NHTSA Complaint #733179 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

1.THE FIRST BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON JUNE 3, 1998, ON INTERSTATE 80 JUST SEVERAL MILES EAST OF THE TOWN OF FERNLEY, NEVADA. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 5,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF TWO (2) PASSENGERS, INCLUDING THE DRIVER, IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE TIRE THAT FAILED WAS THE LEFT (DRIVERS) REAR. 2.THE SECOND BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON JULY 23, 1999, ON A MAINTAINED GRAVEL ROAD NEAR THE TOWN OF JARBIDGE LOCATED IN NORTHERN ELKO COUNTY, NEVADA. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND TIRE FAILURE. THERE WERE THREE (3) PASSENGERS, INCLUDING THE DRIVER, IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE TIRE THAT FAILED WAS AGAIN THE LEFT (DRIVERS) REAR THAT WAS THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT. 3.THE THIRD BLOWOUT (TREAD SEPARATION?) OCCURRED ON AUGUST 25, 1999, ON A WELL-MAINTAINED GRAVEL ROAD NEAR THE OLD MINING TOWN OF BERLIN AND THE ICHTHYOSAUR STATE PARK LOCATED IN IONE VALLEY, NYE COUNTY, NEVADA. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 12,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE THIRD AND FOURTH TIRE FAILURES. A FOURTH TIRE FAILED WITHIN ONE (1) HOUR OF THE FIRST ON THE SAME ROAD. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF FOUR (4) PASSENGERS, INCLUDING THE DRIVER, IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF BOTH TIRE FAILURES. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENTS. THE THIRD TIRE THAT FAILED WAS AGAIN THE LEFT (DRIVERS) REAR. THE FOURTH WAS THE RIGHT REAR TIRE.*AK (TIRESIZE: P225/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )