656 complaints reported

1997 Ford Explorer Tires

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
656
Crashes
53
Fires
2
Injuries
70

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jun 2002

CONSUMER HAS 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT SIZE R25570R16 (DOT # W2101FX067) TIRES LEAKING AIR. THESE TIRES WERE INVOLVED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 01T006000. FORD REFUNDED TWO TIRES AS PART OF REFUND PROMOTION. HOWEVER, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FROM FIRESTONE FOR THE 2 REMAINING TIRES. *TT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2000
Jun 2002 Crash

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY HEARD A LOUD NOISE , LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WENT INTO AN ENBANKMENT HITTOING A TREE.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2002
Jun 2002

MICHELIN, 17, TIRE INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. VEHICLE ALMOST FLIPPED OVER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2001
Apr 2002

I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS AND THE TIRE THREAD CAME APART ALOT. ME AND MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE EXPLORER AND ALMOST GOT KILLED ON SEVERAL TIMES. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO FORD'S 800 NUMBER AS A COMPLAINT. I TOLD THE LADY ON THE PHONE THAT THIS CAR WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND THAT I WAS GOING TO RETURN IT TO MY FINANCE COMPANY. I WAS VERY FREIGHTEN AND UPSET BECAUSE ME AND MY 3 CHILDREN COULD HAVE DIED.THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE TIRES.THE TIRES WERE CONSTANTLY THREADING.IN EARLY 2000 I RETURNED THE EXPLORER BECAUSE I FEARED FOR ME AND MY FAMILY SAFETY. NLM (TIRESIZE: P22570R15S)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 1999
Mar 2002

LAST DAY OF RECALL..... ACCORDING TO NEWSPAPER..... UNABLE TO FIND DEALER WHO CAN REPLACE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK (TIRESIZE: P23575R15)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Mar 2002

I CHECKED AIR PRESSURE ON ALL 4 TIRES AT 4PM THAT AFTERNOON BEFORE GETTING ON FREEWAY TO BE SURE THEY WERE AT THE MANUFACTURE'S SPEC. STAMPED ON EACH TIRE. THE TIRE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE ITSELF WHICH STILL HELD AIR AND REMAINED ON THE RIM. FIRESTONE DENIES TIRE DEFECT. NLM (DOT NUMBER: W2UUIPO396 TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2000
Feb 2002

THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE REGARDING FAULTY FIRESTONE TIRES BUT BY RESEARCHING FOUND OUT THAT THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL, ONE TIRE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE IT LOOKED SUSPICIOUS, THE CONSUMER HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AT AN OUTSIDE TIRE DEALER, WHEN THE CLAIM WAS SUBMITTED FOR REIMBURSEMENT IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED ONE DAY AFTER THE NON, 15TH DEADLINE (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES). NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Feb 2002

UPON PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, THERE WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (NO OTHER SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION MENTIONED) THAT WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON VEHICLE, CONSUMER REPLACED WITH 4 NEW TIRES, HOWEVER, AFTER REPLACEMENT, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE RECALLED, CONUMER SUBMITTED REFUND FORM, BUT WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. *TT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Jan 2002

THREE TIRE FAILED, TIRES LEAK ON SIDE WALL NEXT TO TREAD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2001
Dec 2001

WHEN A MICHELIN DEALER RECENTLY REPLACED THE FOUR 16 INCH 255 FIRESTONE TIRES, HE COMMENTED THAT THE SPARE IS A FIRESTONE 15 INCH 225 TIRE. IS IT SAFE TO MIX THES SIZES? THE 16 INCH TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIUPMENT ON THE CAR -- NOT PURCHASED AS AN OPTION. FORD HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Dec 2001

CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, DUE TO CRACKS AROUND THE TREAD IN DEC 2000, HOWEVER IN MAY 2001 THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE RECALLED AND CONSUMER IS NOW SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT, BUT IS GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM THE DEALER.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Dec 2001

THE VEHICLES FIRESTONE TIRES WERE RIDING EXTREMELY ROUGH, TIRES WERE TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THEY WERE INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T-005, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND SUBMITTED ALL PAPER WORK TO THE MANUFACTURER, BUT HAS NOT RECIEVED REIMBURSEMENT OR CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER IN 10 MONTHS (FIRESTONE). NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 1999
Dec 2001

SINCE OWNERSHIP TIRES WEAR OUT EASILY, FRONT TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED AND ROTATED AND ALSO LOOSE AIR, WHILE DRIVING ONE OF THE TIRES EXPERIENCED TIRE SEPARATION, ALL 4 (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15) TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER FELT THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBILE FOR TIRES, BUT ONLY THE SPARE TIRE QUALIFIED FOR THE RECALL. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2001
Dec 2001

SEE ATTACHMENT LETTER (NO ATTACHMENT LETTER) DEFECTIVE TIRE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Dec 2001

ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P23575R15 DOT W2HL. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, TREAD ON LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND BLEWOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT QUARTER PANEL AND RUNNING BOARD, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2001
Dec 2001

FIRESTONE TIRES (P255 70 R15) EXPERIENCED CUPPING WHICH WAS CAUSING A THUMPING NOISE, DEALER INSPECTED TIRES AND STATED TIRES WERE SAFE, HOWEVER CONSUMER LATER NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON EDGES OF TIRES AND EXPOSED STEEL BELTS SO HE HAD THEM REPLACED, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING SOME REIMBURSEMENT SINCE FIRESTONE IS DENYING THE REQUEST DUE TO TIRES BEING PURCHASED PRIOR TO JANUARY 2000. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 1999
Nov 2001

ONE YEAR AGO I REPLACED FOUR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WHICH WERE SHOWING VISIBLE SEVERE TREAD SEPARATION WITH NEW BFGOODRICH (MICHELIN) TIRES. TODAY I NOTICED THAT TWO OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE SUFFERING FROM TREAD SEPARATION IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER AS THE FAILED FIRESTONES. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FAILED TIRES IF THEY WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANKS, MATTHEW A. TRESKOVICH. *AK (TIRESIZE: 235/75R15)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2001
Nov 2001

ALL FOUR FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRES (P235/75R15) WERE REPLACED DUE TO BELT SEPARATION, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2000
Oct 2001

THREE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRE FAILURES. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITONS WHEN FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WENT FLAT WITHOUT WARNING. SECOND TIRE FAILURE WAS ON FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATED HE IS UNABLE TO GET ANY ASSISTANCE FROM FIRESTONE OR DEALER, CONSUMER HAS NOW REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES.*SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2001
Oct 2001

TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE ON OUTSIDE EDGE BUT I HAD IT REPLACED BEFORE FAILURE OCCURRED. TIRE MANUFACTURED AT WILSON, NC PLANT. I REPLACED THE TIRES WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER RTS OF THE SAME SIZE. HAD TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT SINCE CODE W2HL NOT IN RECALL. (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Oct 2001

REAR DRIVER'S FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 BLEWOUT ON 3 DIFFERENT SPOTS ON SIDEWALL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, THERE ARE STRESS MARKS COMING FROM THE RIM AND UP ON OTHER TIRES. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2001
Sep 2001 Injury

THE TREAD OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROADWAY, THE DRIVER OVERCORRECTED TO RETURN TO THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROTATE CLOCKWISE, UPON THE VEHICLE SLIDING THE LEFT REAR TIRE BECAME DEFLATED AND THE WHEEL BEGAN TO GOUGE INTO THE ROADWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERTURN SEVERAL TIMES, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS AND ABRASIONS TO HIS ARMS AND UPPER TORSO AREA, THE LEFT REAR OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE ANS SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS AND ABRASIONS TO HIS HEAD, NECK, ARMS AND LEGS, THE OTHER THREE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENTS, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATION, FIRESTONE, NO OTHER TIRE INFO GIVEN)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 1999
Sep 2001

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE(MICHELIN LTX M/S). *JG

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2001
Sep 2001

PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION 00T005, CONSUMER NOTICED SOME FINE CRACKING IN THE SIDEWALL OF BOTH FRONT TIRES, AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LOCAL TIRE DEALER, CONSUMER REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES, LATER THE THREE REMAINING TIRES WERE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BY A LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER, CONSUMER IS NOW REQUESTNG REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED TIRES. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 1999
Sep 2001

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING SHE NOTICED VEHICLE WAS STARTING TO MAKE A STRANGE VIBRATION WHENEVER SHE WOULD REACH SPEEDS OVER 65 MPH, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND WAS ADVISED BY TECHNICIAN THAT ONE OF THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES(P235/75R15) HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, ALL FOUR OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, CONSUMER'S TIRES WERE NOT PART OF RECALL BUT SHE WAS ASSURED 3 MONTHS PRIOR THAT TIRES WERE FINE AND THEY PASSED INSPECTION. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2001

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Ford Explorer has 656 Tires complaints on file. 53 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.