NHTSA Complaint #747690 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

ON 6/30/01 THE TIRE TREAD ON THE LEFT (DRIVER SIDE) REAR TIRE OF OUR 1997 FORD EXPLORER SPORT SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN BODY OF THE TIRE. THIS RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED WHILE THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SHOOK AND CHANGED DIRECTION MULTIPLE TIMES. BOTH PEOPLE WERE IN THE FRONT SEATS AND WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS. ONE PERSON HIT HER HEAD ON THE SIDE WINDOW AND IS NOW EXPERIENCING NUMBNESS IN ONE OF HER HANDS AND OTHER AREAS. BOTH PEOPLE SUFFERED WHIPLASH AND SPRAIN TYPE OF INJURIES. THERE WAS NO IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLES OR OBJECTS DUE ONLY TO THE LOCATION OF THE ROAD AND THE TIME AT WHICH THE TREAD SEPERATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. IF THE TREAD HAD COME OFF THE TIRE 5 SEC. EARLIER MUCH MORE SERIOUS INJURY AND PROBABLY DEATH WOULD HAVE RESULTED AS THE VEHICLE WAS CROSSING A BRIDGE WITH A LOW GUARD RAIL. IF THE TIRE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON A RAOD WITH ANY HEAVIER TRAFFIC PRESENT A COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE AS THE VEHICLE JUMPED FROM LANE TO LANE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHEN THE TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE IT CAME OFF IN ESSENTIALLY 1 PIECE AND IN 1 ROTATION OF THE TIRE. THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WAS NEARLY INSTANTANEOS. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS A RESULT OF THE TREAD SEVERING CABLES, BENDING THE BODY AND UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR AS WELL AS SHATTERING THE TAIL LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN FROM LAS VEGAS, NV TO VISIT REALITIVES NEAR TEHACHAPI, CA. THE TIRE FAILURE HAPPENED AS THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON HWY. 58 APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES OUTSIDE OF TEHACHAPI, CA. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT LEFT LAS VEGAS. UPON STOPPING, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE TREAD WAS BEGINING TO SEPERATE FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AS WELL. IF IT HAD BEEN THE FRONT RATHER THAN THE REAR TIRE THAT FAILED FIRST, OR IF BOTH HAD FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, A ROLLOVER AND VERY SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITY WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY HAPPENED.*AK (TIRESIZE: 235/75/R15)