1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

FROM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THAT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES DID NOT HOLD THE ROAD WELL UNDER ANY SURFACE CONDITIONS. DURING THE TIME I HAD THESE TIRES ON MY TRUCK, I WAS INVOLVED IN 2 ACCIDENTS. WHEN THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN MY VEHICLE AFTER THE 2ND ACCIDENT, I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO ANOTHER TIRE SHOP (WINSTON TIRES, CANYON COUNTRY, CA), TO HAVE THE ALIGNMENT DONE, AND ON INSPECTING THE TIRES, THEY FOUND THAT THE 2 OF THE TIRES WERE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE, AND AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. I REPLACED THE TIRES WITH BF GOODRICH ALL TERRAIN TIRES, AFTER WHICH I WAS ABLE TO ALIGN THE TRUCK. WITH THE NEW TIRES I FOUND THAT MY EXPLORER'S HANDLING, BRAKING, STEERING, AND TRACTION WERE CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED. I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES WHICH FIRESTONE HAS GENEROUSLY OFFERED ME $10/ TIRE FOR SINCE I REPLACED THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES PRIOR TO 1/1/2000. I FEEL THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD PAY FOR MY REPLACEMENT TIRES REGARDLESS OF WHEN I PURCHASED THEM. I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHERE SUMMERTIME TEMPERATURES REGULARLY EXCEED 100 DEGREES, AND THE HIGHWAY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRAVEL. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF I CAN OFFER ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THESE TIRES, WHICH I CONSIDERED THE WORST TIRES I EVER HAD, EVEN BEFORE THE RECALL BEGAN, AND FREQUENTLY EXPRESSED THIS IN FORD QUALITY QUESTIONAIRES THAT THEY WERE NOT DOING THEMSELVES A FAVOR BY PUTTING THESE TIRES ON THEIR TRUCKS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2XXXXX TIRESIZE: 255 70 16)

FAILURE IDENTICAL TO THOSE DESCRIBED IN NEWS WITH VD SERIAL NUMBERS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL 1 PY TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

TIRE TREAD SEPARATING IS FROM SIDEWALL (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 235-75-25-R). *ET

CONSUMERS TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL 00T-005 BECAUSE THE SERIAL NUMBER DOES NOT START WITH VD, CONSUMER BELIEVES THE SHOULD BE COVERED AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

FIRESTONE ATX TIRE RIGHT REAR TREAD SEPARATED AND TWO ADDITIONAL TIRES FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY TWO YEARS PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

WAS WASHING VEHICLE WHEN CRACKS WERE NOTICED IN THE TREAD OF THE TIRES. ONE OF THE TIRES, RIGHT FRONT, WAS SPLITTING AWAY FROM THE TREAD. ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. TIRES WERE MANUFACTED IN CANADA. HAVE THE TIRES. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P235/75R15 WITH 52,000 MILES.*AK

ALL 4 TIRES ARE SEPARATING, WHICH WAS VERIFIED BY A MECHANIC. THEY OBSERVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE 15 IN TIRES THAT ARE ON RECALL.*AK (TIRESIZE: 16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )

ALL FOUR TIRES ARE CRACKED AT THE TREAD LINE, CONSUMER REPLACED THEM ON 11-AUG-00 BEFORE THEY FELL APART. TIRES MADE IN CANADA & 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS SAID THEY WERE DEFECTIVE, THERE IS STILL 8/32 TIRE TREAD ON ALL 4 TIRES (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/7-15).*ET

CONSUMER VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005 AND CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT FIRESTONE DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2000. NLM

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC