NHTSA Complaint #743678 — 1994 FORD EXPLORER

WHEN I PURCHASED MY NEW 1994 FORD EXPLORER, IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE FRONT END SHOOK. NO ELSE BUT ME DROVE THE EXPLORER SO I CHALK IT UP TO DRIVING A UTILITY VEHICLE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITHOUT ANY UNDUE STRESS, HOWEVER, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT ALL THE TIRES BEGAN TO SEPARATE. I COULD SEE THE CHROME STEEL BELT BETWEEN THE TREAT AND THE SIDE WALL. I USED TO APPLY ARMORAL TO THE TIRES SO THOUGHT MAYBE THE SUN WAS CRACKING THE TIRES. AS TIME WHEN ON, THE FRONT CONTINUE TO SHAKE AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR OF MY VEH. FOR THE MOST PART I WOULD DRIVE FROM THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CA. TO LOS ANGELES TO SEE MY FAMILY OTHERWISE MY EXPLORER GOT LITTLE MILES LOCALLY. ALL OF THE TIRES HAD TO BE EVENTUALLY REPLACED (MY COST), BUT THE FIRST TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE AND I TOOK IT TO REPLACE IT AT A FIRESTONE DEALER, "TIRE WORLD" IN MERCED CA. I TOLD TIRE WORLD THAT THE FRONT END WAS SHAKING AND THAT THE TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE. TIRE WORLD TOLD ME THAT THE ONE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT COULD NOT BE PRORATED BECAUSE OF THE UNEVEN WEAR. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT END NEEDED NEW CAMS. I REPLACED THE TIRE AND HAD THE EXPLORER FRONT AND REAR ALIGNED. THE FRONT END CONTINUED TO SHAKE BUT THERE WAS NO UNUSAL WEAR TO THE NEW FRONT TIRE. HOWEVER, THE OTHER FRONT TIRE ALSO BEGAN TO SEPARATE DURING A TRIP FROM CHOWCHILLA TO LOS ANGELES. WHILE PASSING THROUGH BAKERSFIELD,CA, A LARGE PORTION OF THE OLDER FRONT TIRE FELL OFF. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND PUT ON THE SPARE TIRE (SAME) I CONTINUED MY JOURNEY AND REPLACED THE DAMAGED/SEPARATED TIRE AT FIRESTONE DEALER, "TIRE STATION" IN WHITTIER. I REPLACED THE ONE TIRE. I KNOW HAD TWO NEW FRONT TIRES, HOWEVER THE FRONT END CONT. TO SHAKE BECAUSE THE INTERIOR CONSOLE WOULD SHAKE AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD. OVER TIME, THE REAR TWO TIRES WERE MORE PRONOUNCED AND BEGAN TO SEPARATE. ON 11/12/00 I RETURNED TO "TIRE WORLD" AND HAD THE OTHER TWO TIRES REPLACED. (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)