1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TREAD SEPARATED FROM CASING. TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE PARKED. ON RE-INFLATION, BUBBLE IN TREAD APPEARED WHEN AIR LEAK WAS BLOCKED WITH FINGER. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70R16 )

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225X70RX15 )

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN MARCH OF 2000. WHILE ON A TRIP THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE TIRE BLEW. IT WAS IN SHREDS WHEN WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO STOP. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE FIRESTONE IN SPRINGFIELD, MO REPLACED THE TIRE AFTER CHARGING US $24 FOR MOUNTING. THAT EVENING WE SAW ON THE NEWS THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND FEEL LIKE THE DOT SHOULD HEAR ABOUT EVERY OCCURRENCE. WE WERE LUCKY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOLLOW UP ON MY ORIGINAL E-MAIL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 109S M/S TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE TREAD SEPERATING FROM THE FIRESTONE ATX, I HAD TO REMOVE AND REPLACE WITH THE SPARE THE PASSANGER SIDE REAR TIRE DUE TO AN EGG FORMING ON THE TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

ALL 4 OF OUR FIRESTONE TIRES WERE QUITE NEW, AND THE TREAD WAS EXCELLENT. FOR NO REASON, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. ALL THAT REMAINED OF THE TIRE WERE RUDIMENTS OF THE TREAD. THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL HAD BLOWN OFF. THE FIRESTONE DEALER INITIALLY CLAIMED THAT WE MUST HAVE RUN OVER SOMETHING, BUT THEN CHANGED HIS MIND AND REPLACED THE TIRE. NOW THAT WE ARE READING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TIRE, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A REAL NEED TO PULL ALL OF THEM OFF THE MARKET BEFORE MORE ACCIDENTS OCCUR. IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR FIRESTONE TO VOLUNTARILY INSPECT THE TIRES BECAUSE THE TIRES LOOK FINE. IT IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM THAT IS NOT APPARENT TO THE NAKED EYE, AND THAT MAKES IT ALL THE MORE DANGEROUS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECOMMENDS THESE TIRES, AND FIRESTONE STANDS BEHIND THEM. THE TIRES POSE A KNOWN RISK, AND IT IS TIME FOR THESE TWO COMPANIES TO REPLACE THEM. THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER. KEN LLOYD. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I THOUGHT MY FRONT END WAS SHAKING FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELLING ABOUT 40MPH BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIRE. MY CHILDREN AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG AT THE SIDE OF THE CAR. MY HUSBAND WAS FOLLOWING IN HIS CAR AND SAW THE TIRE FALL OFF. IT ALSO KNOCKED OFF PART OF THE SIDE PANEL OF THE CAR. THE CAR SWERVED VIOLENTLY BUT I GOT IT UNDER CONTROL TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE RAOD. THE ENTIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND COME OFF. THE TREAD BLEW OFF THE ENTIRE SIDE PANEL OF THE CAR. INSURANCE ESTIMATE WILL BE ABOUT $1500.00 NOT COUNTING THE COST OF TIRE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE ENTIRE SET WITH MICHELINS. WE COULD ALL HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. WE WERE LUCKY! *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: UNKNOWN )

I HAVE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT HOME IE. DOT NUMBER. FIRESTONE PAID FOR THE DAMAGES TO OUR VEHICLE BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE TIRES. WE REPLACED ALL FIVE TIRES AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. THESE TIRES ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THEM. WE WERE JUST LUCKY WE WEREN'T KILLED. WE STILL HAVE ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRES AT HOME, IT HAS A BULGE ON IT LIKE IT IS GETTING READY TO LOOSE IT'S TREAD. PLEASE CALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 75R15 )

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE, VEHICLE BEGAN BOUNCING AND SWERVING VIOLENTLY. I STOPPED AT A AUTO CENTER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE HAD SEPARATED. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

FILDED INCEDENT REPORT WITH FIRSTONE IN MAY. THEY READILY PAID FOR NEW TIRE NAD REPAIRS TO VEHICLE. OUR 20 YEAR OLD SON WAS TRAVELING HOEM FROM COLLEGE ON I75 IN MIDDLE LAND WHEN TREAD SEPARATED . THREW HIM TO LEFT EMERGENCY LAND. LUCKILY HE CONTROLLED VEHICLE AND CAME TO STOP. TIRE DID NOT LOSE PRESSURE ANDLUCKILY THE SHREDING TORE UP TEH REAR FENDER ETC AND DID NOT GO INTO AXEL. TORE UP WHEL WELL, QTR PANEL, REAR, R. BUMPER,A DN LIFTGATE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM096 TIRE SIZE: 23575SR/55 )

ON OCT 12, 1999, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A 2-LANE STATE HIGHWAY NEAR MOJAVE, CA ON A HOT, AUTUMN DAY, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE LOST TREAD/DELAMINATED CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. I SWERVED SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE SUV ROLLED COMPLETELY TO THE RIGHT, LANDING UPRIGHT FACING THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ONCOMING OR TRAILING TRAFFIC, SO NO OTHER VEHICLES/PERSONS WERE INVOLVED. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT & WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO SUSTAIN ONLY VERY MINOR INJURIES & WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE SUV W/ SOME ASSISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO STOPPED TO HELP. AS I COMPLAINED OF NECK PAIN, I WAS AMBULANCED TO THE ANTELOPE VALLEY HOSPITAL, BUT WAS RELEASED W/ ONLY MINOR BRUISES, CUTS & SORE MUSCLES. MY INSURANCE COMPANY (20TH CENTURY) DECLARED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS (PICTURES AVAILABLE) AND PAID ME $24,072.70, PLUS COVERED MY AMBULANCE & EMERGENCY ROOM BILLS. PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT I HAD ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY SUV IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. TIRE PRESSURE WAS ROUTINELY CHECKED IN CONJUNCTION W/ REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. ALL TIRES HAD PLENTY OF REMAINING TREAD & HAD BEEN RECENTLY ROTATED & BALANCED. I CONTEND THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE FIRESTONE AT TIRES. I HAVE SINCE PURCHASED A 2000 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER W/ THE INSURANCE PROCEEDS PLUS ANOTHER APPROXIMATE $11,000 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. ADDITIONALLY, I IMMEDIATELY TRADED IN THE STANDARD FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES FOR MORE TRUSTWORTHY ( & MORE EXPENSIVE) BF GOODRICH AT TIRES. I WILL NEVER USE FIRESTONE TIRES ON ANY OF MY CARS AGAIN. IF A CLASS ACTION SUIT SHOULD BE FILED AGAINST FIRESTONE FOR THESE NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THEIR ALL TERRAIN TIRES W/ FORD EXPLORERS, I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SUIT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THESE DANGEROUS TIRES.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 OWL )