NHTSA Complaint #727588 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

ON MAY 10TH, 2000 WHILE DRIVING ON US41 AT A SPEED OF APPROX. 58 MPH, THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE OF THE VEHICLE CAME OFF OF THE TIRE CASING WHICH CAUSED ME TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSTALLING THE SPARE TIRE, I WENT TO MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER AND QUESTIONED IF THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY ON THE TIRE. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOT. HE INDICATED THAT THE TIRE MIGHT HAVE BEEN RUN ON LOW AIR PRESSURE. NATURALLY I COULD NOT DISPROVE HIS THEORY. I PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING AGAIN. I TOLD THE DEALER THAT I WOULD BE BACK TO REPLACE THE OTHER TWO WHEN I HAD THE MONEY TO DO SO. IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN SOME FIRESTONE 15 INCH TIRES OF THE SAME TYPE. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTIFY THE NHTSA THAT THERE IS ALSO A GOOD CHANCE THAT THE 16 INCH VERSION OF THIS TIRE MAY BE DEFECTIVE ALSO.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )