NHTSA Complaint #728509 — 2000 FORD EXPLORER

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN NORMAL CONDITIONS. DROVE TO THE SHOULDER OF ROAD WHILE TRYING TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE. REPORTED PROBLEM TO FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. A HIGHWAY COURTESY VEHICLE STOPPED & GUY SWITCHED OUT TIRE. TOOK SHREDDED TIRE TO FIRESTONE (LOS COLINAS) FOR REPLACEMENT. FIRESTONE DEALER SAID, "THERE WAS PROBABLY A NAIL IN THERE SOMEWHERE." THE BAD TIRE HAD SHREDDED TREAD BUT THE INNER TUBE PART LOOKED INTACT - NO NAIL AND ALITTLE BIT OF AIR. REPLACED TIRE WITH ANOTHER WILDERNESS AT. NONE OF THE TIRES KEPT AIR WELL AFTER 8,000 MILES. REPLACED ALL TIRES WITH BRIDGESTONE DUELER HL AT ANOTHER DEALER. THE WILDERNESS ATS ON MY VEHICLE WERE NOT THE RECALLED TIRES BUT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255R70/16 )