS A COLLISION CLAIM.( DOT NUMBER: )

I HAVE HAD THREE FIRESTONE ATX II TIRES REPLACED PRIOR TO FAILING. ALL THREE HAD PARTIAL SEPERATION (BULGES). I ALSO HAVE TERRIBLE ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES, AS THEY ALL PULL IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. I CAN ONLY MOUNT THEM ONE WAY TWO CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THESE TIRES, BUT HATE TO THROW AWAY THE TREAD LEFT ON THEM.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 23575R15 )

THE TIRE TREAD ON TWO OF MY FOUR TIRES BEGAN TO SEPARATE TO THE POINT THAT THE STEEL CORDS WERE SHOWING THROUGH. SMALL PIECES OF RUBBER WERE MISSING AND OTHER PIECES WERE LOOSE AND READY TO SEPERATE. THE CONDITION WAS NOTICED DURING NORMAL TIRE ROTATION AFTER A TRIP DURING VERY HOT WEATHER. THIS IS THE SECOND SET OF TIRES THAT HAVE FAILED. ANOTHER SET WAS REPLACED FOR THE SAME CONDITION 2 YEARS AGO. BOTH TIMES AFTER THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS. MY FAMILY AND I ARE VERY FORTUNATE THE TREAD DID NOT SEPERATE WHILE WE WERE TOWING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND THE CONDITION NOTED DURING NORMAL TIRE ROTATION. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE TIRES ARE CHECKED FREQUENTLY FOR PROPER AIR INFLATION AND CONDITION. THANK YOU. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P23575SR15 )