NHTSA Complaint #736161 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

MAY OF 2000, I WAS ENTERING THE INTERSTATE AND NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS GETING HARDER TO STEER. I MERGED FROM THE FAST LINE TO THE SLOW LANE IN ORDER TO PULL OFF TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. WHEN I GOT OUT TO CHECK MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. NO WARNING AND IT WAS FINE NOT 5 MINUTES BEFORE THAT. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO FIX IT AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE RIM. I WENT TO THE DEALER TO OBTAIN 2 NEW FRONT TIRES AND PAID OVER $200.00 FOR THEM. THE VIN STARTED WITH VN AND THE 2 NEW ONES START WITH W2. I THEN HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL AND JUST FIGURED THAT GOD MUST HAVE BEEN WITH ME ON THAT DAY TO MAKE MY TIRE GO FLAT BEFORE I COULD PICK UP ANY REAL SPEED. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT HAVING FIRESTONE RECALL ANY OTHER WILDERNESS AT TIRE, HOWEVER I THINK YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER. I HAVE TAKEN THESE TIRES OFF MY VEHICLE AS I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THEM. I REPLACED THEM WITH GOODYEAR. I THINK THERE IS A BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES THAN IS BEING SAID. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VN TIRESIZE: 23575R15)