NHTSA Complaint #756357 — 2000 FORD EXCURSION

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT POSTED SPEED (65) AND HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AT TIME OF TIRE FAILURE. JUST A FEW MOMENTS (APPROX 1 MINUTE) BEFORE THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO WANT TO "WANDER" A BIT AS IF A TIRE WERE A BIT LOW. THEN THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION, THE VEHICLE DROPPED TO THE RIGHT REAR, WE GOT A LOT OF VIBRATION AND LOUD INTERNAL NOISE. WE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND MANUEVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BOTH SIDEWALLS HAD BLOWN COMPLETELY FREE OF TREAD "BELT" SEPARATING FAIRLY UNIFORMLY ALONG A LINE ROUGHLY 1 INCH BELOW THE TREAD. TIRE WAS IN 3 DISTINCT PIECES, ALL 3 PIECES IN TACT AND WRAPPED AROUND THE WHEEL AND AXLE. ONLY VISIBLE BREAK IN INTERIOR SURFACE OF TREAD WAS A PIECE OF THE STEEL BELT MATERIAL PROTRUDING INTO THE TIRE APPROX 3/8 INCH. OTHERWISE, INTERIOR SURFACE CLEAN AND SMOOTH. NO EXTERNAL PUNCTURES OF ANY KIND. EXPLOSION WAS VIOLENT AND FEEL ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SAVED THE DAY FOR US. PERSON FOLLOWING BEHIND SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A TIRE EXPLODE LIKE THAT (I.E. VERY VISIBLE FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET BEHIND). WE HAVE PHOTOS AND THE REMAINS OF DESTROYED TIRE, PLUS ALL 3 OF THE OTHER ORIGINALS IF NEEDED. IMMEDIATELY REPLACED ALL 4 WITH ANOTHER BRAND.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VNW81XY459 TIRESIZE: 265/75R16)