NHTSA Complaint #729117 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

TIRE SEPARATION AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SPEED. WE HEARD NOISES AT FIRST WE MISTOOK FOR ROAD DEBRIS. IN FACT, IT WAS THE RUBBER SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY, THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT COMPLETELY WHILE WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE. WE STOPPED AT THE NEXT EXIT. THE AIR COULD BE HEARD HISSING AS IT RAPIDLY DEFLATED THE TIRE. WE HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AT A TIRE DEALER IN THAT AREA (STATESVILLE, NC) UNDER BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE LIMITED WARRANTY CLAIM NUMBER 7722731 AT A PRORATED PRICE. THE TIRE HAD 9/32 TREAD AT TIME OF CLAIM. REPLACEMENT TIRE IS ALSO A WILDERNESS A/T.( DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY107 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )