NHTSA Complaint #10371289 — 2000 FORD EXCURSION

ON OCTOBER 11, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MYSELF AND MY TWO CHILDREN; MASON 10 AND PRESTON 8, TO THEIR KARATE LESSONS. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 20 JUST WEST OF FORT WORTH, WHEN I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE ON OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW WE HAD HIT AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER, STARTED ROLLING AND LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. BY THE GRACE OF GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT! HOWEVER, THE EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THIS ACCIDENT, AND THE BEHAVIOR OF THE COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT ARE EXTREME EXAMPLES OF THE WORST IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR. APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WE SUFFERED A FLAT TIRE ON OUR VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE RUNNING TIRE WAS GOING TO REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT AND A TIRE WAS ORDERED FROM OUR LOCAL TIRE SHOP. WHEN MY HUSBAND PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE HE CHECKED FOR PROPER INFLATION AND MADE THE NECESSARY CORRECTIONS. IN FACT, ALL OF THE TIRES WERE CHECKED AGAIN FOR PROPER INFLATION, PRIOR TO US LEAVING ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED TRIP. AFTER THE ACCIDENT MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE WAY THAT THE TIRE HAD FAILED. ALL OF THE TREAD SEPARATED AND THE AIR PRESSURE WAS LOST INSTANTANEOUSLY. SINCE THAT DAY WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING: OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION WAS ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T LT265/75R16 TIRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE FULL SIZE SPARE TIRE. THIS TIRE WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION ON FEBRUARY 26, 2004. RECALL NUMBER 04T003000 THIS RECALL WAS THE RESULT OF A HIGH NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC TIRE TREAD SEPARATION FAILURES ON THE AFFECTED TIRES. AN INTERNAL E-MAIL FROM FORD WAS SENT TO DEALERS TO ADVISE THEM OF THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES THEY NEEDED TO TAKE TO HELP IN FACILITATING IN THE RECALL. NOTHING WAS DONE!