NHTSA Complaint #748089 — 2000 FORD EXCURSION

FORTUNATELY FOR MY FAMILY AND I, WE WERE TRAVELING ALONG A STRAIGHT SECTION OF TURNPIKE JUST SOUTH OF TULSA, OK AT APPROXIMATELY 65-70MPH. WITHOUT WARNING, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE SIDEWALL IS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE TREAD. THE TREAD ON THE TIRE IS FINE AND THERE WERE NO PUNCTURES OR OTHER DEFECTS IN THE TIRE. IT TOOK THE TIRE TO TWO SEPARATE TIRE DEALERS (NOT FIRESTONE) FOR THEIR OPINIONS. BOTH INDICIATED THAT THE TIRE SUFFERED FROM A TOTAL SIDEWALL FAILURE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. BOTH DEALERS EXAMINED THE TIRE FOR PUNCTURES, ETC. THERE WERE NONE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE AND TIRE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ASSISTANCE. SO FAR, THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY RELUCTANT TO ASSIST. THEY HAVE AGREED TO REPLACE THE ONE TIRE. HOWEVER, I LIVE IN FEAR OF PLACING MY FAMILY OF FIVE IN MY PRACTICALLY NEW $40,000 VEHICLE. I HAVE ZERO CONFIDENCE IN THESE TIRES AND HAVE ORDERED REPLACEMENT TIRES (NON-FIRESTONE OF COURSE). THE PRIMARY REASON I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WAS SAFETY ON THE ROAD WITH MY FAMILY, NOW I DON'T HAVE THAT PEACE OF MIND WITH THESE TIRES. I'VE RESEARCHED SIMILAR INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET AFTER THIS OCCURRENCE AND FOUND AT LEAST 6 PHOTOS AND REPORTS OF THE EXACT SAME TYPE OF TIRE FAILURE OF THIS TIRE. I'D HATE TO IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS HAD BEEN ON A CURVED SECTION OF HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SPEED IF THE BLOWOUT HAD BEEN ON THE FRONT OUTSIDE TIRE. MY FAMILY AND I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE AROUND TO REPORT THIS TO YOU. I'M VERY CONCERNED AND UPSET WITH FORD, FIRESTONE, AND THE NHTSA FOR NOT PURSUING THIS WITH MORE VIGOR TO DATE. FORD HAS INDICATED TO ME, THESE TIRE FAILURES ARE WITHIN ACCEPTABLE INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND THEY DON'T WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT BY REPLACING MY TIRES. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THESE TIRE FAILURES FALL OUTSIDE "ACCEPTABLE INDUSTRY STANDARDS". PLEASE HELP. PLEASE RESPOND SO THAT I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING ON MY FAMILY'S BEHALF. (DOT NUMBER: VNW81X0260 TIRESIZE: LT26575R16)