NHTSA Complaint #766180 — 1999 FORD EXPEDITION

I WAS RETURNING FROM KANSAS CITY, MO. TO WOODBRIDGE, VA., TRAVELING ON I-70E AT THE 51 MM IN INDIANA. MY VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE JUST UNDER 70 MPH. (69 MPH APPROX.) SUDDENLY I FELT A VIBRATION AND SOUND THAT RESEMBLED DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS! THERE ALSO WAS IMMEDIATE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING, THOUGH NO LOSS OF CONTROL. I WAS DRIVING IN THE SLOW LANE (#2), SO I GENTLY APPLIED BRAKES AND MOVED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD COMPLETELY COME APART. THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CASING, AND THE SIDEWALL WAS CHEWED UP, EXPOSING THE WHITE PLYS UNDERNEATH! WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED AT THE GARAGE THAT TOWED ME, A TEAR, THAT WENT FROM THE RIM STRAIGHT OUT TO WHERE THE CASING MEETS THE TREAD WAS FOUND. THERE WERE NO FOREIGN OBJECTS OR BUBBLES IN THE TIRE, NOR HAD I RUN OVER ANYTHING, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE RIM. THE TIRE HAD ABOUT 90% TREAD ON IT .THIS VEHICLE HAD JUST RECEIVED A MAINTENANCE CHECK AND SERVICING AT A FORD DEALERSHIP IN PITTSBURGH, PENNA. ON 10AUG02. THIS WAS A "MULTI POINT INSP."(INCLUDING TIRE ROTATION) I WAS TOLD THAT "ALL TIRES, BRAKES, ETC. WERE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, REQUIRING NO MAINTENENCE BEYOND FLUID AND FILTER CHANGES THAT WERE BEING DONE AT THAT TIME. BASICALLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO THROW THE TREAD, (SEPARATE). I DO KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP, AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE SUPPLIED, AND THE RECENT PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONE, AND NOW CONTINENETAL TIRES, MY WIFE, WHO WAS WITH ME, AS WELL AS MYSELF ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AS WE OFTEN MAKE OUT OF STATE TRIPS. I WILL BE TAKING THE TIRE TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TOMORROW 8/26/02, FOR THEIR EVALUATION.*AK