NHTSA Complaint #10354788 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

I OWN A 2008 FORD ESCAPE XLT WITH 29,950 MILES ON THE ORIGINAL CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV TIRES. IN THE PAST 6 WEEKS, I HAVE HAD 2 OF THE TIRES BLOW OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE TIRES APPEAR TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE 1ST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 7/26/10, WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW. THE TIRE TECHNICIAN WHO EXAMINED AND REPLACED THE TIRE (WITH A COMPARABLE CONTINENTAL TIRE) SAID THAT THE TIRE FAILED DUE TO BELT/TREAD SEPARATION. THE 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 9/6/10, WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. WE HAVEN'T REPLACED IT YET, BUT THE TIRE TECH SAID IT LOOKED IDENTICAL TO THE 1ST TIRE, AND HAD FAILED DUE TO BELT/ TREAD SEPARATION. I'VE CONTACTED BOTH FORD MOTOR COMP. AND CONTINENTAL TIRES. I WANT THEM TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND. CONSIDERING THAT I WAS DRIVING AT 75MPH WHEN BOTH TIRES BLEW, IT'S A MIRACLE THAT I DIDN'T WRECK. *TR