1996 Ford F-150 Tires & Wheels Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH HE HEARD A FLAPPING NOISE FROM AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS CRACKED AND CORRODED. A BRAND NEW WHEEL WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 238,357.

BOUGHT A SET OF TIRES. AT 17,160 MILES HAD A BLOW. TOOK BACK TO DEALER HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE. AT 19,000 MILES HAD ANOTHER TIRE SEPARATED. HAD TO BUY ANEW TIRE. AT 20,000 MILES HAD TIRE BLOW OUT. HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE. AT 26,000 HAD ANOTHER BLOW OUT AT 65MPH. DID NOT WRECK. BUT WENT TO DITCH . DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANY THING ABOUT THIS. WHAT CAN I DO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F150. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN TIRES, AND THE TIRE SIZE WAS P235/75/15(NA). WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE SPARE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

THE LEFT REAR WHEEL ON THE CONSUMER'S 1996 FORD F150 SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. *TS THE VEHICLE'S LEFT REAR BRAKE DRUM WAS HITTING THE PAVEMENT AND RESULTED IN PIECES OF THE PAVEMENT TO STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FORD F150 HAD RECENT TIRE AND RIM WORK DONE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 50 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, DAMAGING THE TRUCK FENDER. FIRESTONE, FR 480, SIZE# P235/75R15, DOT UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH STARTED FEELING VIBRATION. THEN, LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WICH OPENED THE TIRE RIM TO RIM . FORD, F150, 1996, P-235/75R15, DOT# ANHLLV1138. *AK TIRE WAS SENT TO GOODRICH WHO STATED THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN UNDER FLATED WHICH ALONG WITH THE HEAT CAUSED IT TO RUPTURE, CONSUMER STATES HE STRONGLY OBJECTS TO THEIR FINDINGS, BF GOODRICH TIRE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P235/75R15 DOT 8XHL1PY119 EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT ON THE RIGHT REAR, SIDEWALL WAS THE ONLY PART LEFT, DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE WHEEL WELL. *SLC

WE WERE DRIVING A 1996 FORD F 150 4X2 IN CENTER LANE OF I 435 ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN WE HAD A REAR DRIVER SIDE UNIROYAL LAREDO TIRE COMPLETLY SEPARATE. THIS TIRE HAD ABOUT 33 PSI PRESSURE IN IT. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF TRUCK. COST UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. WE GENTLY PULLED OVER TO EDGE OF INTERSTATE. WHEN WE GOT OUT OF VEHICLE THE BAD TIRE WAS DEFLATING. I CHANGED THIS TIRE AND PUT THE SPARE ON. I WENT BACK AND PICKED UP ALL OF THE PIECES I COULD FIND. THESE TIRES ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL TIRES. I HAD USED THESE ON ANOTHER VEHICLE. THEY HAVE BEEN STORED INSIDE. THE TREAD USE WAS NOT EXTENSIVE. I PUT THESE ON THE REAR ABOUT THIS SAME TIME LAST YEAR. THESE HAD A CLASSIFICATION OF M/S. THIS VEHICLE CAME WITH A GOODYEAR HIGHWAY TREAD TIRE. I WANTED SOMETHING ON THE REAR FOR WINTER THAT HAD A M/S DESIGNATION IN CASE I WAS STANDED ON ROAD THAT REQUIRED THIS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I HAVE THREE MORE OF THESE TIRES. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING DONE TO ASSURE MY SAFETY. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU. *AK (TIRESIZE: 235/75/R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/R15 )

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE. THE TREAD DID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK. IT ALMOST SEVERED BOTH GAS LINES,TORE OFF WHEEL SKIRTS,DAMAGED REAR 1/4 PANEL TO THE POINT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, DAMAGED PART OF THE REAR BUMPER, AND NOW I NOTICE THE REAR GAS TANK IS NOT VENTING PROPERLY. I TOOK PICTURES OF TRUCK AND TIRE. ON THE REMAINING REAR TIRE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE TREAD IS GOING TO PEEL OFF. I HAVE E-MAILED AND PHONED FIRESTONE ALL WEEK AND GET NO RESPONSE AT ALL. I AM A SELF EMPLOYED CARPENTER AND NEED MY TRUCK TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.I ONLY WANT THE REPAIRS TO BE PAID FOR BY FIRESTONE , NO LEGAL ACTION SHOULD BE NECESSARY, I WAS NOT INJURED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VD60 U6A TIRESIZE: 31X10.5 15)

FAILURE OF THIS TIRE CAUSED A DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATED VERY BADLY.*AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

GOING 55MPH & VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT BADLY. RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A "V" IN CENTER OF TIRE. TREAD WAS STILL ON TIRE. LOOKED LIKE IT WAS SPLITTING IN CENTER OF THE TREAD WHERE THE "V" WAS LOCATED. FIRESTONE, FR480XL 235/75R15 WITH 60,000 MILES & DOT CODE VDHL 1PA026.*AK

TIRE STARTED TO SEPERATE AT THE TREAD, CAUGHT THE SEPERATION BEFORE THE TIRE COMPLETELY SEPERATED. TIRE DEALER INDICATED "NORMAL SEPERATION DUE TO WEAR"( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: DURING INSPECTION OF TIRES NOTICED SPLITTING ON SIDEWALL. NOTIFIED FIRESTONE, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRES WERE NOT UNDER RECALL. MOUNTED ON A 1996, FORD F150, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, P235/70R16 AND DOT# W208. *AK

THE FIRESTONE FR 480 M+S P235/75R15 TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OFF THE SIDEWALL FROM WHERE THE TIRE MET THE RIM ALL THE WAY TO THE TREAD AREA, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

WHEN THE FIRST TIRE FAILED WE WERE ON I-70. A VIBRATION OCCURRED AND THEN THE TIRE LOST ABOUT HALF OF ITS TREAD. WE CHANGED THE TIRE AND RETURNED HOME SAFELY. THE SECOND TIRE BEGAN VIBRATING ON I-90 JUST BEFORE BUFFALO WY. BEING ONLY ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE CAMPGROUND WE SLOWLY MADE IT IN AND CHANGED THE TIRE THERE. THE NEXT MORING WE DROVE TO SHERIDAN, WY TO A FIRESTONE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TIRE FREE OF CHARGE PLUS BALANCING. LATER I DISCOVERED THE FIRESTONE DEALER REPLACED MY LOAD RANGE E TIRE WITH A LOAD RANGE D TIRE. THE THIRD TIRE BLEW WITHOUT WARNING ON I-70 THROWING THE TREAD INTO MY TOW VEHICLE AND THEN JAMMING IT INTO THE TOW DOLLY. CHANGE THE TIRE AND NOW I WITHOUT A SPARE. THE FORTH TIRE BEGAN VIBRATING, I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE TIRES AND FOUND ANOTHER SEPARATED TIRE. NOT HAVING A SPARE WE SLOWLY TRAVELED TO GOODLAND, KS TO TRY AND FIND A TIRE. BEING A HOLIDAY WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING TO PURCHASE TWO MORE TIRES. WITH THE TWO NEW TIRES NOW ON THE LEFT REAR WE MADE IT HOME SAFELY THAT NIGHT. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AFTER FOUR TIRE FAILURES AND NO ACCIDENTS. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. EACH TIME BEFORE LEAVING CAMP I ALWAYS CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE AND MADE SURE IT WAS AT THE RECOMMENDED PRESSURE. I DROVE ON CERTIFIED SCALES BEFORE AND AFTER THE TRIP,BEFORE UNLOADING TO BE SURE THE VEHICLE WAS'NT OVERLAODED. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES AND SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST IMMEDIATELY BEFORE MORE TIRE FAILURES OCCUR AND POSSIBLY FATALITIES. YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION IS APPRECIATED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VD1L1XA156, TIRE SIZE: LT22575R16

3 OF 4 ORIGINAL TIRES FAILED DUE TO BELT SEPARATION. I HAD E-MAILED FIRESTONE, AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE, AND REPLACEMENT WITH A LIKE FIRESTONE TIRE. SUBSEQUENT FAILURES WERE REPLACED WITH MICHELIN TIRES. COPIES OF E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

MY WIFE AND I WENT TO GEORGIA ON VACATION FROM TEXAS. IN MISSISSIPPI WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AROUND 5-6 PM SHE HAD A TIRE SEPARATION IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR. SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE BUT THE TIRE DID NOT LOSE THE AIR. THIS IS PROBABLY WHY SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE TRUCK. THE TREAD SLUNG AROUND THE WHEEL WELL AND BEAT UP THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING SOME VISIBLE DAMAGE. THE TRUCK HAS STILL NOT BEEN REPAIRED. I INSTALLED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE AND CALLED IT A NIGHT AND GOT US A ROOM. WHEN I ARRIVED IN GA. I WENT TO NUMEROUS TIRE DEALERS TO TRY TO FIND A MATCHING TIRE TO REPLACE BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE WAS OUT OF PRODUCTION BUT IF I LOOKED AROUND I MIGHT FIND ONE. I FINALLY DID FIND ON AT A FIRESTONE DEALER IN ATLANTA. WHEN I RETURNED TO TEXAS I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THE REMAINING FIRESTONE TIRES BECAUSE I FELT THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AND REPLACED THEM WITH 4 GOODYEAR TIRES. I STILL HAVE 2 OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES AND THE ONE I BOUGHT IN GA. I BELIEVE IN THE GARAGE. I DID THINK ABOUT CALLING SOMEONE DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK BUT THE FIRESTONE DEALER IN ATLANTA SAID THAT THE TIRE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND FIRESTONE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT MANY TIMES ABOUT MAKING A COMPLAINT BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING SO UNTIL THE RECENT PRESS AND CONGRESSIONAL COVERAGE. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT MAYBE THERE ARE SOME OTHER MODELS THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED AT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P23575R15 )

FIRESTONE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL AND RUNNING INTO DITCH AND ROCKS, CONSUMER REQUESTS FULL REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW OF FOUR FRONT WHEEL STUDS WHICH BROKE OFF CAUSING VIBRATION WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN COLLISION. *YC

I HAD PURCHASED A NEW 1996 FORD F150 PICK-UP TRUCK. ON APRIL 2, 1999 WHILE DRIVING FROM BATON ROUGE TO HOUSTON ON HIGHWAY I10 THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT (DRIVING AT 70 MPH). THE OUTER TREAD HAD BLOWN OFF BUT THE INNER TUBE MAINTAINED PRESSURE. WHEN IT BLEW, THE OUTER TREAD DESTOYED THE TAIL PIPE AS WELL AS THE TIRE-WELL MUD GUARD. THE TAIL PIPE WAS REPLACED. THE MUD GUARD WAS NOT (THE FRAME HOLE HOLDING ONE END OF THE GUARD WAS RIPPED OPEN AND IS NO LONGER USEABLE). ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE TRUCK BEGAN EXPERIENCING SEVERE VIBRATION PROBLEMS (LOCAL DRIVING AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 45 MPH). THE FORD DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE TREAD COMING LOOSE FROM THE TIRE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. ON JUNE 18 1999 I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE REMAINING TIRE WITH NEW ONES. ALL TOGETHER, IT COST ME $373.81 TO REPLACE THE TIRES AND TAIL PIPE. I STILL HAVE A DAMAGED TRUCK (TIRE WELL GUARD NEVER REPLACED.)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 75RX15XL )