2003 FORD EXPEDITION Tires Problems

2003 FORD EXPEDITION, WITH FACTORY ORIGINAL TIRES BY CONTINENTAL, HAD A TIRE TREAD SEPARATION ON JUNE 11 WHICH RESULTED IN ONE DEATH AND FOUR SERIOUS INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A TREE...UPDATED 02/02/17 *BF *TR

GOODYEAR TIRE BLOWOUT. SIZE: 265/75/17 #1306431. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65MPH, WE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION OF RIGHT REAR TIRE. TIRE HAD APPROXIMATELY 60-70% TREAD LEFT. *TR

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND TIRE TREAD CAME OFF AND DID $1,700.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO REAR QUARTER PANEL AND BUMPER. CONTINENTAL TIRE AGREED TO PAY DAMAGES BUT NOT REPLACE TIRES. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGES, I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER 30 DAYS FOR THE CHECK WHICH IN THE LETTER THEY SENT STATED I WOULD RECEIVE IT WITHIN 8-14 DAYS. I FEEL THEY ARE GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. *TR

WE HAD 2 TIRES BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING OUR FORD EXPEDITION ON I-95 IN FLA ALMOST FLIP TWICE THE SKIN OF THE TIRES CAME OFF DURING DRIVING AT 65 MPH TIRES ARE CONTINENTAL SUV P265/70/R17 DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK AS WELL AS LOTS OF EXPENSES FOR TOWING AND REPAIRS $700.00 DOLLARS PLUS THE TOWING COMPANY PUT THE SPARE ON ALSO A CONTINENTAL 20 MINUTES LATER IT ALSO BLEW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC INSTALLED A SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. WITHIN 20 MILES, THE SPARE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TIRE LINE WAS CONTINENTAL SPORT LT/SUV, SIZE P265/70/R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE HAD 30,000 MILES ON IT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,628.

ON OCT 23 WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A THUMPING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A LARGE BUBBLE STICKING OUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE BETWEEN THE TREAD AND THE SIDEWALL. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME FAILURE THAT I EXPERIENCED ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IN AUG. IN BOTH CASES I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A SHORT PERIOD ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS PREPARING TO REJOIN THE INTERSTATE. I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT BOTH WERE DISCOVERED PRIOR TO AN EXPLOSIVE FAILURE AND TREAD SEPARATION AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FIRST TIRE THE DEALER CLAIMED IT MAY OF BEEN SOME SORT OF IMPACT, WHICH I DOUBTED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS MAINLY USED FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING. HOWEVER AFTER THIS SECOND TIRE, IT IS APPARENT TO ME THAT THE TIRE IS FAILING BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. IT APPEARS TO BE SEPARATING WHERE...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV TIRES, SIZE P265/70R17. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIMMY AND SHAKE, FOLLOWED BY A CLICKING NOISE. THE DRIVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXHIBITED TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 68,000.

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND TREAD SEPARATION. BELTS WERE RUSTY UPON INSPECTION (IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING FAILURE). REMAINING WIRECOAT SHOWED RUST REMNANTS IMPREGNATING RUBBER WHERE THE WIRE PREVIOUSLY WAS. TIRE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF IMMINENT FAILURE PRIOR TO INCIDENT. *TR

CRACKS ON 3 OF 4 TIRES. NO ACTION TAKEN. *TR

DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY 50, OUTSIDE SACRAMENTO AT ABOUT 65MPH IN THE EARLY EVENING ON 9/21/08 WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THE BACK END OF THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SWING OUT OF CONTROL. I MANAGED TO REMAIN IN CONTROL AND GET TO THE EDGE OF THE FREEWAY. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE TIRE, THE TREAD FROM THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS TOTALLY GONE, BUT THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. THE TREAD HAD CAUSED QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE TO MY BACK PANEL AND BUMPER ASSEMBLY. *TR

I WAS TAKING MY COUSIN TO THE JACKSONVILLE AIRPORT. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES OUTSIDE OF JACKSONVILLE WHEN MY TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF MY SUV. THE SUV ROLLOVER SIX OR SEVEN TIMES. THE TREAD PART OF THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ALSO. *TR

1ST OCCURRENCE WAS A SIDE WALL BULGE COMBINATION FLAT IN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH NEW. 2ND MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE (08-03-2008) WAS A COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION ON THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 10 FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS FROM PHOENIX TO LOS ANGELES. SPEED WAS 65MPH TO MAXIMIZE GAS CONSUMPTION IN THE #2 LANE. *TR

TREAD SEPARATION- CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV, P265/70 R17, DOT ADT6 45EW 2802, 2003 FORD EXPEDITION, 63,504 MILES, ALL TIRES HAD GOOD TREAD REMAINING, REPLACED ALL TIRES, LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL BADLY DAMAGED. *TR

2ND SET OF CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC TIRES ON 2003 EXP. FORD TIRES CONTINUE TO GO FLAT ON WEEKLY BASIS. AFTER PUTTING CORRECT LBS OF AIR WITHIN 2 DAYS DOWN TO LESS THEN 10-15LBS 2ND SET HAS BEEN ON FOR LESS THEN 18 MONTHS. NOTE: 17 INCH MODEL IT IS NOT LISTED UNDER TIRE TYPE NOTE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING TIRE PROBLEM ON SAME MODEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC AW TIRES (SIZE P27560R17). ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE TIRES, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN AIR BUBBLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. SHE RETURNED TO THE STORE AND EXCHANGED THE FAILED TIRE. A FEW MONTHS LATER, SHE NOTICED AN AIR BUBBLE ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. A SALES REPRESENTATIVE FROM WAL-MART STATED THAT THE ENTIRE BATCH OF TIRES WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WITH A GOODYEAR TIRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND ALL OF THE CABLES WERE EXPOSED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE TIRES ARE UNSAFE. THE DOT NUMBER, VIN, ENGINE SIZE, # OF CYLINDERS, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 97,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE BRIDGESTONE DUELER AT 840 TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE TIRE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND MELT. THE CONTACT IS CURRENTLY DRIVING ON THE SPARE TIRE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED HER TO CALL THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. BRIDGESTONE STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TIRE. THE TIRE SIZE IS P265/70R17. CURRENTLY, THE TIRE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS PHOTOS AVAILABLE. THE FUEL SYSTEM, POWERTRAIN, AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 60,625 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,620.

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING HE NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION AROUND 72 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT VERIFY THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE CONSUMER DID HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED AND THE VEHICLE REALIGNED. THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING AND THE VIBRATION WAS SO BAD THAT IT DID CAUSE INJURY TO HER WRISTS. ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS LATER THERE WAS HAD A DEFECTIVE TIRE ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE, BUT THIS HAD BEEN ROTATED FROM THE FRONT. THE SERVICE INVOICE STATED THAT THE TIRE HAS HOP-IN-TIRE, AND WAS OUT OF ROUND. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER STATED IF IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE OR REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY MILES ON THE TIRE. *AK *NM

I BOUGHT A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS W/ THE RIDE, ONLY TO BE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE ALL OF THE TIRES. I ONLY HAVE 20000 MILES (ALMOST ALL HIGHWAY) ON THE TIRES, WITH GOOD TREAD DEPTH. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN "THEY'VE HAD TONS OF PROBLEMS" WITH THE CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV TIRES. IF THIS IS THE CASE, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL? THIS VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STEER WITH THE TIRE PROBLEM, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THE CONSUMER THAT PAYS FOR THESE FLAWS.*AK

MY EXPEDITION IS A 1YR AND 5 MONTHS. WITH LESS THAN 500 MILES PAID FOR A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION, BECAUSE OF BAD VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OF 60-70 MILES AN HOUR. STILL HAD VIBRATION, TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER, THEY SAID THE TRUCK CAME WITH TIRES OUT OF BALANCE. STILL HAD VIBRATION, TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP, A BOX DEALING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAVE PAID FOR ANOTHER FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND TIRE BALANCE, NOW TIRES HAVE WORN SO BAD DEALERSHIP WILL PROBABLY BLAME WORN TIRES FOR THE VIBRATION. THERE IS MORE!!! THE SEAL ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CAME LOOSE AND STARTED LEAKING, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN THE FRONT DEFROST VENT SOME FOAM STUFF HAD COME LOOSE AND WOULD FLAP AROUND WHEN THE VENT WAS ON, THE DEALERSHIP CALLED IT ( PACKING) IT WAS REPLACED OR GLUED BACK DOWN....

THERE WAS EXCESSIVE TREAD WEAR AND EXPOSED STEEL BELTS ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE SHOWED EXACTLY THE SAME SIGNS. HAD TO PURCHASE TWO NEW TIRES AFTER 16K MILES.*AK

THIS IS TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC TR TIRES THAT CAME STANDARD ON THE 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF AN EMAIL THAT I SENT TO THE CONTINENTAL CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT HAS ALL OF THE INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED TO START LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS SINCE I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. YOU HAVE A LENGTH OF ONLY 2000 WORDS AND MY MESSAGE TO THEM IS TOO LONG SO PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR THE REST OF THE MESSAGE. DEAR RASHIDA, (OR WHOMEVER ELSE SEES THIS MESSAGE) I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND CONCERN THIS MORNING. I HAVE SOME INTERESTING NEWS. I THINK IT IS QUITE ASTOUNDING AND WILL WARRANT SOME MAJOR ATTENTION FROM THE POWERS THAT BE. NOT ONLY IS THE DAMAGE TO MY...

CONTINENTAL TIRES, SIZE P265/70R15; WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. *AK

AFTER 200 MILES I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, FLOORBOARDS, AND STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC 17 INCH TIRES. FORD TRIED FORCE ALIGNING THE TIRES. FORD MOTOR CO. AND DEALER SAYS IF I WANT A BETTER RIDE I NEED TO BUY NEW TIRES. I FOUGHT THEM ON THIS AND THEY BOUGHT ME BRAND NEW BF GOODRICH LONG TRAIL TIRES. I STILL HAVE VIBRATION. I FEEL THAT THIS PROVES IT IS THE EXPEDITION AND NOT THE TIRES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD! *CB

2003 EXPEDITION SHAKES WHILE TRAVELING, WITH THE SHAKE/VIBRATION INCREASING AS SPEED INCREASES, AND BECOMES SEVERE. HAVE HAD TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES NOW, BUT CONTINUES. IN SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE, AND APPEARS TO BE LINKED TO THE CONTINENTAL TIRES. BETWEEN THE SHAKE IN THE VEHICLE AND UNKNOWN WHAT IS OCCURRING TO TIRES AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELS AND SHAKES, I WOULD THINK THERE IS A RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRES THAT COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS. FORD SEEMS TO BE SHIRKING THE ISSUE, WHICH SEEMS STRANGE TO ME BASED ON THE ISSUES THEY EXPERIENCED WITH TIRES AND THE EXPLORER.*AK

WHEN DRIVING 70 MPH OR HIGHER STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK EXCESSIVELY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNSTABLE. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TIRES TWICE, AND REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR BOX. HOWEVER PROBLEM RECURRED. DEALER INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT IT COULD NOT BE FIXED. *AK

I PURCHASED A 2003 EXPEDITION IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002. I REPORTED A VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL, A CLANKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END, ALONG WITH A SLIPPAGE WHEN TAKING OFF AS VEHICLE SEEMS TO NOT WANT TO RESPOND WHEN PUSHING ON THE GAS. THEY STATED THE ENGINEERS WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM AND WHERE WORKING ON IT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THESE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. ON THE 2 APPOINTMENT FOR MY VEHICLE I STATED TO THE SERVICE AREA THAT MY BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, AND I WOULD HAVE NO BRAKES. THEY TOLD ME MY BRAKES WERE FINE ALTHOUGH THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING EVER SINCE. AS OF OCT. 9, 2003 THEY HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE A WEEK, AND ARE STATING THEY DO NOT KNOW THESE PROBLEM EXISTING WITH ANY OTHER EXPEDITION SO THEY ARE UNSURE HOW TO FIX THE...

VIBRATION FROM TIRES WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.*AK

ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THE ABS SYSTEM HAS FAILED TO PERFORM AS DESCRIBED BY THE MANUFACTURER. UPON STOPPING WHEN THE ABS TAKES OVER MY VEHICLE BUCKS AND SENDS ME BUCKING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS IS THE WAY THE ABS WORKS. THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAS VERY POOR VISIBILITY, THERE ARE MANY LARGE BLIND SPOTS. *NLM

THE TRACTION ON ALL FOUR TIRES WERE NOT GOOD WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *NLM *SCC *JB

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 TO 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A VIBRATION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE IS BAD TIRES. SCC

THERE WAS EXCESSIVE TREAD WEAR AND EXPOSED STEEL BELTS ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE SHOWED EXACTLY THE SAME SIGNS. THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BLEW OUT ALONG WITH SIDE WALL SEPARATION ABOUT 18 INCHES LONG. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS OR UNUSUAL TREAD WEAR ON THIS TIRE, CONSUMER STATES THE SPARE TIRE ALSO EXHIBITED THE SIGNS. *JG

WHILE TRAVELING AT 62-65 MPH ON DRY, SMOOTH PAVEMENT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SUFFERED A SUDDEN SIDEWALL BLOWOUT. BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WALLS WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED. I HAVE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. LUCKILY IT WAS A REAR TIRE AND NOT A FRONT TIRE AT THAT SPEED. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 8000 MILES ON IT AND HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP WITHIN THE LAST 3 WEEKS AND ALL TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED. MY CONCERN AT THIS TIME IS THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE OTHER THREE TIRES AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY WHILE TRAVELING ON THESE TIRES. IF THIS TIRE HAS A HISTORY OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS PLEASE ADD THIS ACCIDENT TO IT... IF NOT PLEASE START A NEW FILE AND TRACK POTENTIAL MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEMS. DT