NHTSA Complaint #728035 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

WE PURCHASED THE 97 EXPLORER IN 1999 - AS A NEW VEHICLE - WITH 9,000 MILES ON IT. WE ORIGINALLY NOTICED THAT THE TIRES HAD A PROBLEM IN APRIL OF 2000 AND EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT. WE TOOK TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT THAT DID NOT HELP. THEY ROTATED THE TIRES THAT HELPED WITH THE STEERING PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THE TIRES HAD ALREADY BEGAN TO SHOW SIGNED OF TREADWEAR CRACKING AND SIDEWALL CRACKING. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES AND WE SHOULD NOT BE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH OUR TIRES AT THIS TIME. AFTER THE RECALL NOTICE, WE TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REFERRED US BACK TO FIRESTONE. FIRESTONE STATED THEY ARE NOT RECALLING OUR DOT NUMBER TIRE AT THIS TIME, BUT WE FEEL THAT THIS TIRE IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD IN HAULING OUR FAMILY AND FEEL FIRESTONE NEEDS TO RECALL THESE TIRES AS WELL. WE HAVE ALWAYS USED FIRESTONE TIRES AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED OR SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE FIRESTONE RECALL THESE TIRES AS WELL, IN ORDER TO SAVE OUR LIVES AS WELL AS THE LIVES OF MANY OTHERS! THAT COULD VERY WELL BE PREVENTED NOW!( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: P2357515 )