1998 Ford Ranger Tires

PE00020, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P22570R14, DOT HYKC138. REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE HAD A FLAT. OCCUPANT CHECKED THE TIRE AND TREAD STARTED TO PEEL OFF WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER TIRES LOSING AIR. FIRESTONE WAS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST HIM. *AK *SLC

WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 HEARD A SOUND, AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRES WERE FLAT. TREAD HAD CAME LOOSE FROM THE SIDEWALL IN THREE PLACES. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75/R15 *MW

A 1998 FORD RANGER ORGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WERE CHIPPING, DEALER REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. ALSO, THE NEW FIRESTONE TIRES WERE BUBBLING ON THE SIDE. *AK *ML

TIRE FAILED ON FREEWAY WHEN SIDEWALL RIPPED (ABOUT 7 INCHES) JUST UNDER THE TREAD LINE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75 R15 )

ON 08-13-99 I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TWICE WHILE ON RTE 24 IN RANDOLPH, MA - THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE BROKE DOWN AND THE TRUCK WENT OUT OF CONTROL ENDING UP OFF OF THE ROAD - THIS TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE DEALER AND IT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE DEALER TO LOCATE AN EXACT MATCH AS I WAS INFORMED THAT FIRESTONE WAS NOT PRODUCTION OF THIS TIRE AT THE TIME. ALTHOUGH THE START OF THE TROUBLE WAS IN FACT THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE OTHER DRIVER - THE FACT THAT THE TIRE BROKE DOWN RENDERED MY ABILITY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 02 7474 TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

GENTLEMEN,MY 1998 MODEL YEAR, 4X4 XLT, V-6 4.0L ENGINE, FORD RANGER (VIN# [XXX]) AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 31ST OF 1999, WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM AN OUT-OF-STATE JOB THAT I WAS WORKING IN YORK, PA BACK TO AVONDALE, AZ. I BELIEVED THEN AND I BELIEVE NOW THAT SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG OR "DEFECTIVE" WITH MY TRUCK AT THE TIME (AND AFTER) OF THE ACCIDENT. I EVEN HAVE WRITTEN STATEMENT(S) ON PUBLIC RECORD, THAT STATE, THAT I FELT SOMETHING WAS QUITE AMISS THAT DAY, THAT ALSO PRE-DATE THE TIRE RECALL FROM FIRESTONE THIS LAST AUGUST, 2000. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 3,692 (APPROX.) ACTUAL MILES ON IT AND I HADN'T EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT TO FORD CREDIT YET! NOR HAD I EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO GET IT PROPERLY REGISTERED IN MY HOME TOWN OF AVONDALE, AZ. THE TRUCK NEVER ACTUALLY MADE IT HOME TO AZ, AS IT'S STILL IN TULSA, OK AREA. NOT ONLY DID I LOSE ALOT OF TIME OFF FROM WORK, I ALSO LOST A VERY SPECIAL VEHICLE TO THIS PARTICULAR ACCIDENT, ONE THAT I HAD DREAMED OF FOR YEARS AND ONE THAT I HAD WAITED A VERY LONG TIME TO FIND (JUST THE EXACT ONE!) AND THEN FINALLY PURCHASE! ALSO, I MUST SAY THE TIME AND EFFORT IT HAS TAKEN ME AND MY FAMILY, INVOLVED IN JUST WORKING THROUGH THE AFTERMATH, HAS BEEN UNREAL! INVOLVED IN JUST WORKING THROUGH THE AFTERMATH, HAS BEEN UNREAL! IT TOOK ME OVER A YEAR TO JUST GET MY FINAL PAYMENT FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY RELATED TO THE PERSONAL PROPERTY LOSS ALONE! I AM STILL WORKING FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS ON THE FOLLOW-UP PAPERWORK, ASSOCIATED WITH THE REPLACEMENT COVERAGE ASPECT... I/WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH, AS I WAS VERY "BLESSED" THAT I WASN'T SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT ITSELF! FORTUNATELY, I SAVED TWO (2) OF THE FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES THAT WERE ON THE TRUCK AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IE; THE LEFT REAR, WHICH "SNAPPED-OFF" AT THE AXLE JUST BEFORE ROLLING OVER AND THE "SPARE" TIRE THAT WAS MOUNTED UNDERNEATH THE BED OF THE TRUCK. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A FLAPPING NOISE HITTING UP AGAINST VEHICLE. DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, P2257014, AND #DOT W2FC. HE HAS CONTACTED FIRESTONE.*AK THE CUSTOMER NOW HAS TIRE SEPARATION ON REAR TIRES ALSO. *YH

ALL FOUR TIRES HAD CRACKS IN THE TIRE THREAD. ONE TIRE HAD 14" SPLIT, SECOND TIRE HAD 4" SPLIT, THIRD TIRE HAD NUMEROUS 1" SPLITS AND THE FOURTH TIRE MANY 1/2" SPLITS. LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER STATED ROAD HAZARD CAUSED SPLITS. OLSEN TIRES (PURCHASED ROAD HAZARD PROTECTION) STATED TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, SPLITS IN THREADS WERE NOT CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD AND TIRES WERE WORN OUT. REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRES WITH FOUR NEW COOPER TIRES PURCHASED FROM ACTION GATOR TIRE DEALER. I HAVE THE FOUR OLD FIRESTONE TIRES IN MY POSSESSION FOR OBSERVATION BY NHTSA OR FIRESTONE. (DOT NUMBER: VN08 TIRESIZE: P235-70R16)

WHILE DRIVING, TIRES BEGAN TO 'THUMP' REPEATEDLY. TOOK TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP (SKANDER'S TIRE SERVICE IN EVANS CITY, PA) AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265/75R15 )

PE00-020; 35,000 MILES, P23575R15, DOT W2HL1PY407, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH FORD RANGER, 1998. ALL 4 TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS WHERE THE TREAD BEGINS/AT CORNER OF TREAD ,ON OUTSIDE OF SIDEWALL. CRACKS WERE ALL AROUND THE TIRE. CONSUMER WENT TO 3 TIRE SHOPS, INCLUDING FIRESTONE. THEY ALL RECOMMENDED TO GET TIRES REPLACED, EXCEPT FOR FIRESTONE. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT PP235/75/R15 *MW

TIRE BLEW (3 DISTINCT SECTIONS IN SIDEWALL), 65 MPH, ORIGINALS WHEN PURCHASED USED, WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES (RANGER COMES WITH 15")( DOT NUMBER: VN08IPU??? TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 225/70R15 TIRES, THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING HANDLING PROBLEMS AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD THUMPING NOISE AND WENT TO A TIRE DEALER WHO NOTICED TIRE TREAD HAD PEELED, DEALER ALSO NOTICED THE OTHER 3 TIRES WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION, RIGT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 WAS REPLACED, DOT VNHL. *SLC

I REPLACED ALL MY FIRESTONE TIRES WITH A LES SCHWAB BRAND THE DAY AFTER THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE WILDERNESS ATS I HAD WEREN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL. I SENT A LETTER TO THE FIRESTONE CORPORATE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICES ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED DESCRIBING WHAT HAD HAPPENED. KEITH RAHONAN OF FIRESTONE CALLED ME SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CONFIRMING THAT THEY HAD RECIEVED MY LETTER. HE TOLD ME THEY HAD A FILE ON RECORD WITH MY INFORMATION AND TOLD ME TO HOLD ON TO ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND THE TIRE THAT HAD FAILED. I OFFERED TO SEND HIM PICTURES (THEY WEREN'T DEVELOPED AT THE TIME I SENT THE LETTER) OF THE FAILED TIRE, BUT HE REFUSED THEM SAYING THAT THEY WOULDN'T SHOW HIM ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE PICTURES CLEARLY SHOW A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE TIRE AND THE SIDEWALL, AS WELL AS A BUBBLING UP OF THE MATERIAL AROUND THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE TIRE WALL. I HAD TAKEN ALL SAFELY PRECAUTIONS, INCLUDING PROPER TIRE INFLATION, WHICH I MEASURED ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDED INFLATION RATE ON THE TIRE ITSELF. I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUNAROUND BY FIRESTONE, AND I FEEL THEY AREN'T TAKING THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY. WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST IS THAT THEY ARE USING OTHER WILDERNESS TIRES TO REPLACE THE ONES BEING RECALLED--TIRES I FEEL SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY AREN'T SAFE. BECAUSE FIRESTONE HASN'T DEMONSTRATED TO ME THAT THEY CARE AND ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, I'VE FILED THIS COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA NOW HOPING IT WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I WILL GLADLY SEND A COPY OF THE LETTER I SENT TO FIRESTONE (IT GIVES A MORE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE TIRE FAILURE THAN I'VE PROVIDED HERE) AS WELL AS THE PICTURES I HAVE OF THE TIRE THAT FAILED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE PICTURES AND THE LETTER. THAN YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN AND EFFORTS IN PROTECTING THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN CONSUMERS. (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY138 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

I HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE. THE TIRES WERE WILDERNESS HT P225/70R15-100S. THESE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO ANY EFFECTIVE FIRESTONE RECALLS. I STILL HAVE ALL OF THE TIRES WHICH I BELIEVE ARE DEFECTIVE. I REPLACED THE TIRES AT THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER, PRIOR TO ANY RECALLS BY FIRESTONE, AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO FROM HERE.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE TRAVELLING ON THE I-5 IN FRESNO AT APPROXIMENTLY 70 MPH I HEARD A LOUD POP/BURST AND THE VEHICLE REAREND SLID TO THE LEFT INTO THE CONCRETE CENTER DIVIDER I MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL AND THE ENTIRE LEFT SIDE OF MY TRUCK SCRAPED ON THE CENTER DIVIDER, AFTER GAINING CONTROL I MOVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SECTION OF MY CAR WHILE MOVING TO THE SHOULDER. I GOT OUT AND SAW THAT MY RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD "EXPLODED" AND ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE BEADING, MELTED TO THE RIM, AND THE TREAD WRAPPED AROUND MY RIGHT REAR AXEL. I CHANGED THE TIRE AND PROCEEDED HOME. NO ONE WAS INJURED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

THREE TIRES HAVE HAD FAILURES ON THE HIGHWAY. 2 REPLACED W/PARTIAL WARRANTY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265-75R-15 )

FAILURE OF TIRES HAS NOT OCCURRED YET; HOWEVER, ALL 4 TIRES ARE FULL OF CRACKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE THREAD BLOCKS. ONE TREAD BLOCK ON ONE TIRE HAS SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS ON TIRES THAT ARE ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND AT THIS MUCH MILEAGE. CONCERNED THAT TIRE FAILURE IS BOUND TO HAPPEN AND TIRES HAVE PLENTY OF USUABLE TREAD LEFT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

SPARE TIRE GIVEN BY FORD IS P235 75 R15, THIS IS THE ONLY SIZE THAT WILL FIT INTO THE SPARE TIRE WELL, CONSUMER CURRENTLY HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P265 75 R15 AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PUT A SPARE ON IF NEEDED DUE TO THE DIFFERENCES IN SIZE. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING AND AFTER PARKING NOTICED TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATED. TIRES WERE NOT PART OF RECALL. *AK

WE WERE IN A RAINSTORM ON I-95 TRAVELING 70 MPH, WE SLOWED TO 55 IN THE RIGHT LANE AND THE TIRE STARTED TO WOBBLE, THEN IT BLEW. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE. IF THE PAVEMENT HAD BEEN DRY. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING 75MPH. IT COULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE. THE TIRE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL ALL THE WAY AROUND. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT WHEN THE TIRES ARE ROTATED EVERY 6,000 AS ORDERED.WE FEEL THIS IS A TIRE DEFECT. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

FRONT 2 TIRES ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED (~$190) AND BACK 2 NEED TO BE REPLACED NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 22570R15 )

YOU SHOULD NOT REPLACE PARTIALLY WORN TIRES WITH NEW TIRES UNLESS IN SETS! FIRESTONE ONLY REPLACES THE "VD" WILDERNESS TIRES. MY VEHICLE HAS 5 TIRES ON IT AND THEY GET ROTATED REGULARLY. THEY HAD WEAR ON ALL TIRES EQUALLY. ONLY 1 TIRE MET THE RECALL CRITERIA (VD). BUT I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES ON MY 4-WHEEL DRIVE FORD IN ORDER TO ASSURE EVENLY WORN TIRES. WHEN SAFETY IS AT STAKE, I SHOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE COST OF PROPERLY REPLACING MY TIRES ON ALL 5 WHEELS, WHEN THEY WERE ALL THE SAME TYPE, KIND, AND MANUFACTURER! FIRESTONE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE REPLACEMENT TIRES! HOW DID THEY ONLY PUT 1 OF THE DEFECTIVE (PROVEN) TIRES ON MY TRUCK AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I BOUGHT THEM ALL AT THE SAME DEALER? IF A TIRE LINE IS BAD, IT'S BAD THROUGHOUT! NOT JUST AT ONE PLANT! GIVE THE CONSUMER A BREAK! FORCE FIRESTONE TO RECALL THE ENTIRE WILDERNESS AT LINE OF TIRES!!!( DOT NUMBER: VDHL TIRE SIZE: P225/R7515 )

TIRES WILL NOT HOLD UP UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I AM RUNNING 8 PLUGS IN THESE TIRES. I DRIVE ONLY ON PAVED ROADS - TIRES LOOK GOOD, BUT DO NOT HOLD AIR. I HAVE TO INFLATE MY TIRES AFTER IT SETS OVERNIGHT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/75R15 )

I'M FILING THIS FOR MY DAD, WHO BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW IN 98.WHEN HE FIRST GOT THE TRUCK, A LARGE PIECE OF TREAD CAME OFF AND WHEN HE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY STEERED HIM TOWARD FIRESTONE WHO SAID HE MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN.HE KNOWS HE DIDNT HIT ANYTHING...BESIDES WHY WOULD IT ONLY HIT ONE TIRE IF HE RAN OVER SOMETHING SHARP ENOUGH TO CUT THE TREAD, BUT THAT DIDNT STICK IN THE TIRE? THERE IS ALSO A TERRIBLE ROARING SOUND COMING FROM THE TIRES.AFTER THIS RECALL STARTED HE TOOK THE TRUCK OVER TO FIRESTONE AGAIN AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES, AND SAID YES THERE WAS A LARGE KNOT ON ONE OF THE TIRES. WHEN HE TOOK IT IN TO BE REPLACED, WHICH THEY SAID THEY'D DO FREE OF CHARGE, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES HAD BEEN DRIVEN WITH THE IMPROPER WEIGHTS, OUT OF BALANCE AND WITH THE WRONG INFLATION. FIRESTONE ARE THE ONES WHO DO ALL HIS MAITENENCE!! SO IF THEY WERE WRONG, FIRESTONE DID IT! PLEASE HELP ME HELP MY DAD! I KNOW THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE FOR HIM AND MY MOM TO BE DRIVING ON!!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 14 )