NHTSA Complaint #726725 — 1997 FORD F-150

BOTH INCIDENTS, INVOLVED THE REAR RIGHT HAND TIRE POSITION LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE EXHAUST PIPE EXIT. IN BOTH CASES 90% OF THE TIRE SHREDDED BY ITSELF DOWN TO THE STEEL BELTS. TIRES REMAINED INFLATED IN BOTH CASES. BOTH TIRES HAD LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THEM. (ONE TIRE WAS A NEW REPLACEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER, THE 2ND WAS THE ORIGINAL SPARE). THE 1ST INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 20 MILES HIGHWAY TRAVEL AT 70MPH, HOWEVER THE PREVIOUS DAY THE TRUCK HAD COMPLETED 800 MILES CONTINUOUS HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 6 HOURS CONTINOUS HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 70MPH. IN BOTH CASES THE INCIDENT BEGAN WITH SEVERE "FELT-LIKE" WHEEL WOBBLE, THEN IMMEDIATE SEVERE JOLTING AND LURCHING OF THE TRUCK ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LANES OUT OF CONTROL. FORTUNATELY NO ACCIDENT OCCURED AND I STOPPED SAFELY. IN THE 2ND INCIDENT THE SHREDDING OF THE TIRE ALSO RIPPED OUT THE EXHAUST BARCKETS, BENT THE EXHAUST PIPE DOWNWARDS (REQUIRED RE-BENDING TO OBTAIN DECENT ROAD CLEARANCE). I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE. I REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES WITH NEW FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES AT FORD. I AM NOW DEEPLY WORRIED THAT THIS WILL OCCUR AGAIN, AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY I HEAR THERE ARE NOW REPORTS OF FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES SHEDDING. IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN GENERAL TIRES AND FIRESTONE, BOTH SUPPLIED BY FORD? IS THERE A CONECTION WITH THE EXHAUST EXHITING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TIRE CAUSING SEVERE OVER HEATING OF THE TIRE? I SHAL BE REPLACING THE EXHAUST WITH A REAR EXIT EXHAUST AT MULLINAX..*AK( DOT NUMBER: A308443276 TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )