NHTSA Complaint #727159 — 1998 FORD EXPEDITION

WHILE DRIVING OUR EXPEDITION ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATLY 55 MILES PER HOUR, OVER SMOOTH DRY ROAD CONDITIONS SUDDENLY THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED, I FELT THE TRUCK LIFT UP A LITTLE THEN WE COULD HEAR THE RIM SCRAPING ON THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER IMEDIATLY AND COULD SEE THAT THE TIRE LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD DISINTEGRATED. AFTER CHANGING IT WITH THE SPARE TIRE I TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE TRUCK, THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO CALL BACK LATER IN THE WEAK TO TALK TO AN REPRESENTATIVE SO I CALLED THEM BACK ON MONDAY AND THEY TOLD ME I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND THATS WHAT MUST HAVE HAPPEND. I TOLD THEM NO I DID NOT AND THAT I AM A CAREFULL DRIVER YOU SEE MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WHERE ALSO IN THE CAR WITH ME AT THE TIME,BESIDES I WOULD HAVE SEEN OR HEARD THE NOISE IF I HAD HIT SOMETHING. THEY WHERE VERY RUDE TO ME. THEN I TOLD MY WIFE WHAT THEY SAID AND SHE WAS VERY UPSET WITH THEM ( KORUM FORD ) SHE CALLED AND COMPLAINED AND GOT VERY ANGRY WITH THEM OVER THE PHONE AND THEY HUNG UP ON HER, SO WE SENT A LETTER TO FORD MOTOR CO . I THEN TOOK THE TIRE TO GOODYEAR AND THEY AT LEAST TREATED ME WITH SOME RESPECT THEY SAID THE TIRE COULD BE SENT OUT FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY WHICH IF IT SHOWED NO DEFECT IN THE TIRE THEN I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FULL PRICE OR THEY COULD SIMPLY DISCOUNT A NEW TIRE BY 50% SINCE IT WAS A QUESTIONABLE CAUSE. THE GOODYEAR DEALER TOLD ME IN HIS OPINION THE TIRE FORD USES IS TOO LIGHT FOR SUCH A BIG TRUCK, THE EXPEDITION FALLS JUST UNDER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT FOR THE TIRE AND SINCE IT IS A TALL VEHICLE IT LEANS A LOT AROUND CORNERS PUTTING A LOT OF STRESS ON THE TIRE.THEN I REMEMBERED THAT WHEN THE TIRE BLEW I HAD JUST COME OUT OF SOME S CURVES IN THE ROAD. WHEN THE TIRE BLEW IT ALSO DAMAGED THE RIM WHICH IS A $350 DOLLAR RIM AND THE COST OF A NEW TIRE IT WAS ABOUT $500 DOLLARS!! A BIT EXPENCIVE FOR A BLOW OUT . BUT AT LEAST NO ONE WAS HURT ! HAD I NOT BEEN ATTENTIVE TO MY DRIVING WE COULD HAVE CRASHED INTO THE FULLSIZE VAN N