NHTSA Complaint #729985 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P255/70R16 TIRES LISTED IN THE REPORT WERE ON THE REAR VEHICLE (FORD 1997 EXPLORER, EDDIE BOWER 4X4, 4 DOOR MODEL). THESE TIRES APPEARED TO BE ORIGINAL. TOTAL VEHICLE MILES WERE APPROXIMATELY 62,000 MILES. TREAD WEAR WAS EXCELLENT FOR THESE TIRES. THERE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE-FOURTH INCH TREAD LEFT ON THESE TIRES. I HAVE BEEN INSPECTING EACH OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRES BEFORE AND AFTER EACH DAY'S COMMUTE. I NOTICED SMALL FRACTURES DEVELOPING AT THE EDGE OF THE TREAD WHERE IT MEETS THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. BOTH REAR TIRES EXHIBITED THE SMALL FRACTURES. DURING THE LAST INSPECTION (ON 08/23/00), I NOTICED THE FRACTURES WIDENING SIGNIFICANTLY. AT LEAST ONE OF THE FRACTURES ON THE OUTER SIDE OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXHIBITED STEEL WIRES PROTRUDING FROM THE BULGE. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUED USE OF THE VEHICLE AND CONTACTED A LOCAL FIRESTONE REPRESENTATIVE. BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL, THEY OFFERED TO INSPECT AND POSSIBLY PRORATE WARRANTY. I DID NOT WANT FIRESTONE REPLACEMENTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THESE MODEL TIRES HAVE DESIGN DEFECTS. I HAD ALL FOUR WILDERNESS TIRES ON THE VEHICLE REPLACED BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THE SECOND REAR TIRE HAD LARGER BULGES AND STEEL WIRE PROTRUSIONS ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I BELIEVE THAT THESE TWO REAR TIRES WERE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF CATASTROPHIC TREAD SEPARATION. THE FRONT TIRES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND I DO NOT THINK THEY ARE ORIGINAL. THEY APPEAR NEWER WITH MUCH MORE TREAD REMAINING THAN THE REAR TIRES. NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF DEFECT APPEAR ON THE FRONT TIRES. THE FRONT TIRE SPECIFICS FOLLOW: WILDERNESS AT P255/70R16. DOT VDCU1PX119. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, KENT E. PARRISH( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX076 TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )