1998 FORD RANGER Tires Problems

WHILE ON FREEWAY LEFT REAR TIRE FAILED. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE CRASHED INTO CENTER DIVIDER. VEHICLE TOTAL LOSS. THE TIRE FAILURE APPEARS AS TREAD SEPARATION. *TR

ON JULY 10, 2003 MY COUSIN'S 1998 FORD RANGERS LEFT REAR TIRE PEELED APART, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO FLIP AND BLOW-UP. THERE WAS NO WARNING, WHAT-SO-EVER. MY COUSIN AND A PASSENGER WERE BOTH KILLED. THE REAR TIRES WERE COOPER DISCOVERER H/T TIRES. A TIRE EXPERT LATER DETERMINED THAT THIS TIRE HAD BOTH A MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN DEFECT. THE FAMILY ATTEMPTED TO MITIGATED THIS TRAGIC EVENT BY CONTACTING COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY DIRECTLY. COOPER TIRE COMPANY OFFERED NO DEFENSE, NOTHING. WE ARE NOW IN LITIGATION. I PERSONALLY ASKED COOPERS' ATTORNEYS ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THEIR TIRES RUBBER. I WAS TOLD, "COOPER GETS THEIR RUBBER FROM VARIOUS SOURCES." WE REQUEST THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE COOPER TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY'S MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW IF THIS COMPANY USES UNSAFE RUBBER MADE IN CHINA IN THE MANUFACTURER OF ITS H/T DISCOVERER TIRE. WE ALSO REQUEST THE NHTSA DISCUSS WITH COOPER ITS...

PE00 020; CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT VEHICLE IS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT TIRES. SHE RECEIVED MANUFACTURER'S RECALL O1D77 FOR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. BUT, FIRESTONE MECHANIC REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRES WITH MICHELIN CROSS TIRES. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD START TO SHIMMY/ VIBRATE AT 35MPH AND ABOVE, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND HAD TIRES ROTATED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, CONSUMER CONTACTED FIRESTONE, AND NOTHING WAS BEING DONE ABOUT THE TIRES. P225/70R15 ON A 1998 FORD, RANGER.*AK CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A FIRESTONE PROBLEM.*JB

ATTORNEY FOR ,[XXX],CONSUMER, REPORTED THAT WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING APPROXIMATELY AT SPEED LIMIT, CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT. BLOW OUT CAUSED VEHICLE INTO A ROLLOVER. ALSO, FRONT RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS HT, P225/70R15 100S. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES WHEN HE WAS EJECTED FROM VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS A 1998, FORD TRUCK RANGER PICKUP. ORIGINAL TIRES PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING S/B IN THE CARPOOL LANE ON THE 605 FREEWAY AT 65/70 MPH WHEN WE HEARD A FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THINKING WE HAD A FLAT, WE STARTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. AT AROUND LANE 3 I COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT FISH-TAILED TWICE AND THEN FLIPPED OVER AND SLID INTO THE ICEPLANT ALONG THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE TRUCK THEN RIGHTED ITSELF AND WE ENDED UP FACING N/B ON THE SHOULDER. WE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED!!! MY WIFE SUSTAINED SOME BUMPS AND BRUISES BUT IS OTHERWISE OK. I WALKED AWAY WITHOUT A SCRATCH. ON INSPECTING THE TIRE (WHICH WE NOW HAVE IN OUR POSSESION) WE NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE!! MY WIFE AND I ARE CONVINCED THAT THESE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRES...

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON A SLICK ROAD, HE SHIFTED INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND BETWEEN 45 AND 50 MPH VEHICLE ROTATED TO THE LEFT, CONSUMER TURNED OFF 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND PULLING BECAME MORE SEVERE, VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN AND ENDED UP IN A HOLLOW PIT WITH BACK END AGAINST FENCE, CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THREE OF THE FOUR FIRESTONE (P235/75R15) TIRES.*JB

I HAVE HAD TWO FIRESTONE 16 INCH WILDERNESS AT TIRES FAIL. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY TRUCK. IT IS AN EXCELLENT VEHICLE, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A FURTHER RECALL OF ALL /FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE MAKE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P23570R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P23570R16 )

LAST JULY ON A HOT, 87 DEGREE AFTERNOON, MY FRONT LEFT TIRE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS FLAT BY THE TIME I STOPPED SO I CHANGED IT. I PURCHASED TWO NEW COOPER TIRES TO REPLACE THE FRONTS. I HAVE ROTATED SNOW TIRES ON THE REAR AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE REMAINING FIRESTONE ORIGINAL TIRES.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2UU IPO TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

TIRE SIZE P22570R14, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON FORD, RANGER, 1998 WITH 38,000 MILES. ALL 4 TIRES HAVE EVIDENCE OF CRACKING ON OUTSIDE WHERE TREAD MEETS AND RUNS DOWN CIRCUMFERENCE ON ALL 4 CHANNELS. THERE IS STILL TREAD LEFT.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT, DOT VDHLXBU1700. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 M.P.H. TIRE COLLAPSED. I. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2FC1P4228 TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)

DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE JUST SEPARATED AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT IF TRAFFIC WERE HEAVIER AT THE TIME I WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE SWERVED VERY ABRUPTLY WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. IT WAS MY SPARE TIRE THAT COULDN'T HAVE HAD MORE THAN 3000 MILES ON IT. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THE REST OF THE TIRES ON MY TRUCK. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL1PY138 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

NOTICED HAIR LINE CRACKS WHERE TREAD MEETS TIRE, ON A 1998,FORD, RANGER; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P235/70R15, DOT# W2HL1PY138. TIRE CENTER NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO HELP IN THIS MATTER. TIRE AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE IN MY LANE. I CORRECTED MY VEHICLE TO COME BACK ONTO THE ROADWAY AND WHEN I TURNED BACK TO THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT FRON TIRE BLEW AND THE WEIGHT SHIFTEN FROM THE WEAK SPRINGS IN THE REAR, ROLLING MY VEHICLE FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL WAS ON AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH THE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, THEY WERE OVERSIZED (16 INCH, OFF-ROAD PACKAGE) AND UNSAFE FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE 16 INCH TIRES ARE NO LONGER BEING PUT ONTO RANGERS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VD TIRESIZE: P235/70R16)

DRIVER'S REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT OWL TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE TRAVELING 60MPH.TIRES HAD 8200 MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE WITHOUT ACCIDENT OR INJURIES. TIRE SIZE P225/70R15, DOT# UNKNOWN. *AK

FAILURE OF TIRES HAS NOT OCCURRED YET; HOWEVER, ALL 4 TIRES ARE FULL OF CRACKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE THREAD BLOCKS. ONE TREAD BLOCK ON ONE TIRE HAS SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS ON TIRES THAT ARE ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND AT THIS MUCH MILEAGE. CONCERNED THAT TIRE FAILURE IS BOUND TO HAPPEN AND TIRES HAVE PLENTY OF USUABLE TREAD LEFT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT, CONSUMER REQUESTS TIRES BE REPLACED WITH QUALITY TIRES. *SLC

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE OUT-OF-ROUND AND COULD NOT BE BALANCED.

WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW. THE TIRE HAS A 2" VERTICLE BREAK IN IT'S SIDEWALL. UPON SEARCH OF THE LOCATION, I DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING THAT I MIGHT HAVE HIT AT THE TIME AND I DON'T RECALL HITTING ANYTHING WITH THAT TIRE IN THE PAST. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE TIRE HAS OTHER VERTICLE RIPPLES IN THE SIDEWALL AS WELL AS THE OTHER THREE STILL ON THE GROUND. THE TIRE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE TWO PLYS OF POLYESTER IN THE SIDEWALLS. UNLESS THEY ARE ADJACENT, I CAN ONLY IDENTIFY ONE IN THE BREAK. NO INJURIES OR OTHER DAMAGE OCCURED. (DOT NUMBER: W2FC IP4 TIRESIZE: P22570R14)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE OUT-OF-ROUND AND COULD NOT BE BALANCED.

WEARING UNEVEN, MY TIRES HAVE CHECKED BY FIRESTONE REP. ALLIED TIRE CENTER, 1529 MACARTHUR DRIVE , ALEXANDRIA, LA. 71301, ALIGNMENT AND ROTATED AS PER MANUAL , AIR PRESSURE CHECKED, BUT THE TIRES WHICH ARE 60,000 MILE TIRES IS NOT HOLDING UP , WIRE CAN BE SEEN IN THIS TIRES, WHATS NEEDED IS REPLACEMENT OF THESE TIRES BECAUSE ITS VERY UNSAFE TO TRANSPORT MY FAMILY WITH THESE TIRES IN THIS CONDITION, WHICH IS REAL UNSAFE. (TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R14 )

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, RANGER P235/75R15 SIZE. TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE STARTED TO CRACK ALL THE WAY AROUND WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE SIDE WALL.*AK

THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT AT 60 MPH EARLIER THIS YEAR. MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY BUT WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE FORD RANGER. USAA HAS THE DAMAGE REPORT AND FIRESTONE HAS THE TIRE FAILURE REPORT. THE ONLY THING I HAVE ARE THE PICTURES OF THE FAILED WILDERNESS AT 16 INCH TIRE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMAINING TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT AT 60 MPH EARLIER THIS YEAR. MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY BUT WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE FORD RANGER. USAA HAS THE DAMAGE REPORT AND FIRESTONE HAS THE TIRE FAILURE REPORT. THE ONLY THING I HAVE ARE THE PICTURES OF THE FAILED WILDERNESS AT 16 INCH TIRE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMAINING TIRES. (DOT NUMBER: ? TIRESIZE: P235/70R16)

ALL FOUR TIRES HAD CRACKS IN THE TIRE THREAD. ONE TIRE HAD 14" SPLIT, SECOND TIRE HAD 4" SPLIT, THIRD TIRE HAD NUMEROUS 1" SPLITS AND THE FOURTH TIRE MANY 1/2" SPLITS. LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER STATED ROAD HAZARD CAUSED SPLITS. OLSEN TIRES (PURCHASED ROAD HAZARD PROTECTION) STATED TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, SPLITS IN THREADS WERE NOT CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD AND TIRES WERE WORN OUT. REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRES WITH FOUR NEW COOPER TIRES PURCHASED FROM ACTION GATOR TIRE DEALER. I HAVE THE FOUR OLD FIRESTONE TIRES IN MY POSSESSION FOR OBSERVATION BY NHTSA OR FIRESTONE. (DOT NUMBER: VN08 TIRESIZE: P235-70R16)

I REPLACED ALL MY FIRESTONE TIRES WITH A LES SCHWAB BRAND THE DAY AFTER THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE WILDERNESS ATS I HAD WEREN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL. I SENT A LETTER TO THE FIRESTONE CORPORATE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICES ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED DESCRIBING WHAT HAD HAPPENED. KEITH RAHONAN OF FIRESTONE CALLED ME SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CONFIRMING THAT THEY HAD RECIEVED MY LETTER. HE TOLD ME THEY HAD A FILE ON RECORD WITH MY INFORMATION AND TOLD ME TO HOLD ON TO ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND THE TIRE THAT HAD FAILED. I OFFERED TO SEND HIM PICTURES (THEY WEREN'T DEVELOPED AT THE TIME I SENT THE LETTER) OF THE FAILED TIRE, BUT HE REFUSED THEM SAYING THAT THEY WOULDN'T SHOW HIM ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE PICTURES CLEARLY SHOW A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE TIRE AND THE SIDEWALL, AS WELL AS...

TIRE EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BUT WAS ABLE TO RECOVER VEHICLE TO SAFETY. I HAVE ALSO HAD MANY FLAT PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES.

AT 18,000 MILES TIRE STARTED GETTING FLAT WHEN TRAVELING ON GRAVEL ROAD. EXPERIENCE FIVE FLATS IN THREE TRIPS.

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES FAILED CAUSING A THUMPING NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. NLM

ON FEB 12 2000, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE FRONT (DRIVER SIDE) TIRE - IT BUCKLED OFF THE RIM. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON A CURVE AT THE TOP OF A HILL. BECAUSE OF THE CURVE THE TRAVEL SPEED WAS AROUND 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE TIRE CAME OFF THE RIM, MY SON COULD NOT CONTROL THE TRUCK, THE TRUCK HIT AN EMBANKMENT, AND THE TRUCK ROLLED OVER. WE CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY (NATIONWIDE), THEY TOOK THE TRUCK TO A RECOVERY /LOSS CENTER. WE ASKED IF SOME ONE WOULD INVESTIGATE WHY THE TIRE WOULD HAVE COME OFF THE RIM AND THEY SAID TIRES BLOW OUT ALL THE TIME. WE WERE HAPPY NO ONE WAS HURT AND ACCEPTED THE ANSWER. BUT EVERY DAY I HEAR MORE ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE FIRESTONE TIRES AND I AM CONCERNED THERE ARE OTHER PROBLEMS, BESIDES THE TREAD SEPARATION. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE TIRE...

CONTINUOUS CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TIRES, ABOUT 1" FROM OUTSIDE EDGE, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON ALL FOUR TIRES .( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

APPEARS TO BE A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF TIRE BETWEEN SIDEWALL AND TREAD, PARTIAL TREAD DELAMINATION, SIDEWALL TORN IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THERE WAS NO PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE TIRE, AND NOTHING WAS HIT PRIOR TO BLOWOUT. ALLOY WHEEL DAMAGED, LIKELY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: VNFC 1P4 TIRE SIZE: P225/70R14 )

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE FAILED. *MJS

STRUCK PIECE 2X4 LUMBER ON ROADWAY. TIRE CAME APART. CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT WAS ROAD HAZARD AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. I ORDERED A TIRE FROM NTB IN ST. PETERS ,MO AFTER 4 WEEKS THEY SIAD THEY COULD NOT GET DELIVERY ON THE TIRE, I CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR THE TIRE AND THEY SHOWED THIS SIZE WITH SIGNIFICANT BACKORDER. I FINALLY CALLED THE 800 NUMBER FOR FIRESTONE AND THEY FINALLY CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THEY HAD LOCATED ONE TIRE AT FIRESTONE DEALER IN ST. CHARLES MO NOW I SEE REPORTS ON THE 15 INCH TIRE FAILURE AND MY FAILURE OF THE 16 INCH APPEARS SIMILAR. THE FIRESTONE CUSTOMER RELATION PERSON SAID THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TIRES AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THEM. I HAVE SENT FIRESTONE EMAILS BUT AM ONLY GETTING THERE STANDARD...

ALL TIRES HAVE HAIRLINE CRACK ALONG TOP EDGE OF TIRE. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH A FORD DEALER AND FIRESTONE DEALER THAT WAS AN EARLY INDICATION OF EARLY TIRE SEPERATION. THESE ARE NOT THE RECALLED TIRES I CAN NOT RECIEVE REPLACEMENTS. FIRESTONE OFFERED TO PRO-RATE THE TREAD LIFE AND USE THEIR NORMAL WARRANTY TO GIVE A DISCOUNT ON NEW TIRES, WHICH THEY DO NOT HAVE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THE CRACKS HAVE BEEN THERE, AS I JUST LOOKED BECAUSE OF THE RECALL IN THE NEWS. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AT MY OWN COST WITH ANOTHER BRAND, IF I CAN FIND THEM. I SUGGEST THAT FORD, FIRESTONE AND NHTSA LOOK AT ALL OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES AND NOT JUST THE ONES MADE IN ILLINOIS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: 235/70R15 )

PE00-020; TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT W2HL, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON FORD, RANGER, 1998 WITH 31,000 MILES. RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS CRACKS RIGHT BELOW TREAD, AND THAT RUNS ALL AROUND TIRE ON BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF TIRES.*AK TIRE WAS NOT ON RECALL AND THE CUSOMER REPLACED ALL 4 OF THEM. *YH

PE00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON FORD, RANGER ,1998 WITH 30,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT VNHL307. ALL 4 TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED CONTINUOUS CRACKS ALL AROUND THE TIRES ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF TIRES. IT LOOKED LIKE IT COULD BE PEELING OFF.*AK

I HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE. THE TIRES WERE WILDERNESS HT P225/70R15-100S. THESE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO ANY EFFECTIVE FIRESTONE RECALLS. I STILL HAVE ALL OF THE TIRES WHICH I BELIEVE ARE DEFECTIVE. I REPLACED THE TIRES AT THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER, PRIOR TO ANY RECALLS BY FIRESTONE, AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO FROM HERE.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE DRIVING, TIRES BEGAN TO 'THUMP' REPEATEDLY. TOOK TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP (SKANDER'S TIRE SERVICE IN EVANS CITY, PA) AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265/75R15 )

TIRE BLEW (3 DISTINCT SECTIONS IN SIDEWALL), 65 MPH, ORIGINALS WHEN PURCHASED USED, WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES (RANGER COMES WITH 15")( DOT NUMBER: VN08IPU??? TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

GENTLEMEN,MY 1998 MODEL YEAR, 4X4 XLT, V-6 4.0L ENGINE, FORD RANGER (VIN# [XXX]) AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 31ST OF 1999, WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM AN OUT-OF-STATE JOB THAT I WAS WORKING IN YORK, PA BACK TO AVONDALE, AZ. I BELIEVED THEN AND I BELIEVE NOW THAT SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG OR "DEFECTIVE" WITH MY TRUCK AT THE TIME (AND AFTER) OF THE ACCIDENT. I EVEN HAVE WRITTEN STATEMENT(S) ON PUBLIC RECORD, THAT STATE, THAT I FELT SOMETHING WAS QUITE AMISS THAT DAY, THAT ALSO PRE-DATE THE TIRE RECALL FROM FIRESTONE THIS LAST AUGUST, 2000. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 3,692 (APPROX.) ACTUAL MILES ON IT AND I HADN'T EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT TO FORD CREDIT YET! NOR HAD I EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO GET IT PROPERLY REGISTERED IN MY HOME TOWN OF AVONDALE, AZ. THE TRUCK NEVER...

ON 08-13-99 I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TWICE WHILE ON RTE 24 IN RANDOLPH, MA - THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE BROKE DOWN AND THE TRUCK WENT OUT OF CONTROL ENDING UP OFF OF THE ROAD - THIS TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE DEALER AND IT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE DEALER TO LOCATE AN EXACT MATCH AS I WAS INFORMED THAT FIRESTONE WAS NOT PRODUCTION OF THIS TIRE AT THE TIME. ALTHOUGH THE START OF THE TROUBLE WAS IN FACT THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE OTHER DRIVER - THE FACT THAT THE TIRE BROKE DOWN RENDERED MY ABILITY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 02 7474 TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

WHILE DRIVING, TIRES BEGAN TO 'THUMP' REPEATEDLY. TOOK TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP (SKANDER'S TIRE SERVICE IN EVANS CITY, PA) AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265/75R15 )

TIRE BLEW (3 DISTINCT SECTIONS IN SIDEWALL), 65 MPH, ORIGINALS WHEN PURCHASED USED, WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES (RANGER COMES WITH 15")( DOT NUMBER: VN08IPU??? TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

GENTLEMEN,MY 1998 MODEL YEAR, 4X4 XLT, V-6 4.0L ENGINE, FORD RANGER (VIN# [XXX]) AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 31ST OF 1999, WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM AN OUT-OF-STATE JOB THAT I WAS WORKING IN YORK, PA BACK TO AVONDALE, AZ. I BELIEVED THEN AND I BELIEVE NOW THAT SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG OR "DEFECTIVE" WITH MY TRUCK AT THE TIME (AND AFTER) OF THE ACCIDENT. I EVEN HAVE WRITTEN STATEMENT(S) ON PUBLIC RECORD, THAT STATE, THAT I FELT SOMETHING WAS QUITE AMISS THAT DAY, THAT ALSO PRE-DATE THE TIRE RECALL FROM FIRESTONE THIS LAST AUGUST, 2000. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 3,692 (APPROX.) ACTUAL MILES ON IT AND I HADN'T EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT TO FORD CREDIT YET! NOR HAD I EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO GET IT PROPERLY REGISTERED IN MY HOME TOWN OF AVONDALE, AZ. THE TRUCK NEVER...

ON 08-13-99 I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TWICE WHILE ON RTE 24 IN RANDOLPH, MA - THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE BROKE DOWN AND THE TRUCK WENT OUT OF CONTROL ENDING UP OFF OF THE ROAD - THIS TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE DEALER AND IT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE DEALER TO LOCATE AN EXACT MATCH AS I WAS INFORMED THAT FIRESTONE WAS NOT PRODUCTION OF THIS TIRE AT THE TIME. ALTHOUGH THE START OF THE TROUBLE WAS IN FACT THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE OTHER DRIVER - THE FACT THAT THE TIRE BROKE DOWN RENDERED MY ABILITY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 02 7474 TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

PE00020. ORIGINAL TIRES ON A 1998, FORD, RANGER, 23570R15. LEFT REAR AND LEFT FRONT TIRES HAVE FLAT SIDES, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH AND HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE. FIRST CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, THEN TIRE BLEW OUT, AND CONSUMER COULD SEE PART OF THE TIRE GO RIGHT PASSED HIM. *AK THERE WAS THUMPING NOISE. AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRES, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR TIRES HAD A FLAT SIDE. *YH

TIRES WILL NOT HOLD UP UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I AM RUNNING 8 PLUGS IN THESE TIRES. I DRIVE ONLY ON PAVED ROADS - TIRES LOOK GOOD, BUT DO NOT HOLD AIR. I HAVE TO INFLATE MY TIRES AFTER IT SETS OVERNIGHT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/75R15 )

HAD A PROBLEM ON A DRIVE TO PALM SPRINGS, THE LOCAL DEALER JUST BALANCED TIRES, HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

YOU SHOULD NOT REPLACE PARTIALLY WORN TIRES WITH NEW TIRES UNLESS IN SETS! FIRESTONE ONLY REPLACES THE "VD" WILDERNESS TIRES. MY VEHICLE HAS 5 TIRES ON IT AND THEY GET ROTATED REGULARLY. THEY HAD WEAR ON ALL TIRES EQUALLY. ONLY 1 TIRE MET THE RECALL CRITERIA (VD). BUT I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES ON MY 4-WHEEL DRIVE FORD IN ORDER TO ASSURE EVENLY WORN TIRES. WHEN SAFETY IS AT STAKE, I SHOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE COST OF PROPERLY REPLACING MY TIRES ON ALL 5 WHEELS, WHEN THEY WERE ALL THE SAME TYPE, KIND, AND MANUFACTURER! FIRESTONE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE REPLACEMENT TIRES! HOW DID THEY ONLY PUT 1 OF THE DEFECTIVE (PROVEN) TIRES ON MY TRUCK AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I BOUGHT THEM ALL AT THE SAME DEALER? IF A TIRE LINE IS BAD, IT'S BAD THROUGHOUT! NOT JUST AT ONE PLANT! GIVE...