NHTSA Complaint #730432 — 1998 FORD RANGER

GENTLEMEN,MY 1998 MODEL YEAR, 4X4 XLT, V-6 4.0L ENGINE, FORD RANGER (VIN# [XXX]) AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 31ST OF 1999, WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM AN OUT-OF-STATE JOB THAT I WAS WORKING IN YORK, PA BACK TO AVONDALE, AZ. I BELIEVED THEN AND I BELIEVE NOW THAT SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG OR "DEFECTIVE" WITH MY TRUCK AT THE TIME (AND AFTER) OF THE ACCIDENT. I EVEN HAVE WRITTEN STATEMENT(S) ON PUBLIC RECORD, THAT STATE, THAT I FELT SOMETHING WAS QUITE AMISS THAT DAY, THAT ALSO PRE-DATE THE TIRE RECALL FROM FIRESTONE THIS LAST AUGUST, 2000. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 3,692 (APPROX.) ACTUAL MILES ON IT AND I HADN'T EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT TO FORD CREDIT YET! NOR HAD I EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO GET IT PROPERLY REGISTERED IN MY HOME TOWN OF AVONDALE, AZ. THE TRUCK NEVER ACTUALLY MADE IT HOME TO AZ, AS IT'S STILL IN TULSA, OK AREA. NOT ONLY DID I LOSE ALOT OF TIME OFF FROM WORK, I ALSO LOST A VERY SPECIAL VEHICLE TO THIS PARTICULAR ACCIDENT, ONE THAT I HAD DREAMED OF FOR YEARS AND ONE THAT I HAD WAITED A VERY LONG TIME TO FIND (JUST THE EXACT ONE!) AND THEN FINALLY PURCHASE! ALSO, I MUST SAY THE TIME AND EFFORT IT HAS TAKEN ME AND MY FAMILY, INVOLVED IN JUST WORKING THROUGH THE AFTERMATH, HAS BEEN UNREAL! INVOLVED IN JUST WORKING THROUGH THE AFTERMATH, HAS BEEN UNREAL! IT TOOK ME OVER A YEAR TO JUST GET MY FINAL PAYMENT FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY RELATED TO THE PERSONAL PROPERTY LOSS ALONE! I AM STILL WORKING FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS ON THE FOLLOW-UP PAPERWORK, ASSOCIATED WITH THE REPLACEMENT COVERAGE ASPECT... I/WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH, AS I WAS VERY "BLESSED" THAT I WASN'T SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT ITSELF! FORTUNATELY, I SAVED TWO (2) OF THE FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES THAT WERE ON THE TRUCK AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IE; THE LEFT REAR, WHICH "SNAPPED-OFF" AT THE AXLE JUST BEFORE ROLLING OVER AND THE "SPARE" TIRE THAT WAS MOUNTED UNDERNEATH THE BED OF THE TRUCK. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATI