NHTSA Complaint #739006 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON MY FORD EXPLORER SPORT FAILED WHILE TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON A DRY FLAT COOL ROADWAY IN APRIL 1999. THE NATURE OF THE FLAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL...SO CATASTROPHIC THAT I MADE A SEARCH OF THE ROADWAY FOR SEVERAL FEET TO LOOK FOR DEBRIS. I FOUND NONE, HOWEVER THE TIRE LOOKED AS THOUGH THE TREAD HAD BEEN PEELED AWAY FROM THE TIRE ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRES WERE ADEQUATELY INFLATED AND THE FAILURE OCCURED QUICKLY. THE TIRE HAD ALMOST 19,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AND TAKEN BY THE TIRE DEALER. I REPLACED IT AT MY OWN COST. THERE WERE NO INJURIES IN THIS ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE THIS TO SHOW UP IN THE RECORD BECAUSE I AM SUSPICIOUS THAT THE 16" WILDERNESS AT TIRES MAY ALSO ME FAULTY, DESPITE WHAT FIRESTONE AND FORD SAY. *AK (TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )