1996 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

WHILE TRAVELLING ON THE INTERSTATE AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREADS SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE AND CATASTROPHIC BLOWOUT OF THAT TIRE. CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED AT LEAST ONCE AND ALL THREE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. A GEORGIA STATE MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPORT, POST-ACCIDENT PICTURES AND VIDEO ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. UNFORTUNATELY, MY INSURANCE COMPANY, USAA, HAS TO DATE, BEEN INEFFECTIVE AT RECOVERING THE FAILED TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P235/75RX1 )

TIRE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75-15 )

FIRESTONE ATX TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING ROLLOVER ACCIDENT, INJURIES AND FATALITY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL 1 PM TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

12/30/1999 - DRIVER SIDE, REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND BLEW OUT ON I-40 NEAR MORGANTON, NC TRAVELING WEST AT 65 MPH. MY WIFE WAS FORTUNATE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND GET IT ONTO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER BEFORE ANY FURTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED. TIRE WAS REPLACED AT MARTIN FAMILY FORD IN MORGANTON, NC ON 12/30/1999. 07/10/2000 - THE PASSENGER SIDE, REAR TIRE SHOWED A NOTICEABLE TREAD SEPARATION FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES ALONG THE OUTSIDE TIRE WALL AT TREAD DEPTH. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO THE FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER AT 510 W. MARKET STREET IN GREENSBORO, NC AND REPLACED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: 25570R16 )

JUST WANTED TO ADD OUR NAME TO YOUR LIST OF INCIDENTS REPORTED ABOUT TREAD SEPARTION ON THESE FIRESTONE TIRES. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO DAMAGE WAS DONE AND NO ONE WAS INJURED WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED ON BOTH OUR REAR TIRES ON TWO SEPARATED OCCASIONS THIS SUMMER WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE TREAD DELAMINATED./VEHICLE ROLLED MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM116 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE DELAMINATED WHILE DRIVING ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED AND MY WIFE REACTED BY FURTHER SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT FURTHER VEHICLE JARRING/SWAYING. SHE WAS ABLE TO FIGHT THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND CROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER. THE TIRE FLAP TORE THE WHEEL WELL AND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING OVER$2000 DAMAGE. THIS FAILURE PUT THE LIVES OF MY WIFE, TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, TWO OTHER PASSENGERS, AND OTHER DRIVERS IN GRAVE DANGER. I AM OFFENDED THAT FIRESTONE AND FORD HAVE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY AND PUT CONTAINMENT PLANS INTO ACTION. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRANCE OF A TIRE ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE (WITH THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRES). WHEN THE FIRST OCCURRED, WE NOTICED A THUMPING SOUND AND UPON INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE TREAD WAS MISSING (DOWN TO HE STEEL BELT) IN ONE LOCALIZED AREA OF THE INNER EDGE OF THE TREAD (ABOUT 4" DIAMETER FAILURE). I FOUND THIS AN ODD FAILURE AND APPROACHED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO ATTRIBUTED IT TO WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THEY CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY AND OFFERED NO SUGGESTION. THE SERVICE MANAGER EVEN RESORTED TO VULGER LANGUAGE DIRECTED AT ME. I SPOKE TO A CUSTOMER MEDIATOR AND BERGE FORD EVENTUALLY PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT FREE, BUT I PAID FOR THE TIRE REPLACEMENT (2 TIRES). I DID NOT REPORT THIS TO FIRESTONE AT THE TIME. THE FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT OF BOTH FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS. I CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH ENGINE PING AND GAVE UP AFTER BERGEFORD ATTEMPTED 3 TIMES TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )

I NOTICED IN SPRING OF 2000 THAT MY EXPLORER WOULD SHAKE WHILE DRIVING. MY HUSBAND TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THE TIRES BALANCED. MECHANIC, AS WELL AS MY HUSBAND WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT A HUNK (APROX. 5"/5") WAS GONE FROM THE TIRE! INSTEAD OF A NORMAL BALANCING, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RECENT FIRESTONE PROBLEMS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT PART OF THE TIRE JUST CAME OFF. THE REST OF THE TIRE IS STILL IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING A GOOD DRIVER, ESPECIALLY WITH A 1 YR OLD, SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR EXCESSIVELY HARD. WE STILL HAVE THE TIRE, IF THAT HELPS, OR IF YOU NEED TO SEE IT. THOUGH NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, I DREAD TO THINK OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, WITH MAYBE JUST A FEW MORE MILES DRIVEN.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THE TREAD PEELED OFF THE TIRE WHILE WE WERE TRAVELING FROM CHARLESTON, SC TO SAVANNAH, GA ON INTERSTATE 95 DOING 70 MPH. WHAT SAVED OUR LIVES WAS THAT THE TIRE STAYED INFLATED THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE ORDEAL. THERE IS NO DOT FROM THE TIRE BUT PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )

TIRE SIDE WALL BLEW APART. LOOKED LIKE A DONUT. CONTACTED NEAREST FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP WHO WOULDN'T REPLACE ACCORDING TO TIRE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. CONTACTED ELK GROVE FORD (NEAREST DEALERSHIP) WHO COLLECTED TIRE AND SENT TO FIRESTONE WHO AS OF AUG. 4, 2000 HAS NOT REPLACED DEFLECT TIRES NOR REFUND MONEY SPENT ON DUE TO REPAIRS AS A RESULT OF DEFLECTIVE TIRE ACCORDING TO BIG-O EMPLOYEE ADAM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75-15 )