1996 Ford Explorer Tires
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
THE BACK LEFT TIRE BLEWOUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER COMING TO REST ON IT'S LEFT SIDE, THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT WAS FOUND IN THE BUCKLED POSITION YET THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED, THE DRIVER WAS KILLED, ONE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INCAPACITATING INJURIES AND THE OTHER HAN NON-INCAPACITATING INJURIES (TEXAS PEACE OFFICES ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, P235/75R15, RADIAL ATX M/S, VDHL1PM415, LEFT REAR). NLM
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE, THE TIRE THEN BLEWOUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE RIGHT, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BY OVERCORRECTING TO THE LEFT, THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A BROADSIDE SKID, AS THE VEHICLE WAS SLIDING THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE DEFLATED CAUSING THE RIM TO DIG INTO THE PAVEMENT THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER TWICE LANDING RIGHT SIDE UP, THERE WAS 1 FATALITIE (DRIVER) AND THREE PASSENGERS (RF, RR, CR) SUSTAINED INJURY (NEW MEXICO UNIFORM ACCIDENT REPORT, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE P235/75R15 RADIAL ATX M/S VDHL1PM385). NLM
TIRE BLOWOUT ON HIGHWAY. SEPARATION ON SIDE. DEALER (FIRESTONE) WOULD NOT COVER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A RECALLED TIRE YET EVEN THOUGH OBVIOUS DEFECT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 8X?? TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)
FACTORY INSTALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES EXPERIENCED CRACKING AND SEPARATION FROM THE BELT PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005 WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBUIRSEMENT FOR REPLACED TIRES. NLM
FIRESTONE TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION BEFORE RECALL 00T005, CONSUMER IS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING REIMBURSEMENT.
PE00-020; P25570R16, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, ALL 4 TIRES HAD TREAD PULLING AWAY FROM TIRE, ESPECIALLY ON DRIVER'S REAR TIRE CONSUMER CAN ACTUALLY SEE STEEL BELT. *SLC
CONSUMER HAS HAD 6 FLAT FIRESTONE TIRES INCLUDING ONE FROM A PLASTIC CUP THAT WAS RUN OVER. NLM
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1996, FORD, EXPLORER. LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CREATED A VIBRATION. TREAD KEPT REMAINING WAS 6/32 AND 7/32 INCHES.CONSUMER WILL HAVE THE FIFTH TIRE REPLACED BY FIRESTONE.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION ON TWO FIRESTONE ATX TIRES AND REPLACED ALL TIRES WITH GOODYEAR. *YH
FIRESTONE AT TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY AND CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT, CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRE FOR THE LEFT FRONT SIDE AND PUT THE SPARE ON THE RIGHT AND DOING THAT IMMEDIATELY SOLVED THE PROBLEM, IT APPEARED THAT THE BELTS HAD SLIPPED ON THE FRONT TIRES WHICH CAUSED THEM TO WEAR AND PULL THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAD TIRES REPLACED WITH WILDERNESS HT WHICH WERE MADE IN DECATUR PLANT AND WANTS THEM REPLACED WITH TIRES FROM ANOTHER PLANT. NLM
STEEL BELTS EXPOSED THROUGH SIDEWALL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: OWNER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. OWNER PURCHASED NEW TIRES ON HIS OWN AND WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE ATX, ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. TIRE MILEAGE ABOUT 50,000. *AK
DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FRONT RIGHT BUMPER, FRONT RIGHT SIDE PANEL, AND FRONT RIGHT DOOR, INSIDE FLOORBOARD NEAR RUNNING BOARD. I HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL AVENUES IN ATTEMPTING TO FIND A RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I DO HAVE A PHONE LOG STATING ALL THE FRUSTRATING PHONE CALLS I HAVE MADE WITH NO RESULTS OTHER THAN "WE WILL SEND YOU THE FORMS". MEANWHILE, I AM STUCK WITHOUT A CAR, UNABLE TO GET TO WORK; I'VE HAD TO COMPROMISE MY LIFESTYLE. I AM EXPECTED TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR REPAIRS TO MY CAR. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY CAR (IT HAS BEEN STORED SINCE THE INCIDENT 9/16/00) HAVING STILL, THREE DEFECTIVE "HUMAN KILLING" TIRES" PUTTING MY LIFE, AS WELL AS THE LIVES OF OTHERS IN JEOPARDY. ONE WOULD THINK A LARGE COMPANY WOULD LEAP TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREVENT FURTHER TRAGEDY.( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX475 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
I HAD MY TIRES INSPECTED AT TWO REPUTIBLE TIRE DEALERSHIPS AND BOTH HAVE INDICATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE EVIDENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION AND HAVE RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT AND HIGHLY SUGGESTED NOT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALL OF THE TIRES HAVE CRACKS AT THE TREADLINE, SOME WIDE ENOUGH TO PLACE A PENNY INTO. I HAVE LETTERS FROM BOTH TIRE DEALERSHIPS OUTLINING THIS PROBLEM AS WELL AS PHOTOS OF THE CRACKS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PARTICULAR TIRE HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED IN VENEZUALA, HOWEVER HAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO FIRESTONE'S CURRENT US RECALL LIST. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIV. ABOUT THIS CONCERN AND RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE. IN TURN THEY REFERRED ME TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO BASICALLY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THIS TIRE WASN'T ON THE RECALL LIST. THESE TIRES ARE IN BAD SHAPE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. KNOWING THAT THIS SIZE TIRE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOT INCLUDED WITH FIRESTONE'S RECALL CONCERNS ME GREATLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE.( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX505 TIRE SIZE: P255 70R16 )
LEFT REAR FIRESTONE ATX TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00T-005 WHILE DRIVING BUT DID NOT GO FLAT, THE FLAPPING TREAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WELL AND RUNNING BOARD, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
RIGHT REAR TIRE SHEDDED, DRIVER ALMOST LOST CONTROL, GRANDCHILDEN AND WIFE OF DRIVER WERE REALLY EMOTIONALLY UPSET..( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )
PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 3/10/2000 MILEAGE ON VEHICLE 37,410. ON MAY 21, 2000 WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 99 AT APPROXIMATELY 67-70 MPH AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON MY FRONT TIRE SHRED. THIS RESULTED IN APPROX 1,700 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. ON JULY 20 WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 152 AT APPROXIMATELY 65-67 MPH THE REAR TIRE SHRED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ULTIMATELY OUR VEHICLE ROLLING OVER. BOTH OF THESE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE FR480'S. MY LAWYER IS RETAINING THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME AND IT STILL HAS TWO OF THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES ON IT. PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR RECALL LIST, AS I DO NOT THINK IT IS COMPLETE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/70R15 )
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1996, EXPLORER, P255/70R16 SIZE . TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AT 40 MPH, BREAKING THE BRAKE LINE .*AK
FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRE (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, THE BLOWOUT OF THE TIRE ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
WHILE HAVING TIRE SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICE TREAD SEPARATION. *AK THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BY CUSTOMER ON ADVICE BY TIRE SERVICE CENTER. TIRE SIZE P255/70X16 AND DOT # W2C41PX505. *YH
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE FAILED WHILE DRIVING (P255-70R16). NLM
HAD TIRE BLOWOUT 1 MILE FROM HOME ON COUNTRY ROAD DUE TO SIDEWALL FAILURE. NEEDED REPLACEMENT TIRE. AFTER LEARNING ABOUT DEFECTS, HAD ALL 4 TIRES REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75/15 )
FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL CASE NUMBER 00-40-23433-03( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 15 IN )
TIRES WERE REPLACED ON 6/27/2000 AND FIRESTONE REBATE FORM WAS MAILED IN. FIRESTONE'S REPONSE WAS SINCE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED PRIOR TO JAN 1, 2000 THEY WERE DECLINING THE CLAIM. SINCE WHEN IS JUNE 27, 2000 PRIOR TO JAN 1, 2000??? FIRESTONE IS NOT COMPLYING WITH THEIR RECALL TERMS. ORIGINAL RECEIPT IS CLEARLY DATED 6/27/2000. THIS COMPANY NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED VERY CLOSELY BY FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AT PLACING LIVES IN DANGER AND THEN SHIRKING THEIR OWN RECALL CONDITIONS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
TOWING EXPL. BEHIND MOTORHOME ON INTERSTATE 580. LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW. WE PAID $500.00 DEDUCTABLE. AUGUST 1999 WHILE DRIVING IN ALASKA THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW. THESE TIRES ARE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BUT WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS.( DOT NUMBER: W2UU TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1998, WE WERE TRAVELING FROM ATLANTA WHEN OUR FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLOW OUT, WE HAD JUST PUT ON NEW TIRES IN AUGUST.( DOT NUMBER: )
Trend Over Time
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1996 Ford Explorer has 551 Tires complaints on file. 97 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.