1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING BRIDGESTONE TIRE BLEWOUT, CONSUMER CHANGED THE TIRE AND ABOUT FIVE MILES LATER TWO MORE TIRES BLEWOUT, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P235/75R15 ARE EXPERIENCING CRACKING ALONG THE TREAD, A FIRESTONE DEALER STATED TIRES WERE SAFE AS THE CRACKS WERE ONLY OZONE CRACKS. *SLC

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CRACKS AT THE POINT WHERE THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL MEET.THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED BY A FIRESTONE REPRESENTATIVE AT A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER. THE INSPECTOR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE TIRES AND THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THEM ON A PRO-RATED BASIS.I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 36% OF THE COST OF NEW TIRES SINCE THERE WAS STILL 64% OF USABLE TREAD REMAINING ON THE TIRES.HE INSPECTOR FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE AND THAT DRIVING WITH TIRES IN THIS CONDITION COULD BE DANGEROUS. (TIRESIZE: 255/70/R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70/R16 )

PURCHESED SUV IN MAY 1999 TIRES WERE FINE SUV WAS IN TEXAS FORM JUNE2000 TO MID AUG 2000 LEAVING TEX. SAME TIME AS RECALL CHECKED TIRES AND FOUND CRACKING ON ALL FOUR TIRES COVE FORD IN FORT HOOD TX SAID THEY WOULD NOT HELP WENT TO GENTELLINI WAS TOLD THEY WERE DRY ROT. THESE TIRES ARE ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WAS NOT DRIVEN OFF ROAD AND ALL FOUR ARE DAMAGED. ALSO I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT I ONLY HAVE A 15 INCH TEMP SPARE TIRE HOW CAN I USE THAT WITH MY OTHER TIRES BEING 16 INCH? I DO NOT HAVE THE 500.00 OR MORE TO REPLACE THESE TIRES AND DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ALL FOUR TIRES DRY ROT AT THE SAME TIME( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

WENT TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE, AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS WORN & WEAK. WOULD HAVE TO EXCHANGE THE TIRE. PUT THE SPARE ON, WHICH THE MECHANIC INDICATE COULD BLOW ALSO. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, P235/75R15 WITH 35,000 MILES.*AK

NO TIRE FAILURE AS YET, BUT NOTICE HAIRLINE CRACKS IN AREA OF TIRE SEPARATION ON OTHER WILDERNESS TIRES( DOT NUMBER: VN TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I HAVE BEEN INSPECTING THESE TIRES ON A WEEKLY BASIS SINCE THE PROBLEMS WITH WILDERNESS AT'S BECAME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. THE SUBJECT TIRE ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY WERE MANUFACTURED IN CANADA. THIS WEEKEND I NOTICED CRACKING WHERE THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL MEET. IT APPEARS THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO TRREAD SEPARATION. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO FORCE FIRESTONE TO RECALL ALL WILDERNESS AT'S REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OR THE MANUFACTURING FACILITY. FIRESTONE HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: P235/75/15 )

***ALERT*** I HAVE FOUR (4) FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES THAT WERE NOT MANUFACTURED AT THE DECATUR, IL PLANT. EACH OF THESE TIRES EXHIBITS A CONTINUOUS FISSURE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE TIRE WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL. I REPLACED THESE TIRES IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE RETAINED THEM HERE AT MY HOME SO THAT I MAY BRING THEM TO THE NHTSA FACILITY HERE RETAINED THEM HERE AT MY HOME SO THAT I MAY BRING THEM TO THE NHTSA FACILITY HERE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. I BELIEVE THESE TIRES WERE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN A FASHION SIMILAR TO THE RECALLED TIRES. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO EXTEND THE RECALL O THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES TO INCLUDE ALL TIRES MANUFACTURED IN ALL PLANTS AND AM WILLING TO PROVIDE THE PROOF NEEDED TO JUSTIFY THIS RECALL. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT MY HOME PHONE IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. *AK *SCC **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734318

VEHICLE WAS OPERATED BELOW SPEED LIMIT WHEN IT STARTED TO SHIMMY AND SHAKE VIOLENTLY CAUSING OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE WANTED TO GO TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO OPERATOR'S ATTEMPTS TO STEER TOWARDS THE LEFT. VEHICLE ABRUPTLY RESPONDED TOWARDS THE LEFT, DIPPED DOWN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AND ROLLED OVER HITTING N EMBANKMENT CAUSING IT TO FLIP UP ON IT'S WHEELS (RIGHT SIDE UP). POLICE AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER NOTICED SHREDDED AND MANGLED TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT HAD NO EXPLANATION. I NOW REALIZE THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH/ROLLOVER MUST BE THE FIRESTONE TIRES. I NO LONGER HAVE POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE OR TIRES, AS THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TAKEN BY INSURANCE COMPANY. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734298

*** ALERT *** I HAVE FOUR (4) FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES THAT WERE NOT MANUFACTURED AT THE DECATUR, IL PLANT. EACH OF THESE TIRES EXHIBIT A CONTINUOUS FISSURE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE TIRE WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL. I REPLACED THESE TIRES IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE RETAINED THEM HERE AT MY HOME SO THAT I MAY BRING THEM TO THE NHTSA FACILITY HERE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. I BELIEVE THESE TIRES WERE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN A FASHION SIMILAR TO THE RECALLED TIRES. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO EXTEND THE RECALL OF THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES TO INCLUDE ALL TIRES MANUFACTURED IN ALL PLANTS AND AM WILLING TO PROVIDE THE PROOF NEEDED TO JUSTIFY THIS RECALL. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT MY HOME PHONE IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU (DOT NUMBER: VNHLIPY336 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)