1995 Ford Windstar Tires & Wheels Problems

I BOUGHT TIRE FROM FIRESTONE UNDER WARRANTY WHEN IT GETS BAD I TOOK IT TO THE STORE AND ASKED THEM FOR NEW TIRE, THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME ONE EVEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THEN I CALLED THE MAIN OFFICE THEY APOLOGIZE AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE STORE AND THEY WILL TAKER OF IT. AFTER THEY CONTACTED THE STORE CALLED ME AND IF ASKED ME TO TAKE TO BACK TO STORE AND GET NEW TIRE. FIVE MONTH'S LATER WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON HW 59, THE LAYER OF THE TIRE TORE OFF AND HIT THE CURB. IT DIDN'T HIT ANOTHER CARS, BECAUSE I WAS ON LEFT LANE AND THE TIRE WAS LEFT SIDE. OTHER WAYS INNOCENT HUMAN LIFE WOULD BE LOST. *TR

I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH FIRESTONE TIRE COMPANY. A DEFECTIVE TIRE BLEW ON MY SON'S FORD VAN. THE THREAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY. MY SON WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME ON THE FABRIC OF THE STILL INFLATED TIRE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED FREE BY THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE BLEW, THE FLYING RUBBER THREAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR WAS DESTROYED, FRONT BUMPER WAS LOOSENED PLUS OTHER MINOR COSMETIC DAMAGE. DAMAGE WAS $281.36. I WENT TO THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER RIGHT AFTER THE INCIDENT BECAUSE I WASN'T COMFORTABLE DRIVING WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE. I HAD THE DAMAGE REPAIRED QUICKLY BECAUSE DRIVING WITHOUT A SIDEVIEW MIRROR IS A HAZARD AND THE BUMPER WAS LOOSE WHICH IS DANGEROUS. AFTER THE DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED AND THE TIRE REPLACED, I SENT A LETTER TO FIRESTONE ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE DAMAGE. I DISCOVERED I SENT THE LETTER TO THE WRONG DIVISION OF FIRESTONE. I FINALLY FOUND WHO AT FIRESTONE TO CONTACT ABOUT PAYING FOR THE DAMAGE AND THEY SAID THEY NEEDED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE BEFORE THEY COULD CONSIDER REIMBURSEMENT. OF COURSE, THE TIRE WAS LONG GONE. NOTHING WAS SAID TO ME AT THE TIME ON TIRE REPLACEMENT OF ANY REQUIREMENT TO RETAIN THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. CULPABILITY FOR THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED WHEN THE TIRE WAS REPLACED FREE BY THE LOCAL DEALER. ON NOVEMBER 27, 2006, I SENT COPIES OF THE FIRESTONE WORK ORDER FOR THE TIRE REPLACEMENT, TWO ESTIMATES FOR THE DAMAGE AND PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE ALONG WITH MY REQUEST FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF $281.36. AS OF THIS DATE, FIRESTONE HAS NOT SEEN FIT TO RESPOND TO MY LETTER. I FEEL THAT THEIR REQUIREMENT TO SHIP THE DEFECTIVE TIRE IS JUST A SHAM TO AVOID ANY LIABILITY AND THAT THE DETERMINATION BY THE LOCAL DEALER THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT PROOF. THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE AGENT HANDING THIS MATTER IS: BFNT, LLC 1102 APPLETON NASHVILLE, TN 37210 THE REFERENCE NUMBER OF MY INCIDENT IS 840173. *NM

TIRE DEFECT. MY WIFE WAS ALMOST IN A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF AN EXPLOSION OF ONE TIRE. *JB

I HAD THE TREAD SEPARATE FROM THIS TIRE ON OUR 1995 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WHILE GOING THROUGH ATLANTA, GA. 10/18/05. THE FLYING DEBRIS BENT THE MUFFLER UP INTO THE BACK RIGHT QUARTER PANEL OF OUR VAN AND CAVED IN THE WHEEL WELL. THE INERTIA SWITCH WAS TRIPPED SO THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. WE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. *JB

I PURCHASED 4 BRAND NEW TIRES FOR MY FORD WINDSTAR VAN BACK AT THE END OF JULY 2004. I HAD ONE REAR TIRE TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM THE RIM AND SHRED. I WAS CHARGED MY ROAD HAZARD FEE TO REPLACE THE TIRE. AGAIN THIS PAST SUNDAY MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM AND TOTALLY SHREDDED. I WAS GIVEN A NEW TIRE A NO CHARGE THIS TIME, HOWEVER THE SEPARATION WAS SO BAD THAT BY THE TIME I GOT THE VAN STOPPED MY RIM IS NOW CRACKED IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES. *JB

MY DAUGHTER, WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY S.W. LOOP 410 AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES PER HOUR, HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE. SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE (1995 FORD WINDSTAR) TO INVESTIGATE. SHE OBSERVED THAT THE TREAD HAD PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE CARCASS AND THE TIRES SEPARATED STEEL BELT WAS FLAPPING AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL-WELL CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ESTIMATE. THEY SAID THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE FROM $1,000 TO $3,000. *LA

GOODYEAR 215-70-R15 ALLEGRA TIRES PURCHASED AT SAMS CLUB PURCHASED APPX 2 YRS AGO. APPX. 14 MONTHS AGO AND THEN LAST WEEK HAD 2 TIRES REPLACED DUE TO BELT SEPERATIONS. MECHANIC AT SAMS INDICATED THAT THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF TIRE IS IN HIS SHOP FREQUENTLY DUE TO BELT FAILURES. I HAVE REPLACED 4 TIRES ALREADY AND THERE IS ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THE SET. I AM CONCERNED DUE TO THE FREQUENCY WITH JUST MYSELF AND THE INDICATED VOLUME OF THE PROBLEM INDICATED BY THE SAMS CLUB MECHANIC. THE BELT SEPERATION DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BUT DID LEAD TO CONTROL DIFFICULTY DUE TO EXTREME VIBRATION AS ALL FAILURES OCCURED ON THE FRONT. THESE TIRES WERE ROUTINELY ROTATED AND BALANCED, KEPT AT 35 P.S.I. AND WERE NOT SEVERLY USED OR ABUSED. THE VEHICLE THEY WERE ON IS A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR LX.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FAULTY RIM WHICH CAUSED TO TIRE TO LEAK AT THE WELD AND GO FLAT. THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE RIMS WITH STEEL RIMS. *AK *CB *NLM

LEFT-FRONT AND RIGHT-REAR SLOW AIR LEAKS. TIRE SHOP COULDN'T FIND LEAKS UNDER WATER AND SUGGESTED THAT VEHICLE WEIGHT STRESSES THE WELDED SEAMS OF THE WHEELS CAUSING THE LEAKS. FORD SERVICE PARTS WANTS $110 PER WHEEL BUT CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT LEAKS WILL STOP. ONLINE REPAIR FORUMS KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM AND SUGGEST USING A HOT GLUE GUN AT THE WELDED SEAM BUT THEN THERE'S NOBODY WHO WANTS TO DO THAT AND I CAN'T SINGLE-HANDEDLY REMOVE THE TIRES AND APPLY THE GLUE AND REMOUNT THE TIRES. IT SEEMS THAT FORD HAS BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH WHEELS ON THEIR VEHICLES FOR MANY MODELS OVER MANY YEARS BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANY RECALLS IN YOUR DATABASE. *LA

I HAD TO REPLACE THE SECOND STOCK RIM ON MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. I HAVE NEVER HAD A RIM LEAK AIR ON ANY OTHER CAR THAT I HAVE OWNED AND WAS QUITE AGRIVATED TO LEARN FROM THE WHEEL SHOP OWNER THAT HE HAS DONE AROUND 30 SUCH REPLACEMENTS THIS YEAR. ALL ON FORD WINDSTARS. NO OTHER MANUFACTURE OR MODEL. I REALIZE THAT THE 1995 WINDSTAR WAS THE WORST YEAR FOR FORD WINDSTARS, BUT AFTER HAVING TO PUT UP WITH HEADGASKET BLOWOUTS AT 58,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION BLOWOUTS AT 70,000 AND ASSORTED OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES, THE WHEELS SEEM ANOTHER REDICULOUS MANUFACTURING BLUNDER THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE BRUNT OF. THEY ARE DEALER ONLY PART AND $90+ A PIECE. I HAVE NOW REPLACED 2. THE FIRST TIME, A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE DEALER HAD TO SPECIAL ORDER THE PART. NOW THEY CARRY THEM IN STOCK. (I WONDER WHY???)

ON NOVERMBER 15, 2001 CONSUMER PURCHASED 4 NEW GOODYEAR AQUATREAD TIRES, (MTS P205/170R15,955 DOT, MKMO, 5BHR 0400) ON NOVEMBER 23, 2001 WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRE THERE WAS NO EDIVENCE OF A ROAD HAZARD PUNCTURE OR OTHER PROBLEMS.*JB

RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT DAMAGING THE RIGHT REAR FENDER, RIGHT SIDE FENDER AND RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *YH

VEHICLE WAS GOING 30-35MPH, AND WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP LIGHT RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, SIDES WERE SHREDDED. THERE WAS A 60,000 MILE WARRANTY, AND TIRE HAD 32,000 MILES. 1995, FORD, WINDSTAR AFTERMARKET TIRES.*AK

WHILE THE INSURED WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WHEEL CAME OFF. CLAIM# 13-7361-978 *YH

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SIDESWIPED A PARKED CAR, THE WHEEL THEN CAME OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT TWO MORE VEHICLES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP, CLAIM 05-4615-981. *SLC

FOUR STUDS BROKE WHILE REMAINING ON NUTS. *AK

IN JANUARY 2001 BOTH FRONT TIRES WOULD GO FLAT OVERNIGHT. AFTER 2 OR 3 VISITS TO TIRE SHOPS FOUND OUT THERE WAS A FAILURE OF BOTH FRONT WHEELS DUE TO BROKEN WELDS AND NOT A TIRE PROBLEM. IN JULY OF 2001 THE THIRD WHEEL FAILURE OCCURRED AND NOW IN SEPT. 2001 THE FOURTH WHEEL HAS FAILED. DEALER DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF ANY DEFECT OR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS; HOWEVER A NON-DEALER COMPANY MANAGER WHO SOLD REPLACEMENT WHEELS TO ME SAYS BOTH HE AND WHOLESALER KNOW THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH FORD WINDSTARS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE LUG NUTS CAME OFF. CLAIM# 22-V658-695 *YH

WHILE THE INSURED WAS TRAVELING THE VEHICLE'S WHEEL CAME OFF. CLAIM #38-J549-690 *YH

WHILE DRIVING ONE OF FIRESTONE'S TIRES BLEWOUT. CONSUMER CHANGED TIRE. SOON AFTER, REPLACED TIRE ALSO BLEWOUT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP, AND ONCE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED, THEY WERE TOLD THAT A THIRD TIRE WAS ABOUT TO BLOWOUT. DUE TO TIRES BLOWING OUT THERE MUST HAV EBEEN SOME DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. CONTACTED FIRESTONE, AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT SINCE TIRES WERE NOT UNDER RECALL, THEN THERE WAS NOT NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK