1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

PE00020, BOUGHT USED 1997 EXPLORER, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P23575R15, NOT PART OF THE RECALL. ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CRACKS ON THE TIRES. WHILE DRIVING OVER 60 MPH THERE IS A THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT. *AK THE FAULTY TIRES ARE ALSO CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE STEERING PROBLEMS. *SLC

ALL 4 TIRES HAVE CRACKS ALL THE AROUND THE EDGE.THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL.MY QUESTION WAS YOU SHOULD REPLACE THE TIRES UNDER THE WARRANTY.HE TOLD ME TO GO TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AS THEY WERE THE MANUFACURERS.THE FIRESTONE DEALER SAID THAT THE CRACKS WERE DUE TO AGING AND THIS WAS NORMAL AND I SHOULD NOT WORRY.I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE CASE,AFTER ONLY 24000 AND LESS THAN 3 YEARS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

PE00020,TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH A NAIL PUNCTURED THE TIRE ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN TIRE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED, IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE SIZE P225/70R15, DOT # W2. ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT ON A 97, FORD, EXPLORER. TIRE MILEAGE ABOUT 50,000. *AK

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED A FLAT WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FIRESTONE CENTER AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TWO OF THE TIRES NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO SIGN OF TREAD SEPARATION, TIRE SIZE P255/70R16. *AK *SLC

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: 1997 FORD, EXPLORER; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE 235/75R15, DOT# VNHL1PY237 (ON THREE TIRES) AND DOT# VNHL1PY207 (ON ONE TIRE) WAS INSPECTED BY A GOODYEAR'S CENTER, AND NOTICED CRACKS WHERE THE TREAD MET THE CROWN OF THE TIRE. LEFT REAR TIRE WAS MORE SEVERE THEN THE OTHERS. FIRESTONE NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT TIRES WAS NOT COVER UNDER RECALL. *AK DOT VNHL1PY207 FOR THE RIGHT FRONT AND SPARE TIRES. *SLC

INNER SIDEWALL, CONTINUOUS CRACK, APPROXIM,ATELY ONE-TENTH OF THICKNESS, LOCATED 1/4 INCH DOWN FROM TOP OF THE TREAD. THIS CONDITION IS ON FOUR OF THE FIVE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES THAT WERE MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD TO REPORT THIS TO YOUR AGENCY, AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN OPERATOR FROM THE 1-800 NUMBER OF FIRESTONE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

WE ARE REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM NHTSA DUE TO THE FACT THAT TODAY UPON RETURNING HOME FROM WORK, WE EXAMINED THE TIRES ON OUR VEHICLE AS WE DO OFTEN DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON EXPLORERS, AND FOUND THAT ALL FOUR TIRES ARE BEGINNING TO " SEPERATE IN EXACTLY THE SAME LOCATION " AS ALL THE OTHER TIRES THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED, THE REAR BEING WORSE THAN THE FRONT BUT ALL HAVE THE SAME SEPERATION. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE STEEL INSIDE OF THE TIRES IN SOME PLACES, RIGHT WHERE THE TREAD STARTS. WE HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH FIRESTONE LOCALLY AND THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE JUST THIS PAST APRIL 2000, AND NO-ONE WANTS TO HELP. THE ONLY HELP WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED IS TO "PRORATE" OUR TIRES, NOT " REPLACE" THEM. FORTUNATELY WE CAUGHT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AN ACCIDENT, BUT NOW WITH THIS BEING THE ONLY VEHICLE WE HAVE TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND NO-ONE WANTING TO REPLACE THEM, WHAT ARE WE TO DO ? COULD THIS BE AN ADDITION THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ASAP AS WELL BEFORE ANYONE DIES ??*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL/8XHL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH EXPLORER BEGAN TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH, BECAME AIR BORNE AND FLIPPED OVER 4 TIMES. DRIVER DID NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER LANE, AND DID NOT HIT OTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER AND ONE OTHER PASSENGER WERE IN THE EXPLORER. BOTH WERE INJURED. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT. PLEASE PROVIDE TIRE SIZE AND DOT # AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH I HEARD 3 LOUD THUDS IN THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL. THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD WAS CLEAR WITH NO OBJECTS IN THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER TO CHECK OUT THE VEHICLE. INSPECTING THE TIRE I DISCOVERED WAS CRACKING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL IPY TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

MY TIRES SHOW THE SAME SIGN AS THOSE THAT ARE ON RECALL I HAVE CALL FIRESTONE ON SEVERAL OCCATIONS TO COMPLAIN TO NO AVAIL .THEY KEEPTELLING ME I CAN NOT BE HELPED BECAUSE MY TIRES ARE NOT ON RECALL. DO THEY WANT FOR ME TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70/16 )