1997 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE-WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY-TIRE BLEW, INSURED LOST CONTROL WENT OVER SIDE AND HIT TREE. INSURED IS ATTORNEY REPRESENTED. REP IS UNCERTAIN OF TIRE MODEL AND SIZE. HE WILL TRY TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TOMORROW. WILDERNESS AT P250/70R16. (CLAIM# 13-7027-812) *MW

VEHICLE HAS THE WILDERNESS/ATX TIRES. WHILE PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED. *AK

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH TREAD ON THE DRIVER'S REAR SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE, WHICH WAS A 1997, EXPLORER. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WLDERNESS HT, P22570RI5, ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT WITH 36,800 MILES. OWNER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH FIRESTONE AT THE CUSTOMER'S SERVICE NUMBER.*AK DOT #W2UU1P0187, 2 TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, ONE SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *SLC

ROAD NOISE GOT SO LOUD THAT WALKER FORD TOLD ME TO GET NEW TIRES( DOT NUMBER: W2???? TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

TIRE BLEW OUT ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAUSED VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL INTO ONCOMING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. NARROWLY MISSED SEVERAL HEAD-ON COLLISIONS. TRUCK WAS SKIDDING ON RIMS. STILL HAVE TIRE REMNANTS. EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN USA TODAY ARTICLE. POLICE RESPONDED, BUT NO REPORT TAKEN, AS THERE WAS NO COLLISION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/10 )

TIRE BLEW OUT ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAUSED VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL INTO ONCOMING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. NARROWLY MISSED SEVERAL HEAD-ON COLLISIONS. TRUCK WAS SKIDDING ON RIMS. STILL HAVE TIRE REMNANTS. EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN USA TODAY ARTICLE. POLICE RESPONDED, BUT NO REPORT TAKEN, AS THERE WAS NO COLLISION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/10 )

FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS MY VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND THE RIDE GOT INCREASINGLY ROUGH. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE STORE AND FOUND THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING AND THERE WAS A BUBBLE IN THE TIRE. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THE TIRE WAS ABOUT TO BLOW OUT. WE PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT TIRE (A FIRESTONE ATX) AND LEFT THE OTHER THREE ORIGINAL TIRES ON. I'VE SINCE SEEN REPORTS ON PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES SO I WANTED TO REPORT THIS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

PE00020; WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE TREAD ON REAR DRIVER FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE (P235 75 R15) SEPARATED. THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES PURCHASED ON A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT TIRE SIZE, DOT NUMBER FROM TIRE, AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK THE TIRES DOT # IS VDHL1PY137.

PE00020;3 TIRES REPLACED ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1997 FORD EXPLORER, TIRE SIZE P23575R15. 4 OUT OF 5 TIRES HAVE ABOUT 15000 TO 28000 MILES ON THEM, ONE OF THE FRONTAL TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED AT A DIFFERENT ASSEMBLY PLANT. ONE FRONTAL TIRE AROUND THE SIDEWALL AREA INSIDE AND THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TIRE HAS CRACKS. OTHER TWO TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED AT THE DECATUR ASSEMBLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75/R15 *MW

BELT SEPERATION AT SIDEWALL HAS EXPOSED STEEL CORDS, TIRE HAS MORE THAN 8/32 IN. OF TREAD ON TIRE , TIRE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE UNSAFE BY DEALER BUT DUE TO THE WRONG DOT NUMBER REFUSED TO REPLACE UNDER CURRENT RECALL STATUS. DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT HE WAS OWED MORE THAN $30,000 IN TIRE REPLACMENT FROM FIRESTONE.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: 235 75 R15 )

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 235/75R15 TIRES HAVE CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALL JUST BELOW TREAD, ONE TIRE FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED. *MJS

MY FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE NOT MADE IN THE DECATUR IL THAT IS FAULTED IN THE RECALL FROM FIRESTONE. MY TIRES WERE IN AT THE JOLIETE PLANT IN CANANDA. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES BECAUSE THE TREAD WAS BEGINING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE. HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING REIMBURSED FROM FIRSTONE SINCE THE CALL DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE WILDERNESS FRISTONE AT TIRES?( DOT NUMBER: VNHL IPY TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

PE00 020 ; CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE PARKED AND EXAMINED TIRES, AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF CRACKING AND STRESS MARKS. TIRES WERE FROM THE #DOT VNHL1PYO57. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED.*AK FOUR TIRES CRACKED AT PERIMETER NEAR OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE TREAD. THE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED IN TORONTO, CANADA. *YH

WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. APPLIED BRAKES (ABS), AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

PE0002, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P23575R15, DOT # VNHL1PY436. ALL FOUR TIRES FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT HAD CRACKED AROUND TREAD AND SIDEWALL, BIGGER THAN A HAIRLINE CRACK. FIRESTONE SAID IT WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND PEDAL BAR THAT WAS WELDED TO THROTTLE PEDAL, METAL PART CAME COMPLETELY OFF. DEALERSHIP BOLTED BACK ON, THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK

PE00-020 ;CONSUMER HAD FOUND CRACKS ON THE TIRES AFTER SEEN THE RECALL INFORMATION ON IT. CONSUMER HAD CONTACTED FIRESTONE DEALER. FORD, EXPLORER, 1997, P235/75R15.*AK DOT#VNHL1PY077. *SLC

ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED CRACKING, THE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *SLC

ALL FOUR OF THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 235-75-R15 TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHERE THE TREAD AND THE TIRES COMES TOGETHER, TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *MJS

EVER OWNER I KNOW WHO OWNS A FORD EXPLORER HAS A FAILURE ON THIS VALVE. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BY FORD.*AK

BALL JOINTS AGAIN ON 3/15/02. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, STEEL BELT WAS SHOWING WHILE THE TIRE STAYED INFLATED, FIRESTONE PRO-RATED TIRE, HOWEVER THE DOT WAS VDHL AND CONSUMER HEARD ABOUT RECALL00T005 AND HAD ALL TIRES REPLACED, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRE THAT WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL 00T005. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 DOT VDHLIPY137. *SLC

I WAS DRIVING 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD THE ENTIRE OUTER TREAD SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE HAD ABOUT 45,000 MILES OF USE. I THEN PAID TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TIRES AT BIG O TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I HAVE A BIG QUESTION CONSERNING THE 4.0 SOHC "PLASTIC" CAM TENSIONER. I HAVE HAD MY EXPLORER IN A LOCAL SHOP FOR 4 WEEKS "DIAGNOSING" ME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM. TODAY I FIND OUT THAT I HAVE A TOTALLY WRECKED 48,000 MILE ENGINE DUE TO THE FACT THAT FORD INSTALLS PLASTIC CAM TENSIONERS FROM THE FACTORY ONLY TO REPLACE THEM LATER WITH STEEL UNITS. I ALSO FOUND OUT TODAY THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE FOR THE LOW, BARGAIN BASEMENT PRICE OF $5400. MY GOD THAT MAKES ME HAPPY. THERE ARE 4 EXPLORERS IN MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM BEGINNING TO SEE A TREND HERE! COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S UP WITH THESE ENGINES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE NEW ENGINE, WHICH IS A 2000 MODEL, "HAS BEEN REDESIGNED".

THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE, UPON INSPECTION CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FORM THE TIRE BUT THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED (P23575R15). NLM

MR. HATTAWAY WAS DRIVING DOWN I-95 WHEN TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE. VEHICLE HIT GUARDRAIL AND FLIPPED OVER. MR. HATTAWAY HAD SEVERE INJURIES AND WAS IN A COMA FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL 1PY )

PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVNG 55 MPH TREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE CAMEAPART. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS, AT. TIRE SIZE P23575R15, DOT # VN. ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. FIRESTONE WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE TIRE. OWNER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *AK

TIRE NOISE AND VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEED, REPLACED TIRES BEFORE FAILURE OCCURED.( DOT NUMBER: WZUU1PO446 TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 80 DEGREES. THIS HAPPENED ON I-66 WEST WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP I CHECKED THE TIRE AND THE TREAD COMPLETELY CAME OFF OF THE RIM. I CALLED #77 FOR ROAD ASSISTANCE. THE TIRE HAS BEEN DIPOSED OF I HAD NO KNOWN KNOWLEDGE OF ANY DEFECTS WITH THE TIRES UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2HL1PY )

THE RIGHT FRONT TIRES TREAD SEPARTED COMLETELY FROM THE TIRE.

TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED VEHICLE ROLL OVER. THIS WAS SECOND OCCURRENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION, THE FIRST NOT CAUSING ROLL OVER ALTHOUGH SPEED WAS ABOUT 70MPH (SAME BRAND TIRE) (RIGHT REAR TIRE, DAMAGE OF $883 TO REPAIR RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL, 11/10/99) HAVING NO PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM, I CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH THE SECOND FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT AND RISK MY LIFE LIKE A DUMB FOOL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

ENGINE STOPPED. NEVER STARTED AGAIN. PLASTIC "CASSETTE GUIDE" FAILURE IN ENGINE?? SAID DEALER. TIMING / VALVES ALL WENT.

I CHECKED AIR PRESSURE ON ALL 4 TIRES AT 4PM THAT AFTERNOON BEFORE GETTING ON FREEWAY TO BE SURE THEY WERE AT THE MANUFACTURE'S SPEC. STAMPED ON EACH TIRE. THE TIRE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE ITSELF WHICH STILL HELD AIR AND REMAINED ON THE RIM. FIRESTONE DENIES TIRE DEFECT. NLM (DOT NUMBER: W2UUIPO396 TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

VEHICLE LEANS TO THE LEFT FRONT. LEFT FRONT OF VEHICKLE IS LOWER THAN THE RIGHT SIDE. MAKES TURNING TO THE RIGHT TRICKY.*AK

TREAD SEPARATED FROM LEFT, REAR TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AS A RESULT, WENT ONTO LEFT SHOULDER OF ROAD, CORRECTED TO COME BACK TO LEFT LANE AND EXPLORER BEGAN TO ROLL, ROLLED APPROXIMATELY TWO TIMES BEFORE LANDING ON RIGHT SHOULDER OF ROAD. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

I WAS TRAVELING ON I-75 SOUTHBOUND FROM GA. TO FL. AT 70 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF MY FORD EXPLORER. I OBSERVED A PIECE OF TIRE TREAD IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR. NOT HAVING LOST CONTROL OR FEELING LIKE MY TIRE WAS FLAT, I BELEIVED I HAD RUN OVER A PIECE OF OLD TREAD IN THE ROADWAY. I MOTIONED TO A DRIVER NEXT TO ME TO LOOK AT MY TIRE. HE MOTIONED BACK THAT IT LOOKED OK. I CONTINUED DRIVING FROM THE WILDWOOD, FL. AREA TO TAMPA, FL. AT INTERSTATE SPEED AND THROUGH INTERMITANT RAIN. UPON ARRIVING HOME AND AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AGAIN FOR AN ERRAND, I CHECKED THE TIRE AND OBSERVED THAT THE ENTIRE TREAD OF MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS GONE! I WENT TO THE FIRESTONE STORE @ 9035 N. FLORIDA AVE, TPA AND WAS TOLD THAT I MUST HAVE STRUCK SOMETHING, POSSIBLEY A NAIL, AND THAT MADE THE TREAD SEPARATE. AND, THAT TREAD WILL NOT JUST COME OFF A TIRE. I WAS SOLD ANOTHER ATX. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

MY TIRE LOST THE TREAD ON THE HIGHWAY AS DESCRIBED BY THE RECENT NEWS STORIES ABOUT THE FIRESTONE TIRES. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER THEY WERE NOT RECALLING MY TIRES BECAUSE IT WAS NOT MANUFACTURED BY THE DECATUR PLANT. I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THAT ALL OF THESE TIRES ARE A SAFETY HAZARD AND ALL SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND VEERED OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A DITCH, THERE WERE NO INJURIRES (FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX P235/75R5). NLM

MY RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE EXPLORER, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I SKIDDED INTO THE PATH OF AN ONCOMMING CAR AND WAS "T-BONED" BY THAT CAR ON MY DRIVERS SIDE. THE TIRE WAS RECORDED AS "DEFECTIVE" ON THE POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT. ALL COMMENTS ARE FROM THE POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT. I HAVE NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT. I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND WAS FLOWN BY LIFEFLIGHT TO THE NEAREST TRAUMA HOSPITAL. I AM STILL TRYING TO RECOVER AND REGAIN MY LIFE. PLEASE RECALL THESE DANGEROUS TIRES BEFORE THEY KILL AND INJURE MORE INNOCENT PEOPLE.( DOT NUMBER: )

ON JULY 21 2000, WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE P23575R15 BLEWOUT, AND WHOLE SIDEWALL HAD COME OFF. CONSUMER MAINTAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK THE BLOWOUT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *SLC

THE TIRE WHICH IS NOT ONE OF THE WIDERNESS AT TIRES CURRENTLY UNDER THE RECALL PROGRAM, HAS TREAD SEPERATING FROM THE TIRE BODY. I DOSCIVERED THIS VIA VISUAL INSPECTION. LUCKILY THIS WAS JUST PRIOR TO MY SON DRIVING 300 MILES BACK TO SCHOOL. WE REPLACED THE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. BOTH FORD AND FIRESTONE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BUT NEITHER HAVE INDICATED ANY ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I'VE HAD THREE WILDERNESS AT TIRE FAILURES. ONE RESULTED IN BLOWOUT AT INTERSTATE SPEED. THE LAST TWO WERE CAUGHT IN THE TREAD BUBBLE UP STAGE BY ME BEFORE A BLOWOUT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235X15 R75 )

TIRES WERE ORIGINAL, 48,000 MILLES VEHICLE IN VIRGINIA. TREAD SEPERATED ON ONE TIRE. I REPLACED 4 TIRES ON JULY 28, 2000 JUST BEFORE THE MAJOR RECALL.( DOT NUMBER: VNHI TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I FILLED THIS FORM OUT PREVIOUSLY CONCERNING THESE TIRES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TREAD IS SEPERATING FROM THE SIDEWALL ON BOTH REAR TIRES. I HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE TWO REAR TIRES, IN ADDITION TO THE TREAD SEPERATION PROBLEMS, HAVE LARGE "BLISTERS" OR "BUBBLES" IN THE INTERIOR OF THE TIRE. ONE MEASURES APPROXIMATELY THREE INCHES ACROSS, AND ONE-HALF INCH HIGH. THE OTHER MEASURES APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES ACROSS, AND ONE-HALF INCH HIGH. THESE 16-INCH WILDERNESS AT TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE, AND OTHERS, AND NEED TO BE RECALLED( DOT NUMBER: W2CU1PX217 TIRE SIZE: P25570R16 )

TIRE BLEW OUT...FIRESTONE WILDRNESS 235/75R15, VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED KILLING THE DRIVER PARTIAL EJECTION FROM THE VEHICLE. (CLAIM# 01-6191-016) *MW

PRE-DRIVE INSPECTION OF TIRE INDICATED MANY CORDS SHOWING THROUGH WHERE TREAD HAD DISINTEGRATED AROUND BOTH EDGES OF TIRE. MIDDLE OF TIRE TREAD APPEARED NORMAL AS DID OTHER REMAINING ORIGINAL TIRE ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF VEHICLE. BELIEVED TO HAVE HAPPENED RATHER SUDDENLY SINCE TIRES ARE CLEANED AND INSPECTED REGULARLY. ALSO BELIEVE TIRE WOULD HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING HAD THE CONDITION NOT BEEN NOTICED. APPROXIMATE TIRE LIFE REMAINING ON OTHER ORIGINAL TIRE IS 5,000 TO 10,000 MILES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

PE00 020;; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD TIRE TREAD HITTING THE BACK OF VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IT WAS HAULING A BOAT. THEN, SHE WAS SUCESSFULLY PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE . CONSUMER REPLACED TIRE. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS #AT P23575 R15. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO VEHICLE. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75/R15 *MW

FIRESTONE EXPERIENCED STEEL BELT PROTRUDING THROUGH, CONSUMER REQUESTS DEALER REIMBURSE FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES. *SLC

TWO OF THE CONSUMER FIRESTONE TIRES STARTED SHOWING THE CORDS, CONSUMER REPLACED THOSE TWO AND ABOUT 45 DAYS LATER THE OTHER TWO STARTED SHOWING THE CORDS, TIRES WERE RECALLED BUT CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE ALL THE ORIGINAL TIRES SO THE DEALER WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE ONE THE CONSUMER STILL HAD. NLM