NHTSA Complaint #728665 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

AFTER ABOUT 40000 MILES ON THE TIRES I STARTED HAVING TROUBLES STEERING THE CAR. I HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES. IT WAS ALWAYS OKAY. I WAS HAVING SO MUCH TROUBLE THAT I WORE SOME OF THE COVERING OFF THE STEERING WHEEL. FINALLY MY FORD DEALER SAID IT LOOKED AS IF I WAS HAVING TREAD SEPERATION. HE SHOWED ME AND I WENT TO MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER. HE SAID TREAD SEPERATION WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THEIR TIRES EVEN THOUGH I SHOWED HIM WHERE IT WAS STARTING TO COME OFF. HE CHECK THE ALIGNMENT, CHANGED IT A LITTLE AND SWITCHED MY FRONT TIRES-LEFT TO RIGHT. IT FELT OKAY, BUT I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT I HEARD SO I WENT TO MY FORD DEALER AND HAD HIM REPLACE THE TIRES. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED, BUT IF I HADN'T TAKEN ACTION THERE COULD HAVE BEEN. FIRESTONE IGNORED MY COMPLAINT AND DISAVOWED THE PROBLEM.( DOT NUMBER: VD-- TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )