NHTSA Complaint #726746 — 1996 FORD EXPLORER

TIRE DELAMINATED WHILE DRIVING ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED AND MY WIFE REACTED BY FURTHER SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT FURTHER VEHICLE JARRING/SWAYING. SHE WAS ABLE TO FIGHT THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND CROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER. THE TIRE FLAP TORE THE WHEEL WELL AND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING OVER$2000 DAMAGE. THIS FAILURE PUT THE LIVES OF MY WIFE, TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, TWO OTHER PASSENGERS, AND OTHER DRIVERS IN GRAVE DANGER. I AM OFFENDED THAT FIRESTONE AND FORD HAVE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY AND PUT CONTAINMENT PLANS INTO ACTION. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRANCE OF A TIRE ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE (WITH THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX TIRES). WHEN THE FIRST OCCURRED, WE NOTICED A THUMPING SOUND AND UPON INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE TREAD WAS MISSING (DOWN TO HE STEEL BELT) IN ONE LOCALIZED AREA OF THE INNER EDGE OF THE TREAD (ABOUT 4" DIAMETER FAILURE). I FOUND THIS AN ODD FAILURE AND APPROACHED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO ATTRIBUTED IT TO WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THEY CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY AND OFFERED NO SUGGESTION. THE SERVICE MANAGER EVEN RESORTED TO VULGER LANGUAGE DIRECTED AT ME. I SPOKE TO A CUSTOMER MEDIATOR AND BERGE FORD EVENTUALLY PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT FREE, BUT I PAID FOR THE TIRE REPLACEMENT (2 TIRES). I DID NOT REPORT THIS TO FIRESTONE AT THE TIME. THE FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT OF BOTH FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS. I CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH ENGINE PING AND GAVE UP AFTER BERGEFORD ATTEMPTED 3 TIMES TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )