1996 Ford Explorer Tires

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT <SHREDDED ACTUALLY>. I LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND SIDESWIPED A VEHICLE IN THE LANE NEXT TO ME. I PULLED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I SAW THAT THE TIRE TREAD HAD SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE, AND POUNDED THE WHEEL WELL FLAT. I INCURRED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL. I AM ON A WAITING LIST FOR TIRES, BUT I CANNOT FIND A TIRE REPLACEMENT FOR MY SPARE. I AM THEREFOR DRIVING AROUND ON THESE DANGEROUS TIRES, WITH NO SPARE. I CANNOT SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT, AND I HAVE TO DRIVE AT LEAST 500 MILES A WEEK FOR WORK. I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES. I HAVE A $500 DEDUCTIBLE TO PAY TO FIX MY CAR, AND I CAN'T AFFORD THIS. I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED IN FIRESTONE.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM405 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

BEEN ON A "LIST" FOR SEVERAL WEEKS TO GET MY RECALLED FIRESTONE ATX TIRES REPLACED. DEALER TOLD ME THIS WEEK TO GO FIND ANOTHER DEALER. THIS IS THE ONLY FIRESTONE DEALER IN MY TOWN. CAN NOT GET THROUGH TO FIRESTONE ON THE 1-800 NUMBER. CONTACTED FIRESTONE THROUGHT WEBSITE AND ONLY GET A "FORM EMAIL". ONE OF THE TIRES SEEMS TO BE GOING BAD, DEALER WON'T LOOK AT IT OR REPLACED WITH OTHER BRAND UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. I WANT MY FIRESTONES REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL, WHAT DO I DO NEXT? CAN I HAVE FIRESTONE PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR WHILE MY EXPLORER SITS WAITING FOR REPLACEMENTS? LOCAL FORD DEALER ONLY SENT ME TO THE SAME TIRE DEALER AS I BOUGHT MY EXPLORER USED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE BLEW ON FREEWAY IN FAST LANE. LUCKY TO BE ALIVE WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE..( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: F235/75 15 )

I BOUGHT THE CAR USED. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC TO LOOK OVER AND RECOMMEND WHAT WORK NEEDED TO BE DONE IN ORDER FOR ME TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL LIST. AMONG THE THINGS THAT I SAID NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED/REPLACED WERE THE TIRES. THE DEALER REFUSED. WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND I BEGAN DRIVING IT. IT IS MY FIRST SUV AND I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY IT HANDLED ON BUMPS IN THE ROAD, OVER RAILROAD TRACKS, IN DIPS IN THE ROAD, ETC. SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WAY IT HANDLED. BECAUSE THE DEALER "COULD NOT DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS OK. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN SUV I SHOULD GET USED TO THE ROUGHER RIDE. THE PROBLEM HOWEVER WAS IN THE WAY I FELT I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, NOT THAT THE RIDE WAS ROUGH. I CONTINUED TO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WAY IT HANDLED ON SUBSEQUENT VISITS. I EVEN BEGAN ASKING THEM TO LOOK AT THE TIRES. I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIRES AS I SAW DRY ROT ON THE OUTER EDGES OF EACH OF THE TIRES. AGAIN, I BELIEVE EVERYTIME I TOOK IT IN I ASKED THEM TO EXAMINE THE TIRES AND LET ME KNOW IF I SHOULD BE CONCERNED. THEY WOULD NOTE THE TIRE TREAD ON MY PAPERWORK BUT NO ONE EVERY COUNSELED ME. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION NEAR MY HOME TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT. I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE TIRES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND TO TRY NOT TO DRIVE FOR MANY MILES AT A TIME AND ESPECIALLY DURING HOT DAYS. I REPLACED THE TIRES WITHIN THE WEEK. I AM CONCERNED NOW ABOUT THE FIRESTONE RECALL AND THAT VA IS IN PHASE THREE. I REPLACED MY OLD FIRESTONE TIRES WITH MICHELINS AND DO NOT WISH TO HAVE A FIRESTONE PRODUCT ON ANY OF OUR CARS. HOW CAN I GET THE SPARE TIRE REPLACED AND HOW CAN I GET A CREDIT FOR THE OLD TIRES TO APPLY TOWARD THE TIRES I REPLACED?( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70R/16 )

WHILE TRAVELING FROM ORLANDO TO FT. LAUDERDALE TO VISIT MY FAMILY ON THANKSGIVING DAY, 1999, THE TIRE TREAD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED SUDDENLY WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED (ABOUT 65 - 70 MPH) ON I-95 NEAR JUPITER, FLORIDA. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND WAS HARD TO CONTROL. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO CAR TO THE RIGHT (MY WIFE AND I WERE IN THE LEFT LANE) AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WE CHANGED THE TIRE ROADSIDE, AND HAD BOTH FRONT TIRES REPLACED THE NEXT DAY AT TIRE KINGDOM AT LAUDERDALE BY THE SEA. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL CAUSED BY THE PEELED AWAY TIRE, WHICH WE HAD FIXED AT A LATER DATE DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT GREENWAY FORD IN ORLANDO. THE MECHANIC AT TIRE KINGDOM SAID THAT IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT THE TREAD CAME OFF WITHOUT CAUSING A BLOWOUT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THE TIRE FAILED CONSISTENT WITH REPORTS THAT ARE CAUSING THE RECALL OF THE FIRESTONE ATX TIRES. THE TREAD PEELED OFF, THE TIRE BLEW, AND MY WIFE LOST CONTROL INTO A CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRICADE.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE HIT THE BUMPER AND DAMAGED IT.

ON JULY 13, MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING FROM YUMA, AZ TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. OUR RIGHT FRONT TIRE'S TREAD CAME AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE WHILE WE WERE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR. THESE TIRES WERE INSPECTED BY ALEXANDER FORD IN YUMA AZ IN APRIL AND DETERMINED TO BE FINE. ON JULY 24TH, I WAS ONCE AGAIN TRAVELING FROM YUMA,AZ TO CALIFORNIA AND THE TREAD ON MY BACK LEFT TIRE CRACKED AND PART OF IT CAME OFF AS WELL. BOTH THE TIRES WERE OBVIOUSLY REPLACED, AND IN FACT I STILL HAVE ONE OF THE TIRES IN MY POSSESSION.( DOT NUMBER: )

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE. ALMOST FLIPPED SUV. ONE WEEK LATER, I WITNESSED THE SAME PROBLEM (FIRESTONE WIDERNESS ON AN EXPLORER) CAUSE A GRUESOME DEATH BECAUSE THE VEHICLE FLIPPED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )

I WENT TO THE TIRE STORE TO HAVE MY TIRES ROTATED. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME TWO OF MY FIRESTONE ATX RADIALS WITH THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. THESE TIRES SHOWED VERY LITTLE WEAR AND SHOWED NO OTHER OBVIOUS DAMAGE. I WANTED TO INFORM YOU OF THIS DEFECT TO HELP POINT OUT A QUESTIONABLE TIRE DESIGN. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT I WAS LUCKY THESE TIRES DID NOT COME APART DURING USE. I WAS ABOUT TO START ON AN EXTENDED TRIP.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/R17 )

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TREAD SEPARATION INCIDENT I HAVE HAD WITH THESE TIRES. FIRST ONE OCCURED NEARLY SIX MONTHS AGO. I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND TOOK OFF THE RUNNING BOARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE TRYING TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, DANGEROUS TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: )

2 SEPARATE FAILURES DUE TO DELAMINATION( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

MY FAMILY & I WERE DRIVING TO CA. FROM LAS VEGAS DOWN I-15, ABOUT 25 MILES OUT OF LAS VEGAS. THE TREAD COMPLETELY BLEW OFF OUR RIGHT, REAR TIRE, DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH. MY HUSBAND FOUGHT TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE CAR, IT SWAYED & ROCKED VIOLENTLY. WE HAD HEARD A LOUD "BANG" BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS & DIDN'T SUSPECT A FLAT TIRE, THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HIT US.THE ROAD WAS CLEAR AT THE TIME; HAD USUAL TRAFFIC BEEN PRESENT WE WOULD'VE HIT ANTHING IN THE LANE NEXT TO US, DUE TO SEVERE SWERVING. HAD WE TURNED OVER AND ROLLED, MOST DEFINITELY WOULDN'VE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED IF NOT KILLED. PULLED OVER, SAW THAT TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE. REAR LIGHT WAS BROKEN, QUARTER PANEL DENTED, REAR BUMPER DISENGAGED FROM CAR. AFTER GETTING TIRE CHANGED BY AAA CLUB, IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO LV. AT GOODYEAR SHOP, TOLD THEM TO TAKE OFF ALL TIRES & BOUGHT NEW ONES FOR TOTAL OF $500. THE PREVIOUS WEEK HAD HAD CAR SERVICED FOR TRIP TO CALIF. & NO PROBLEMS NOTED WITH TIRES (HAD SPECIFIC CONVERSATION). NO CLUE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. AM CURRENTLY WORRIED ABOUT GOODYEAR STEEL BELTED TIRES THAT HAVE BEEN ON SINCE 7/99 SINCE I LIVE IN DESERT & IT'S FREQUENTLY OVER 100 DEGREES. I HAVE THEM CHECKED FREQUENTLY TOO BUT NOW I HAVE NO PEACE OF MIND AFTER HARROWING EXPERIENCE OF LAST SUMMER.( DOT NUMBER: ??? TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

REAR TIRE TREAD FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE ROLLOVER( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. *AK

TREND CAME OFF TIRE , DAMAGE TO REAR FENDER-TRAVELING APROX. 65 ON FREEWAY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75/15 )

RIGHT REAR TIRE THREAD CAME OFF AND ALMOST CAUSED WRECK. I KNOW THAT YOU KEEP STATISTICS ON DEFECTS SO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I ALMOST HIT A CAR BUT MANAGED TO SWIRVE INTO A DITCH.

TRAVELING OFF SANIBEL ISLAND AND ACCELERATING TO 50 MPH, I HEARD A LOUD THUD AND SLAPPING AT THE REAR OF THE CAR AS IF I HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD SHREADED. THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED BUT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED, TEARING OFF THE REAR WHEEL GUARD AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE RUNNING BOARD. THE DRIVER'S REAR SIDE WAS ALSO DENTED. SINCE I HAD JUST ACCELERATED TO 50, I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE HIT BY THE FLYING DEBRIS. WE CHANGED THE TIRE AND DROVE TO THE NEAREST FIRESTONE DEALER TO REPLACE THAT TIRE AND THE OTHER REAR TIRE. THEY DID NOT INFORM US OF EXISTING PROBLEMS WITH THE ATX AND SOLD US TWO NEW ATX TIRES. AFTER WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION -- WHICH WAS A FAMILY REUNION OUT OF TOWN -- WE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEMS WITH ACCIDENTS RELATED TO FIRESTONE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION WHICH HAD RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS AND EVEN FATALITIES. UPON RETURN HOME WE WENT TO THE FIRESTONE STORE AND THEY TOOK THE TWO ATX TIRES BACK AND REPLACED THEM WITH BRIDGESTONES. THE BODY DAMAGE ESTIMATE IS $1,100. WE STILL HAVE TWO FRONT ATX TIRES AND A SPARE AND ARE WAITING TO SEE IF A RECALL IS PUT IN PLACE FOR THOSE.( DOT NUMBER: )

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE/ VIBRATION. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND VEHICLE ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STILL ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE HAD FIRESTONE ATX TIRES, DOTVDHL1PM146, AND TIRE SIZE P235/75R15. *AK FIRESTONE ATX P235/75/R15 *MW

MY SON WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 GOING APPROX. 75MPH AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE JUST PEELED AWAY AND CAUGHT THE REAR PANEL AND PULLED IT OFF. NOTHING WAS IN THE ROADWAY TO CAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN. THANK GOD TIRE DIDN'T BLOW. AT TIME ROADSIDE REPAIR HELP ADVISED IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE -- SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. SINCE LEASE WAS UP THE NEXT MONTH, WE TURNED EXPLORER IN TIRE AND ALL PAID DEDUTIBLE TO HAVE REPAIRED AND INS. CO. COULDN'T PERSUE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KEEP THE TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: )

THE TREAD OF THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT TIRE CAME DETACHED FROM THE TIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I-5 IN SAN DIEGO. MY CAR NEARLY FLIPPED OVER AND SOME DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY FRONT QUARTER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DID NOT KNOW THERE HAD BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES DOING THE SAME THING TO OTHER PEOPLE, SO I REPLACED THE TIRES MYSELF AT A COST OF $546 OUT OF FEAR FOR SAFETY WITH THOSE TIRES. I'M CONCERNED THAT FIRESTONE WILL TRY TO IGNORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED NEW TIRES ON THEIR OWN, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FIRESTONE'S DEFECTIVE TIRES THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE HELP US MAKE SURE THAT FIRESTONE OWNS UP TO THEIR MISTAKE AND COMPENSATES PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF WHO COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AS A RESULT OF THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.( DOT NUMBER: )

FOLLOW A LONG WEEKEND TRIP, I NOTICED A LARGE SECTION OF THE OUTSIDE TREAD WAS MISSING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE REVEALING THE STEEL BELT. IT IS WAS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE, THE FIRESTONE ATX, THAT CAME WITH THE EXPLORER WHICH WE PURCHASE NEW IN '96. THE MISSING PIECE WAS AT LEAST FIVE INCHES IN LENGTH AND TWO INCHES WIDE. I IMMEDIATELY REPLACED THE DAMAGED TIRE WITH THE MATCHING SPARE. IN EARLY JUNE I REPLACE THE ENTIRE SET OF FIRESTONE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD BY A DISCOUNT TIRE EMPLOYEE THE DAMAGE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY HITTING A LARGE POTHOLE (WHICH I DIDN'T BELIEVE.) PLEASE ADD OUR COMPLAINT TO YOUR FILE SURROUNDING THE FIRESTONE TIRES. WE HAVE A TWO-YEAR OLD SON WHO WE DROVE AROUND EXCLUSIVELY IN THE EXPLORER. THANK GOD NOTHING HAPPEN, BUT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE DELAY FORD AND FIRESTONE DISPLAYED WITH THIS RECALL.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235 )

ENTERING FREEWAY, TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND KNOCKED OFF MOLDING AND BENT BODY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75-15 )

ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, A REAR TIRE SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION THAT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL AND NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. AFTER THE SECOND ONE, I REMOVED THE REMAINING FIRESTONE TIRES AND REPLACED ALL FOUR WITH MICHELINS.( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: ? )

ON 9-12-99, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30PM, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER EXPLORER AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON THE BELTWAY 8 IN HOUSTON. THE LEFT REAR TIRE SHREDDED AND HAD A BLOW OUT. SHE THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE AUTO. THE AUTO TURNED RIGHT AND TRAVELED TOWARD THE RIGHT HAND CONCRETE BARRIER. SHE FRANTICALLY TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, AND JUST BEFORE HITTING THE BARRIER, SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR TO THE LEFT. THE CAR THEN DID "360'S" CAREENING ACROSS ALL THE LANES OF THE TOLL WAY. THE CAR STOPPED PARALLEL TO THE LEFT CONCRETE BARRIER, APPROX. 12" FROM THE BARRIER. A HARRIS CO. CONSTABLE STOPPED AND HAD THE CAR TOWED, DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR OF THE CAR. WE ADVISED MACHAIK FORD THAT THEY SHOULD PAY FOR REPLACING THE TIRE, DUE TO ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES. SERVICE MANAGER MARY STATED "WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES." SHE WAS TOLD THE MATTER WOULD BE REFERRED TO MY ATTORNEY. AT THAT POINT, I ASKED THAT THE TIRE BE PUT INSIDE MY CAR AND MY SPARE PUT ON. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, NO ONE AT MAK HAIK HAD ANY IDEA WHERE MY TIRE WAS. NOBODY KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO IT. I FEEL THEY INTENTIONALLY HID EVIDENCE ON MY TIRE PROBLEM, AFTER I ADVISED THEM AN ATTORNEY WOULD BE INVOLVED.( DOT NUMBER: )