1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

ALL FOUR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES (P235/75R15) ARE CRACKING. NLM

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1997, EXPLORER, P235/75R15 SIZE, DOT#: VN. TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES IS STARTING TO SEPARATE.*AK THE CUSTOMER PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES TO REPLACE THE FAILED TIRES. *YH

PE00-020; AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRES HAD FOUND CRACKS ON THE FOUR SET OF TIRES. FORD, EXPLORER, 1997, P235/75R15, DOT VNHL. *AK FIRESTONE HAS INFORMED THE CUSTOMER THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT ON RECALL AND THE CUSTOMER INTENDS TO REPLACE THEM. *YH

PRIOR TO TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER HEARD A SLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR, WEEKS LATER RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 DOT W2HL, EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT FRONT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND DRIVE OFF THE ROAD AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *SLC

IMPROPER CAMBER ADJUSTMENT COMPONENT PART OF ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT DOES NOT ALLOW WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THIS CAUSES EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE CORNER OF THE TIRE AND POOR HANDLING OF THE AUTO. CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT.

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ON SECOND OCCASSION, TOOK TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS 4 TIMES BEFORE ACTUAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.

THIS PROBLEM STARTED THIS YEAR WHEN RAINING. TODAY 9/16/00 IN TAMPA FL. THERE IS A HURRICAN APPROCHING I WAS GETTING SUPPLIES. THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP 2X AS TRING TO RETURN HOME IN HEAVY RAIN. I CALLED & TOOK THIS VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO AUTOWAY FORD IN ST. PETERSBURG WHO PREVESIOUSLY NOTED THIS PROBLEM AT LAST RAIN.[SAID MANUFACTURE DEFECT] BUT DID NOTHING OR CHARGE AT THAT TIME. NOW WITH A MAJOR HURRICANE APPROCHING!! THEY DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM & WANTED TO KEEP THE CAR TIL MONDAY! I SAID NO! STORM TO HIT THIS AREA SUN/MON.MORN, & I WOULD BE STRANDED> TOOK CAR BACK HOME WHICH IS ON THE GULF. I AM VERY FRIGHTENED & WILL CALL THE LOCAL NEWS ON THIS MATTER. IT,S NOT JUST TIRES NOW WITH THE FORD EXPLORER.

THESE TIRES, ALTHOUGH NOT RECALLED, SHOW A CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACK AT THE LATERAL EDGE OF THE TREAD LINE. NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED AND I REPLACED THE TIRES VOLUNTARILY WITH ANOTHER BRAND. THESE TIRES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND POSSIBLY RECALLED - THEY SHOW THE SAME PREMATURE WEAR PATTERN AS THE RECALLED TIRES THAT WERE PRESENTED ON DATELINE NBC. THANK YOU.( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )

PE00 020; CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE FOR A BRAKE JOB, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT TIRE TREAD WAS STARTING TO SEPARATE. ALSO, THERE WERE STRESS MARKS AND CRACKS INSIDE OF THE INNER SIDEWALL. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS#AT, P23575R15, PLANT CODE #VN. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD TIRE REPLACED BY GOODYEAR. *AK