NHTSA Complaint #739605 — 1996 FORD EXPLORER

INCIDENT OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY, 2000, PRIOR TO INFORMATION IN THE PRESS ABOUT TIRE FAILURE. MY SON AND HIS GIRLFRIEND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN THEY ACCELERATED THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER AND CALLED FOR HELP. THEY REPORTED THAT THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED AND THAT ALL THAT WAS LEFT WERE A FEW PIECES. THERE WAS A DRIVING RAIN STORM AT THE TIME,AND THEY HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING HELP THAT NIGHT. WE DID NOT LINK THIS PROBLEM WITH TIRE FAILURE UNTIL WE STARTED TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROBLEM ON THE NEWS. WE WERE GRATEFUL THAT THE BLOWOUT HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS AT A STOP, AND NOT WHILE OUR SON WAS DRIVING . HE HAD BEEN ON A ROAD WITH A STEEP INCLINE, AND HAD TURNED ON TO A ROAD THAT PARALLELED THE OCEAN. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )