1997 Ford F-250 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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F250 LD. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VIBRATION OF THE SPARE TIRE RUBS AGAINST AND CREATES A HOLE IN THE REAR FUEL TANK. THE SPARE TIRE IS SECURELY MOUNTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THEY REFUSED TO SEND ANYONE OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,300. UPDATED 11/17/08 *BF UPDATED 11/18/08. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-250 LD. THE VEHICLE HAS MILESTONE 1000R20, SIZE 265-75/16 TIRES. THE WIRES WERE EXPOSED FROM THE SIDES OF THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRES. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE TIRE BECAUSE THEY WERE DANGEROUS. THE DEALER WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES OF THE VEHICLE WERE 219,330. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
ALL FOUR MICHELIN BRAND TIRES HAD SIDEWALL CRACKS. 2.5 YEARS OLD WITH @ 30,000 MILES ON THEM. THESE CRACKS DEVELOPED IN A MATTER OF TWO TO THREE WEEKS. HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR REPLACED. *JB
DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH THE BED BROKE, CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.*AK
THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SHREDDED AND CAME APART WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH. THE TIRE STARTED BOUNCING. THIS ALMOST CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND STEER IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. FIRESTONE WAS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH WHILE STILL INFLATED. ON A 1997 FORD F250, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE LT235/85R16, DOT# VD0CIX1J337. FIRESTONE NOTIFIED. TIRES ARE STEEL TEX R4S. *MR *JG
TREAD SEPARATION OVER APPROXIMATELY 25% OF TIRE. *AK
NOTED THAT FRONT TIRES HAVE SPOTTY WEAR ON OUTER EDGES, OF TWO OR SO INCHES ABOUT EVERY FEW INCHES. WEAR MORE PREDOMINANT ON OUTER EDGES THAN INEER EDGES. IS THIS A FREQUENTLY REPORTED PROBLEM? WHAT IS CAUSE? MY SERVICE PROVIDER SAYS VEHICLE HAS "TIGHT" FRONT END, AND STEERS AND HANDLES WELL.*AK (TIRESIZE: LT2357516)
PE00 020; FIRESTONE TIRE TREAD STARTED SEPARATING . FIRESTONE, STEELTEX AT, LT23585R16MS, DOT VN0R1XK. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES SIDEWALLS HAVE SHOWN EXCESSIVE WEAR OVER THE PAST 15000 MILES, A MASTER MECHANIC STATED THE TIRES WERE OKAY TO DRIVE ON, HOWEVER WHEN SPEAKING WITH SERVICE REPS FROM FORD, THEY STATE THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AS THEY WOULD NOT DRIVE WITH THEM ON. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 235R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R16 )
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE REAR BACK TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 97V187000 NOTIFICATION CONCERNING TIRES. CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT FIRESTONE AT 800-457-6281 NUMBER AS STATED ON NOTICE, BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER AT THAT NUMBER. FIRESTONE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT PERFORM WORK UNTIL THEY RECEIVE AUTHORIZATION FROM MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK
ALL FOUR OF BRIDGESTONE TIRES ON 1997, FORD, F250HD ARE SHOWING EXCESSIVE TREAD WEAR. THESE TIRES ARE NOT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT THAT CAME WITH VEHICLE, AND CURRENTLY HAVE 29,000 MILES ON THEM. SIZE OF THE TIRES L235/85R16. *AK *JB
ORIGINAL AND AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT ON A 1997, FORD, F250, LT235/85R16 SIZE. TREAD ON ONE TIRE SEPARATED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND TWO OF TIRES HAD BLOWNOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. FIRESTONE HAS REPLACED TWO OUT OF THREE TIRES.*AK FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES, DOT NUMBER VN0R1XK317. *SLC
TREAD SEPARATION AT 30000 MILES AND 50000 MILES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 235X185R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235X185R15 )
CAN'T GET DOT NUMBER, NOTHING LEFT OF THAT PART OF TIRE BUT ROPES AND FIBERS. NO WARNING, NO NOISE TO INDICATE A BLOWOUT, JUST SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL AS THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL APART. TREAD AND BELTS ALL COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, SIDEWALLS SHREDDED. LOOKS LIKE THE TIRE PERFORATED AROUND ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE AT THE "BEADING". NOTHING LEFT OF SIDEWALLS EXCEPT "ROPES" CONNECTING INNER RIM TO TREAD SURFACE, CAN SEE ALL INDIVIDUAL LAYERS OF TREAD, BELTS AND FIBER SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. FATHER STATES IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF STRENGTH (AND PAST RACING EXPERIENCE OF SEVERAL DECADES AGO) TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND KEEP IT FROM ROLLING. I AM KEEPING THIS TIRE IN CASE ANYONE WANTS TO INSPECT IT, IT LOOKS STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO THE ONES INVOLVED IN RECALL WHEN THEY FAILED. FATHER HAS NEVER FELT ANYTHING LIKE THIS WHEN IT WENT, INCLUDING WHEN RACING. HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIRE LOOK LIKE THIS AFTER A BLOWOUT. THE TREAD AND BELTS HAVE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, ALL THE WAY AROUND! IT LOOKS LIKE IT JUST FELL APART. THIS IS A DANGEROUS TIRE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: SHREDDED TIRESIZE: LT23585R16)
TIRE FAILURE. TIRES ARE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P255/70 R16 109 M/S. IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL ME. (CLAIM# 49-3225-909) *MW
PE 00 040/TIRE FAILURE: WHILE REPAIRING A TIRE AT A SERVICE STATION, NOTICED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH CRACKS AROUND THE SIDEWALLS MOUNTED. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, LT 235/85R16, FIRESTONE NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC
I HEARD A LOUD VIBRATING OR THUMPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. STOPPED AT A FIRESTONE IN SANTA FE, WHERE THEY SHOWED ME THAT LAYERS OF THREE OF THE TIRES WERE PEELING OFF FROM THE INSIDE. I BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES ON THE SPOT -- AT JUST 26,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. (TIRESIZE: LT245/75R)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT245/75R )
SIDE WALLS BULGING FROM BEAD TO THE TREAD AND CIRCUMFERENCE MIDWAY ON THE SIDEWALLS (TIRESIZE: LT 235/85)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT 235/85 )
REMAINING 3 TIRES SHOW STRESS MARKS ON SIDEWALLS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 8XORRAB359 TIRESIZE: LT23585R16)
THE TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE BLOW OUT WAS LOCATED AT THE INSIDE SIDEWALL, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO HOLES THAT COULD BE FOUND. WE BROUGHT THE TIRE INTO FIRESTONE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD FIND A HOLE BECAUSE THESE TIRES DON'T JUST BLOW. I WAS ALSO TOLD ON THE PHONE THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I HAD SUCH A HEAVY DUTY VEHICLE, OTHERWISE THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE ROLLED. JUST APPALLING TO HEAR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM A PERSON THAT WORKS AT THE FIRESTONE STORE. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS RECALLS HAPPENING NOW. WE ASKED IF THIS PARTICULAR TIRE WAS BEING RECALLED, BUT WAS TOLD "NO". WE ENDED UP BUYING ANOTHER TIRE AND THEY PRORATED THE RATE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 26575R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 26575R16 )
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE AIRPORT. HE WAS IN FRONT FOR A DROP OFF, AND REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE BLEWOUT. HE HAD TO CALL A TOWING COMING TO COME REPAIR IT. FIRESTONE, STEEL TEX RADIALS, R4S 16INCH, THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK DOT # VDOR. *SLC
THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STARTED SHOWING A SPOT WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE A BLISTER (AIR POCKET) UNDER THE TREAD ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. THE TREAD CAN BE PUSHED IN ABOUT AN 1/8 OF AN INCH. ALSO THE CENTER OF THE TIRE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TREAD SHOWS A DARKER COLOR THAN THE REST OF THE RUBBER.( DOT NUMBER: VDOR1XK TIRE SIZE: LT235/85 R )
THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL (265/75/16) EXPERIENCED BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING, THE TREAD SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE, TIRE SIZE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *MJS
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Quick Summary
The 1997 Ford F-250 has 40 Tires complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.