There are 559 stored owner reports matching the tires & wheels leading-label group for the 1996 Ford Explorer in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 559 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAD TBC CORPORATION, STAMPEDE SIGMA TIRES, SIZE P255/70/R16 WITH DOT#UPCUTX61707. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLL OVER 5 TIMES BEFORE IT WENT AIRBORNE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED ON SITE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.
ON JULY 28, AT APPROX 4PM EST WE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE THAT CAUSED OUR FORD EXPLORER TO TEMPORARILY LOSS CONTROL. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE THAT WAS PROVIDED BY FORD FOR A RECALL REPLACEMENT ABOUT 8 OR 9 YEARS AGO. THE RIGHT PASSENGER FRONT TIRE SEPARATED ON RT I95 NEAR THE SHARON, MA EXIT. LOUD SOUNDS CAME FROM ENGINE AREA OF CAR AND TREAD HIT SIDE OF CAR AND FP WINDOW. CAR BEGAN TO LOSS CONTROL, BUT THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE AND PULL OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE TRAVELING FROM PA TO MA (WE LEFT CONSHOHCKEN, PA AT 9:45 AM) AND I WAS AVERAGING 65 TO 70 MILES PER HOUR, BUT WAS SLOWING DOWN WHEN TREAD SEPARATED. I WAS MOVING FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT LANE, EXIT WAS ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES AHEAD OF US. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL PLASTIC COVERING, SOME AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT, AND THE RADIO ANTENNA ALL HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THERE IS SOME PAINT DAMAGE ON RIGHT SIDE OF CAR AND THE AND RUNNING BOARD SEEMS TO HAVE SOME DAMAGE AS WELL. A ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PERSON CAME TO HELP US REMOVE THE TIRE AND REPLACE IT WITH A SPARE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO A FIRESTONE DEALER IN BROCKTEN, MA AND WAS TOLD THAT FIRESTORE WOULD LIKELY FIX THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR. THERE WERE FOUR OF US IN THE CAR, WE WERE ALL SHAKEN UP, AND BUMPED AROUND, NO ONE WAS CUT. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PERSON, BUT NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES, SIZE P235/75/R15. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE AND HEARD ROAD NOISE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT ALL OF THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND SUSTAINED ABNORMAL GROOVES IN THE TREAD. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES BE REPLACED. THE TIRES HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED AND THE CONTACT STILL HAS THEM IN HIS POSSESSION. HE CALLED THE PLACE FROM WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND WAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,000. UPDATED 05/05/09. *LJ
1996 FORD EXPLORER ACCIDENT DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. CW ACCORDING TO AN EYE WITNESS STATEMENT, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE CROSSED SEVERAL LANES, STRUCK A GUARDRAIL AND WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON IT'S ROOF. THE WITNESS STATED TWO PEOPLE WERE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY DIED. (LAWYER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS) *JB
THE RIMS ON THIS 1996 FORD EXPLORER-EDDIE BAUER EDITION ARE SHOWING FRACTURES THROUGHOUT THE FACE. THIS HAS WEAKENED THE STABILITY OF THE RIMS.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 53 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE MICHELIN TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND FLIPPED OVER. SHE BROKE HER BACK IN FOUR PLACES ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND HER RIGHT ARM IS CURRENTLY IN A SPLINT. THE CONTACT WAS PREGNANT AND LOST HER BABY. SHE WAS AIRLIFTED TO A HOSPITAL. A BABY WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND RECEIVED SEVERAL SCRATCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 285,000.
(1) MY ORIGINAL/NEVER USED SPARE TIRE & RIM ON MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER 2 DOOR 4WD SPORT IS THE INCORRECT ONE FOR THE VEHICLE FROM THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY FACTORY. VEHICLE WAS ORDERED WITH 16 INCH TIRES/RIMS FROM FORD MOTOR CO, AND 15 INCH TIRE & RIM WAS PRESENT ON THE SPARE. (2)REPAIR SHOP NOTIFIED ME OF WRONG TIRE SIZE ISSUE WHEN I HAD THE OTHER TIRES CHANGED ON THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCES ARE A SAFETY RISK TO MYSELF AND PASSENGERS IF I HAVE FLAT TIRE AND NEED TO USE THE SPARE TIRE. ALSO, HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WRONG SIZE SPARE WILL BURN UP MY TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS CONTACTED AND ASKED TO REPLACE THE RIM & TIRE, AND THEY REFUSED AND SAID DEALERSHIP (SOUTHGATE FORD) WAS RESPONSIBLE. VOICE MAIL LEFT TO MANAGER AT SOUTHGATE FORD ON THIS ISSUE WAS NOT RETURNED BY THEM. (3) I NEED A 16 INCH TIRE & 16 INCH RIM FROM FORD MOTOR CO IN ORDER FOR THE CORRECT THIS ISSUE AND TO AVOID A SAFETY RISK TO MYSELF AND PASSENGERS. *TR
I WAS TOLD FROM EMPLOYEES AT AMERCAN TIRE COMPANY . THAT THE DOMINATOR TIRES HAD DEFECTS. NOW WILL NOT REPLACE ANOTHER BAD TIRE . *AK
FIRESTONE TIRE P235 75 R15 FR480 MS SEPARATED CAUSING OUR FORDEXPLORER TO ROLL OVER. NEAR VENUS, TEXAS ON HWY 67 SOUTH. *TR
I OWN A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. ON MAY 9, 2006, I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER FOR A SAFETY INSPECTION (THE MULTI-POINT INSPECTION REPORT CARD AS RECOMMENDED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY) ALL FOUR TIRE WERE MARKED ON THE TREAD DEPTH SCALE IN THE GREEN 7/32 OR GREATER BOX. LATER THAT SAME EVENING AFTER SCHOOL LET OUT I PROCEEDED ON A TRIP. I LEFT TUCSON, AZ AROUND 5:30 TO 6:00PM GOT NO FARTHER THAN YUMA AZ WHEN THE TREAD FROM MY RIGHT REAR TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE STEEL BELT UNDERNEATH TEARING THE REAR RIGHT BUMPER OFF, THE BUMPER AREA UNDERNEATH THE DOOR WAS HANGING ON THE GROUND AND BIG BLACK CIRCULAR MARKS WERE ON THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR WHERE THE TREAD HAD HIT DURING SEPARATION. THE EVENT ITSELF WAS HORRIBLY FRIGHTENING FOR US AS WELL AS MY 3 CHILDREN. THANK THE LORD WE DID NOT WRECK AND THERE WAS NO TURNOVER OF THE VEHICLE. WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THE TIRE WITH A SPARE BUT THE DAMAGE WAS ALREADY DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT P225/70R15. I WENT BACK TO THE FORD DEALER WHO HAD SAFETY CHECKED THE TIRE AND HE SAID IT WAS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING AND HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN THESE THINGS WOULD HAPPEN. THE DOT CODE ON THE TIRE IS W2UU IPO .99. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE WHO SAID THE LAST 2 NUMBERS WOULD BE THE DATE THE TIRE WAS MANUFACTURED. MY QUESTIONS ARE IS THIS A COMMON THING FOR THESE TYPES OF TIRES AND WHAT IS THE LIFE SPAN OF THAT TIRE. SHOULDN'T I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THE TIRE WAS 7 YRS OLD OR DOES IT MATTER HOW OLD THE TIRE IS. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES (CERTAINLY NOT FIRESTONES) BUT I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE AGE OF MY TIRE IF ITS SIMPLY CHECKING A MANUFACTURING DATE. THAT WAY I COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT PUT MY FAMILIES LIFE IN JEOPARDY!! *NM
DT: CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT STREET AND THE VEHICLE FISH TAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE WITNESSES TO THIS. THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE WHEEL WITH TIRE INTACT CAME OUT. THE VEHICLE LEANED AND FLIPPED, AND TIPPED OVER. IT LANDED HALFWAY ON SIDEWALK AND HALFWAY IN STREET. EMERGENCY CREWS WERE CALLED. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER, AND HAS NOT HAD ANY REPAIRS DONE. *AK
FORD EXPLORERS MODEL 1996 (XTL) PROBLEM-SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP. *BF THERE WERE TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO TIRE BURSTS. *SC
DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL ON INTERSTATE 20 MY CAR STARTED TO SHAKE. I REDUCED THE SPEED OF MY VEHICLE FROM ABOUT 68 MPH TO 60 MPH. THEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND MY CAR STARTED TO FISHTAIL ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC, MISSING A TRACTOR TRAILER BY ABOUT ONE FOOT. I FINALLY HANDLED THE TRUCK AND PULLED ONTO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. I PROCEEDED TO GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE TO TRY TO CONTROL MY NERVES AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I WALKED OVER TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND THE ENTIRE TREAD OF MY TIRE WAS GONE. IT WAS STREWN ABOUT. THE TIRE OTHER THAN THE TREAD WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION. IT WAS THE FULL SIZE SPARE ON THE CAR WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND IT HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON FOR APROX. 6 MONTHS WITH NO PROBLEMS. I PROCEEDED TO LOOK AT THE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND MY SIDESTEP WAS MISSING, AND MY CAR WAS DENTED UP. IT LOOKS TERRIBLE. THE SCRATCHES START AT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX MY CAR. THE INCIDENT WAS NOT MY FAULT. MY CAR IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT BECAUSE I HAVE THREE CHILDREN. THIS IS MY ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. THE FIRESTONE THAT WAS ON MY CAR IS MODEL, P235/75 R15 ATX. IT HAS THE BEGINNING DOT LETTERS VD FROM DECATUR, ILLINOIS. I HAVE A 1996 FORD EXPLORER.
FOUR TIRES CRACKED AT THE SIDEWALL. DEALER STATED THE CRACKS WERE CAUSE FROM DRY ROT. *AK
DRIVER SIDE TRAILER WHEEL SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS TOWING A TRAILER. THE LEFT SIDE TRAILER WHEEL SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING. ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY. UPON INSPECTION ALL THE LUG NUTS WERE MISSING FROM THE LEFT SIDE ALONG WITH THE TIRE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE WHEEL ON THE TRAILER. *PH *NLM
THE LEFT REAR DUNLOP RADIAL ROVER (LT235/75R15) TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. OCCURRED ON FREEWAY AT 70MPH. THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE JUST PRIOR TO INCIDENT. THE TIRE DID NOT LOSE PRESSURE. NO CRASH, NO INJURIES BUT SOME DAMAGE TO LEFT 1/4 PANEL & TRIM ON VEHICLE, 1996 FORD EXPLORER. ALL 4 TIRES REPLACED AT SAME TIME & HAD APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES ON THEM WHEN THIS OCCURRED.
THERE WERE TWO TIRES BLOWOUTS AT THE SIDEWALL SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING. THE BLOWOUTS CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH DRIVER'S FRONT AND REAR WHEELS. TIRE INFO: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 235/75R15 (DOT/UNAVAILABLE) 20K MILES ON BOTH TIRES DRIVER'S FRONT AND REAR. TS SCC
TIRE BLEWOUT. *AK
SECOND FIRESTONE (P235/75R15S)TIRE RECALL WORK PERFORMED, RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE SHOCK ABSORBERS, REAR AND FRONT SUSPENSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *TT
FORD EXPLORER WITH 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRES. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON INTERSTARE 12 NEAR MILEMARKER 75 THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALLS OF THE TIRES. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES BUT HAVE THE FAILED TIRE AND DIGITAL PHOTOS IF THEY ARE NEEDED
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: May 4, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.