NHTSA Complaint #731384 — 1993 FORD EXPLORER

I HAD TWO EARLY TIRE PROBLEM ONE BUBBLE ON TREAD AREA AND THE OTHER A CHUNK 5X10 INCHES CAME OFF WITH NO DAMAGE. IN EARLY SUMMER A LARGE SEPERATION FLAP CAUSED ABOUT $1500 DAMAGE TO THE LT REAR QUARTER PANEL AREA, WHICH FIRESTONE PAYED WITH NO QUESTIONS. LATER IN AUGUST THE RT. REAR SEPERATED WITH A SMALLER FLAP THAT DID ABOUT $500 DAMAGE. A CLAIM WAS NOT SUBMITTED HERE AS THE FAMILY WAS ON THE WAY TO ROCKY PT AND HAD NO ROOM TO STORE THE OLD TIRE. WE JUST HAD TO BUY ANOTHER ATX FIRESTONE TIRE BECAUSE THE TIRE STORE WASN'T A FIRESTONE STORE. JUST LAST MONTH, JULY 2000 I HAD A NOTICABLE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AT HIGHER SPEEDS YOU GUESSED IT, THE TREAD WAS STARTING TO BUBBLE. I BOUGHT A USED FIRESTONE ATX FROM THE DEALER THAT USED TO HANDLE MY TIRES. I NEEDED TO MATCH THE WEAR ON THE OTHER TIRE AS 4 WHEEL DRIVES REQUIRE EQUAL ROLLING RADIUS ON ALL WHEELS. I TOOK THE OLD TIRE TO THE FIRSTONE COMPANY STORE AND WAS TOLD BY THE MANAGER THAT THEY COULDN'T WARRANTEE IT BECAUSE THAT TIRE WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THAT I CONCIDER TO BE AN INTENTIONALLY MISS LEADY STATEMENT WHEN A TOTAL RECAL COME OUT TWO WEEKS LATER. I WAS NEVER OFFERED A SUBTITUTE FOR TIRES! I ALSO HAVE A SPARE THAT HASN'T BEEN ON THE GROUND IN YEARS, SINCE THE EARLYEST TIRE PROBLEM. THIS TIRE IS CHECKED, PEALING AND HAS PEA SIZED VOIDS IN THAT HAVE FALLEN FROM THE TREAD AREA. MY GUESS IS THAT THIS IS CAUSED BE THE HIGH RAD HEAT IN THE LOCAL AND IS GUARENTEED NOT FROM OF ROAD USE. I DECIDED TO RIGHT THIS BECAUSE ON THE TV NEWS TONIGHT THERE WAS A SEGMENT WEREIN IT WAS STATED THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN THAT MANY COMPLAINTS. WELL--- PHOOEY! NOT EVERYBODY COMPLAINS, IF A SET OF TIRE COST ME A WEEKS TAKE HOME PAY I'D COMPLAIN HARD. I THINK A LOT OF BETTER OFF PEOPLE (OR YUPPIE STAGECOACH DRIVERS) JUST THINK OH WELL BAD LUCK AND BUY MORE TIRES. I DO HATE TO GET SCREWED THOUGH. IV'E BEEN WAITING TWO WEEKS NOW FOR ACCEPTABLE ATX TYPE TIRES THAT WILL RUN ON A LITTLE SNOW OR ICE. LOOK DEEPER.