NHTSA Complaint #10098833 — 2000 FORD EXCURSION

I PURCHASED 4 BIG O BIG FOOT AT TIRES IN AUGUST 2003. IN THE FOUR MONTHS BETWEEN JULY 2004 AND NOVEMBER 2004, I EXPERIENCED 3 SEPARATE HIGH-SPEED CATASTROPHIC BLOW-OUTS ON 3 OF THE TIRES. IN EACH CASE, I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (65 MPH) WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST WAS ON A WARM SUMMER DAY, THE SECOND WAS ON A MODERATE DAY, THE THIRD WAS AT ABOUT 35 DEGREES. THE FIRST TWO BLOW-OUTS OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE THIRD WAS ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF EACH OF THE FIRST TWO TIRES, THE REMAINING THREE WHEELS WERE ROTATED. IN EACH CASE, IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT IN THE THIRD CASE (REAR TIRE), THE CAR SKIDDED DANGEROUSLY OUT OF CONTROL AS THE REAR END SWAYED BACK AND FORTH. HAD I NOT STEERED INTO THE SKID, I AM CERTAIN THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE ROLLED OVER. THE BIG O DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIRES EACH TIME, BUT INSISTED THAT THE FAILURES COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ENCOUNTERING SOME ROAD HAZARD WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO DE-PRESSURIZE QUICKLY, HEAT UP AND THEN BLOW. HOWEVER, THREE HIGH-SPEED BLOWOUTS IN FOUR MONTHS INDICATES NOT AN ISOLATED CIRCUMSTANCE OR COINCIDENCE, BUT A DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY PATTERN. *JB