Recalls

CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
TIRES - TREAD/BELT
00T005000BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, INC. T (Tire)1440000008/26/2000ODIFORD MOTOR COMPANY08/21/200008/10/2000
Defect SummaryTire description: firestone wilderness at, size p235/75r15, produced at the decatur, illinois tire plant and all firestone radial atx and radial atx ii tires, size p235/75r15. operation of these tires at low inflation pressures, high speed, and in hot weather, can contribute to separation of the tire tread.
Consequence SummaryIf the tread separates from the tire, the driver can lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash causing injury or death.
Corrective SummaryThe replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on august 29, 2001. however, customers should contact firestone customer service at 1-800-465-1904 for possible assistance.
Notes
01X001000FORD MOTOR COMPANY X1300000006/04/2001MFRFORD MOTOR COMPANY05/22/200105/22/2001
Defect SummaryThis is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. however, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. equipment description: ford is replacing all firestone wilderness at 15, 16, and 17 inch tires mounted on ford trucks and suvs. ford reports tread separation can occur due to a combination of the sensitivity of the tire design to stress, aging, and manufacturing differences between plants. ford is replacing these tires to prevent possible premature tire failure. vehicle description: the vehicles listed below may have been originally equipped with firestone wilderness at tires or may have had wilderness at tires installed during the firestone recall launched in august 2000. certain 1991 throught 2002 ford explorer certain 2001 throught 2002 explorer sport, and sport trac certain 1997 through 2002 mercury mountaineer certain 1991 through 2001 ranger certain 1999 through 2001 expedition certain 1991 through 1994, and 1997 model year f-series certain 1991 through 1994 bronco note: both original equipment and replacement tires are affected.
Consequence SummaryShould the tread separate at highway speeds, a vehicle crash could occur, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
Corrective SummaryThe replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on march 31, 2002. however, customers can contact ford at 1-877-917-3673 or go on-line to www.ford.com for possible assistance.
Notes

Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
TIRES
01B7710/01/2001628153Owner notification program supplement 7 revised information - regarding replacement of wilderness at tires. *tt03/05/2002
98515711/01/1998613292Information on setting the tire inflation pressure for 1991 through 1999 model year vehicles in the pre-delivery process and during maintenance intervals. *tt06/20/2000
1211511/01/1998613105Information regarding the tire inflation pressure for all models during predelivery process and during maintenance intervals. *mjs06/16/2000
99515705/01/1999606945Information on maintaining tire pressure. *tt09/08/1999
985204/13/1998601290Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance. *yc07/17/1998

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
TIRES
01/01/19011
 Firestone tire recall/ replacement for ford explorer customer states that firestone refused to provide warranty service**cc the consumer stated had a problem with a tire recall issued for his specific vehicle. the consumer stated took the vehicle in for service on the recall but noticed the dealer installed passenger car tires on his truck. the consumer stated that the passenger tires were .75 inches smaller, the consumer stated the dealer informed him when performing the recall he could use any tire size he wanted to and it didnt have to be comparable to the old tires. the consumer further stated while this is a spare tire he feels very unsafe if something should happen to his tires. *tr
10/04/20061
 I received a letter from firestone regarding the radial atx tires recall dated september 2006. on october 4, 2006 i took my vehicle to the firestone store at 7511 ne highway 99, vancouver, wa 98665. their service man, bill aultman, verified the tire in question and said that he would call back that day to arrange for replacement of the recalled tire. he never called me back. october 6, 2006 i called the service man (aultman) to find out status and to ask why he had not called me. he stated that he would check on tires and would call me back that same day (friday) or for sure the following monday. he never called me back. october 16, 2006 i called the firestone store and asked for the pete deschner, manager. he was not in. october 18, 2006 i called the firestone store and talked with pete deschner, manager. i told deschner about the calls to aultman with no results. deschner said he would check of availability of tires and that he would call me back today or tomorrow for sure. he never called me back. october 23, 2006 i called the firestone store and talked to deschner regarding the recalled tire and asked why none of my calls were returned. he stated that there was no reason to call if there are no tires. i mentioned that he had said he would call me for sure and that i was not satisfied that he and the service man were simply ignoring me. deschner stated that he would be getting some tires in today or tomorrow and that he would call me back. he never called me back. october 31, 2006 i called the firestone manager, pete deschner again and inquired about the tire. deschner said he would have bill aultman call me back for sure to arrange for the tire replacement. he never called me back. after one personal visit to the firestone store and five phone calls and being told each time they would call back and they continue to ignore me i am fed up. *jb
09/11/2006102/15/2005
 Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 15 mph in rainy conditions, the tire tread separated, causing the vehicle to flip over twice. one occupant sustained minor injuries and a police report was taken. a nhtsa recall letter #00t005000 regarding tires: tread/belt was received two weeks after the incident. the contact expressed that if the letter was received earlier, the accident could have been prevented. the vehicle was deemed totaled. the tire manufacturer was firestone, model: wilderness at, size: p235/75r15.
08/02/20060203/25/2006
 Within a 2 week period both of my front tires popped. these are the toyo radial open country. i was driving each time on the highway driving at 65 mph when these occurred. the first time it happened a small patch came off of my tire. on the second incident a much larger and more dangerous patch tore, causing me to pull off the road with no control over the suv. *nm
09/12/2005751251
 Futura touring se purchased omfr pepboys in fresno, ca. driver side rear tire blew out on the freeway with no apparent reason caused explosive concussion that caused the complete separation of the tread , causing the car to spin 360 degrees in freeway traffic.- catastrophic failure with complete tread separation with large visible point of outward force- tread detachment was complete with most of sidewalls intact except at force point where side wall completely sheared to bead. force of tire failure caused spin at highway speed with catastrophic control failure, caused vehicle control loss and accident with spin off-road vehicle was total loss with moderate injury to driver. *nm
08/05/20021
 On august 5, 2002 i was driving on the freeway when the tread unraveled on the tire on the left front side of my ford explorer. i replaced the tire but was very concerned because my mechanic felt that the failure was caused by a defect. when i went to the dealer he informed me that the tire was beyond the warranty limitation of 60,000 miles and that i would need to purchase a new tire. today, sunday august 26, 2002 a second tire that i purchased at the same time from your dealer began to fall apart at the tread as i returned from church. i have two more dunlop tires that i purchased that i am now afraid to drive on because of the tread problem. it is my understanding that even though we surpass the mileage limitation we should not expect the tires to disintegrate. i need your assistance to address this problem immediately. i will be going to the dealer tomorrow august 26, 2002 and i believe that all four of the defective tires should be replaced at no charge. i also suggest that you investigate this matter before someone is injured or dies due to a reported defect.*ak
07/29/2002108/01/1991
 B.f.goodrich, p235/75r16, replacement equipment with unknown mileage on a 1992 ford explorer. driver's rear tire had blowout at unknown speed. *ak the consumer stated that the firestone recall replacement were substandard and experienced blow up. consumer is asking for full refund because the tires that were promised to him were not available. *yh
04/19/2002104/01/1995
 Consumer stated the vehicle rolled over several times during an accident caused by hitting a deer, consumer is not sure if it was the brand new continential tires, p235/75r15, that were purchased 3 weeks prior or just the design of the vehicle.*jb
04/03/2001102/01/1993
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak (dot number: hyuuf6a186 tiresize: p225/70r15)
03/05/2001103/01/1992
 About 2 weeks ago noticed vehicle was handling rough and the source seemed to be the front wheels. continued to drive vehicle until today (3/5/01) when i took it in for routine maintenance and mentioned rough handling problem. mechanic (ray's chevron palmdale, ca) told me the right front tire had a bubble and was coming apart. i was unaware until today that cooper tires are having problems similar to firestone. i thank god that the tire didn't fail while i was driving my family at freeway speeds.*ak (tiresize: p23575rx15)( dot number: tire size: p23575rx15 )( dot number: tire size: p23575rx15 )( dot number: tire size: p23575rx15 )
07/01/19944
 Vehicle had two flats and two blowouts, consumer purchased four new tire and requested reimbursement but was denied. nlm
09/01/19991
 Consumer replaced the firestone atx ii tires after 4 tire rotations and tire balances due to vibration and noise, consumer is requesting reimbursement for the replacement tires.(attorney for client) *slc
1
 Vehicle had firestone wilderness at tires (p235/75r15) and experienced a rollover, the consumer did not say the tires were the cause of the accident. *slc
09/01/19991
 Consumer replaced the firestone atx ii tires after 4 tire rotations and tire balances due to vibration and noise, consumer is requesting reimbursement for the replacement tires.(attorney for client) *slc
02/23/1997102/01/1992
 While driving the vehicle went onto the shoulder due to driver error, the driver tried to steer vehicle onto the roadway, oversteering on loose gravel, while attempting to regain control the right front (firestone atx) tire lost air pressure, which caused the vehicle to rollover, which resulted in injuries to passengers. *mjs
10/06/2000204/01/1999
 2 blowouts different days - one passenger rear, one driver rear; both on freeway. *ak (dot number: 105s m+s tiresize: p235/75r15)
1
 Consumer purchased 2 new tire because of defective firestone atx tires, firestone refuses refund because consumer did not get them replaced by firestone dealer. nlm
12/28/1997102/01/1992
 We were going on vacation and had a blowout on the left rear at 65 mph in the fast lane of interstate 10 . the car began fishtailing and i was able to get it to the right shoulder. my wife asked why i was pulling over at first because she could not feel the problem. it scares me to death to think of what would have happened if she were driving alone at the time or with our daughter. they may have becoome statistics like so many others in explorers equipped with these tires. unfortunately, i still have 5 of these firestones, and the wait is months to have them replaced. (tiresize: p235r75/15)( dot number: tire size: p235r75/15 )
07/01/1992
 Tires have separation/ cracking entire circumfrence at carcass to tread joint both sides. *ak (dot number: vd tiresize: p235-75r15)
09/12/2000107/01/1992
 Congressman tom campbell. no safety defect listed. *ak( dot number: vnhl1mo192 tire size: 235/75/r15 )
07/23/19981
 On a trip home, i had a blowout on one of the firestone atx tires on my ford explorer. i was on an interstate highway, traveling about 70 mph, when the tread separated and send us on a wild ride across the interstate. we were very lucky that the vehicle came to a safe stop. i had the tire replace with the same brand, size, and type after the firestone service center assured me that these tires were safe. i was told that the separation was due to speed and highway heat.( dot number: tire size: 235/75/15 )
05/16/1999205/01/1997
 I was driving on i-95 north to nc when i heard my right rear tire blow out. i attempted to pull over to right shoulder when suddenly my right front tire also blew out. i lost control of the vehicle, it spinned three times, and flipped over 1 1/2 times. the vehicle was declared a total loss by the insurance agency.( dot number: tire size: 235/7515 )
08/29/1997109/01/1991
 A section of the tire pealed off and tire was replaced with spare of same type. i still own the spare but have replaced all other tires. note the tire in question is not included in your recall but should be! *ak( dot number: tire size: 22575r15 )
08/08/1999106/01/1992
 Front right tire blew out on the highway near texarkana, maintained control of the car, some metal work damage. air temperature there was in excess of 100. i'm submitting this now because of the recall effort.( dot number: h4bndfa119 tire size: p23575515f )
06/01/2000112/01/1992
 I was experiencing a wobble--similar to that when a wheel is out of balance--while driving on a trip to california. i stopped and looked at the tires. there was a bubble in the tread of the left rear tire and its sidewall was pulling out. i had all four tires replaced at a local tire store. the tire did not blow out, but it was failing. i do not have the tires.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
505/01/1999
 All tires have very visible cracks along the circumference of each tires. the cracks appear to be getting wider - now it is possible to stick a thumb nail in some locations. followed the recall procedure but the earliest that i can get replacement tires is 7 weeks (from 9/1) and even then i was #100. these tires appear extremely dangerous but i am forced to use this vehicle to drive to work - 36 highway miles each way! what am i to do? *ak( dot number: tire size: p23575r15 )
09/01/2000101/01/1992
 September 1, 2000 at 2:45am, my son was driving my explorer. the front left tire blew, he lost control of vehicle at 40mph on a +5% downhill grade,explorer totalled and son survived. i attempted to contact firestone and ford on 9.1.00 and as of today's date, have had no cooperation from either company. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
06/07/199708/01/1992
 Accident occurred on june 7, 1997 approximately 10 miles south of montgomery, al. my wife was driving the vehicle and i trailed her in my explorer. the tire on the right rear of her explorer separated and caused the vehicle to spin and then leave the highway. it overturned as it slid down an incline. the vehicle then flipped right side up and slid into a fence post. the tire never deflated, but all of the steel belt was gone. the vehicle was totalled by southern united fire insurance company. it was replaced by a 1997 ford explorer.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
09/01/2000101/01/1992
 September 1, 2000 at 2:45am, my son was driving my explorer. the front left tire blew, he lost control of vehicle at 40mph on a +5% downhill grade,explorer totalled and son survived. i attempted to contact firestone and ford on 9.1.00 and as of today's date, have had no cooperation from either company. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
505/01/1999
 All tires have very visible cracks along the circumference of each tires. the cracks appear to be getting wider - now it is possible to stick a thumb nail in some locations. followed the recall procedure but the earliest that i can get replacement tires is 7 weeks (from 9/1) and even then i was #100. these tires appear extremely dangerous but i am forced to use this vehicle to drive to work - 36 highway miles each way! what am i to do? *ak( dot number: tire size: p23575r15 )
06/01/2000112/01/1992
 I was experiencing a wobble--similar to that when a wheel is out of balance--while driving on a trip to california. i stopped and looked at the tires. there was a bubble in the tread of the left rear tire and its sidewall was pulling out. i had all four tires replaced at a local tire store. the tire did not blow out, but it was failing. i do not have the tires.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
08/08/1999106/01/1992
 Front right tire blew out on the highway near texarkana, maintained control of the car, some metal work damage. air temperature there was in excess of 100. i'm submitting this now because of the recall effort.( dot number: h4bndfa119 tire size: p23575515f )
09/01/2000110/01/1992
 Purchased vehicle was 1 yr old with 12000 miles. the tires on the vehicle lasted until 95000 miles was on the vehicle. at 95000 miles the front left tire (firestone fr680; p225/70r15 m+s)warped (the belts separated). i was pleased the the lifetime of the tires; therefore, i replaced them with the same tires. at 152,000 miles, the right front tire warped (belt separation). i replaced that tire (dot hyuu f6a 047)today (1 sep 2000). has anyone else had any problems with these tires? they were not part of the recall; therefore, no reimbursement was applicable.( dot number: hyuuf6a047 tire size: p225/70r15 )
05/27/2000106/01/1992
 Tire blew out and shredded into one long strip of rubber. that tire and all tires were and are pressurized to exactly 30psi.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
06/13/2000103/01/1992
 June 13th, 200, was traveling eastbound on 202 freeway in mesa, az, at 1:15 pm when tread separated from tire. tread damaged muffler, rear qtr panel, tailgate, and bumper, then wrapped around wheel well. my daughter was a passenger in the vehicle. called aaa to change tire, then went and bought 4 new michelin tires, as this was the 2nd time this happened in the past 2 yrs. filed claim with firestone, claim #021657. was reimbursed for damages, tire shipment, and one new tire. intend to file claim for reimbursement of the other 3 new tires i bought, plus rental car reimbursement for the 4 days it needs to be in for repairs. repairs are scheduled for tuesday, aug. 29th, so if you want to assess damage prior to repairs, please contact me no later than monday, aug. 28th. still have spare atx tire. on june 29th (or 28th), 1998, i was traveling eastbound on mcdowell rd. east of higley rd. in mesa, az, around noon, when tread separated from tire. bent muffler into right rear tire, damaged rear qtr panel and bumper. filed claim with firestone. i am still looking for my paperwork for that claim. i was reimbursed for damages, shipment of tire, and prorated cost of old tire. i have photos of my vehicle for both of these claims, as these were required by firestone. once again, if you would like me to hold off on repairs, please advise by monday, aug. 28th. i feel that firestone has known about this problem for quite sometime, and feel very lucky that no serious injuries were inflicted as a result of these defective tires. feel free to contact me anytime.( dot number: vhdl1pb474 tire size: p23575-r15 )
06/26/1998108/01/1992
 We have a police report and an engineer's report detailing the failure of the tire. the failure caused a rollover accident resulting in a spinal fusion for the other occupant, brad west, who was driving the vehicle with myself as passenger. firestone was contacted and a lengthy arbitration process resulted in them settling with us out of court. they contended that the incident was an isolated one. as we see now, that is not the truth. we will be happy to forward the reports in this case to help in any proceedings against firestone.( dot number: 1pb 355 tire size: p235/75r15 )
09/23/1999112/01/1991
 A 1.5ft piece of tread separated from the tire as i was driving on i 5 north of los angeles. this separation caused a loud pounding. i was able to reach the right side of the freeway and i investigated the cause of the noise. the left rear tire was still inflated and the 1.5 ft tread that still attached to the tire was about 4 to 5 inches wide. by the time i was able to stop, the piece of tread had damaged to rear quarter panal and molding and also knocked off the mud guard. even though the tires had 58000 miles of use, there was plenty of tread left for same driving.( dot number: w2uu imx tire size: p225/70r15 )
07/09/2000109/01/1991
 Tread separation at 6 pm east of davis ca on i 80 caused damage to wheel well and left rear quarter pannel.son who was going 60mph in slow lane was able to maintain control.( dot number: unknown tire size: p235/75r15 )
09/01/1996108/01/1992
 New vehicle w/firestone p235 owl all-terrain tires (upgraded option $228.00) in aug, 1992. by sept, 1996, had replaced 3 orig tires (50,000 mi warranty). 4th orig tire failed oct 18, 1996 & replaced 1 orig & 3 replacement (firestone radl atx ii 237575r15) w/firestone wilderness at 23575r15xl. hwy blowout of 23575r15xl in aug, 1999. all new tires show 3-4 cracking on sidewall( dot number: tire size: 23575r15xl )
07/27/1998208/01/1997
 My son had a blow out while traveling home from virginia. first the passenger side rear loss the tread and damaged the rear quarter panel. after having a tow truck replace the tire with the spare he had another blow out lossing the tread on the driver side rear causing damage to that side quarter panel. he then need to be towed to a tire dealer to replace the tire since the spare was anready used. this occured within about 200 miles of each other. the final incident occured near jupiter fl.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
10/05/1999105/01/1998
 Tire came apart while driving at low rate of speed damage the front fender and all of the fender housing area messing up the wheel coused it to be out of round.( dot number: tire size: 235/75/r15 )
04/25/2000112/01/1991
 Right rear tire delaminated on i95 southbound at around 3 pm. vehicle had been driver for several hours.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r )
10/05/1999105/01/1998
 Tire came apart while driving at low rate of speed damage the front fender and all of the fender housing area messing up the wheel coused it to be out of round.( dot number: tire size: 235/75/r15 )
06/02/2000301/01/1992
 These tires have dot code 8xhl and one tire was replaced prior to the recall due to excessive vibration at 65mph. i just replaced all 4 firestone atx tires with the newer wilderness ats. also, replaced all shocks. after repeated visits back to the repair shop, they decided to begin replacing tires at no cost to me. the car still vibrates at 65mph. the repair shop has checked balancing multiple times, checked the u joints and still can only come up with tire defects as the reason. i hope that this defect information does get attention even though these tires are not dot vdhl. i hope it won't wait until some deaths occur to get serious about 8xhl tires. my family does not have confidence in riding this vehicle placing an unnecessary financial burdern on us to buy new tires or don't use the vehicle and buy another. our other vehicle is leased and we are now putting more miles on that due to the firestone problem and this will cause us to exceed mileage limits in our lease and thus cause an unnecessary out of pocket expense as well.( dot number: 8xhl tire size: p235/75/r1 )
11/01/1996106/01/1992
 I wanted to ensure that the death of my son and his girlfriend in a ford explorer, single vehicle accident involving blowout of the firsestone tire were included in the information you have on the investigation into the safety issue. their names were jonathan riley and kacey crowe. they were killed when the ford explorer with firestone atx tires flipped after the right front tire blew out on november 1, 1996. the ford explorer had approx. 60,000 miles on it and the original firestone atx tires had recently been replaced with new firestone atx tires a few months before the accident. i would like to receive information on the status of the investigation.( dot number: )
07/16/2000207/01/1998
 Both rear tires threw entire tread at same time on broad street while going 35 mph. no major damage or injuries; can only speculate what would've happened at high speed. replaced, but now heard about recall and decided to report.( dot number: tire size: 235/75/15 )
01/01/1997
 I wish to register this information to protect my rights in the manufacture's recall program.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
05/31/1999408/01/1992
 Traveling interstate highway between florida and virginia my 1992 ford explorer started shaking violently. it felt like i was losing a wheel. i stopped and checked the wheels out and everything looked ok. we proceeded cautiously to our destination of abingdon, virginia. i ultimately took the vehicle to the firestone dealer in bristol, tn. and was told the steel belts had seperated and needed to replace the tires. there was 10/32 of tread still remaining on the tires when i had to replace them and had to pay 195.00. the tires had always been carefully maintained with proper inflation and rotated every 5000 miles. the tires were replaced with firestone atx tires and on 06/29/99 @ 34383 miles they were again replaced because of failure and this time wilderness at tires were used.( dot number: w2hl tire size: p235/75/15 )
06/18/1999210/01/1997
 In june of 1999 i was traveling down i15 when i heard my explorer making funny thumping noises. i pulled off at the next exit and parked my car. i didn't know what it was so i let the car sit for a while in case it was something in the engine, i also got out and looked at the tires. this same noise had happened to us less than a year ago while traveling down the highway in aug. of 1998 with the driver's side rear tire. i did not see any bulge on any of the tires so i decided to proceed down the road and if the noise persisted i was going to pull off again and call my father to come and get me. i was not on the road for a mile when the passenger side rear tire blew and i fish-tailed for a while untill the tire wrapped around the axel which took me into the median where i rolled twice. the police did come to the site and i was not cited for the incident because there was no way to avoid the incident. we notified our insurance company and they sent out what they called a tire expert. the insurance company told us that this tire expert informed them that there was no reason the tire should have blown. this car was totaled beyond repair, so we had to accept the fact that we have been without a car for over a year. luckily we do have another car which we use to get to and from work. we also do have pictures of the tire and the vehicle after the accident. i unfortunately do not have the vin # on me but probably could find it if i need it. please keep me informed of any updated news or if you have any questions call me. thank you -kristie heaton( dot number: )
06/02/2000301/01/1992
 After purchasing four new tires and all new shocks, the car would not ride smoothly at 60-65mph. with repeated return visits the mechanic tried rebalancing the tires, tried rotation and checked the u joints. each time it still vibrated badly. finally he beleived that the vibration was caused by a tire defect and he replaced 1 tire for free. this reduced the amount of vibration but has not eliminated it. we rely heavily on using this car for family purposes especially with the summer vacation time and weekly camping trips.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
11/27/1999106/01/1992
 Replacement tires were same as factory original, rated at 50,000 miles. at 40,000 miles, began to experience vibration, the source of which could not accurately be identifed by mechanic. (u-joint and several bearings replaced to no effect). during driving trip to little rock for thanksgiving, vibration worsened, which i attributed to bad road surface conditions in mo and ar. during return trip to kansas city from little rock, approx. 100 miles west of little rock on wb i-40, right rear tire tread failed, delaminating completely from tire core at 70 mph. lost control of vehicle and traveled down grass embankment of center median, hit concrete drainage way at center, and continued up the opposite embankment toward oncoming eb traffic. regained partial control as vehicle slowed up the embankment, and was able to steer vehicle to rest back at the bottom of the median. passing motorists assisted in returning vehicle to the highway, and i put on the full-size spare. passing arkansas state trooper stopped and ascertained that there were no injuries nor collisions with other vehicles. no report was filed. continued to kansas city on spare tire; no further vibration noticed. approximately 5000 miles later replaced all four tires with same brand, firestone atx. these tires now have approximately 8000 miles. no further incidents to report. originally thought to be isolated incident, and so did not report to nhtsa until i heard news reports about your investigations on this tire. ntb salesman noted that they were familiar with failure problems on this tire at the time that i bought the last set. i went ahead and bought them because original set performed ok, and they were most economical product for my budget. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r14 )
07/25/2000108/01/1992
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
07/29/20001
 While driving about 55 mph left front tire had blownout, causing consumer to lose control. then regained it and drove off the road. firestone, size p235/75r15. *ak
07/03/2000101/01/1996
 Rear left firestone atx tire exploded while driving at 70 mph, causing a rollover accident. firestone has been contacted. *ak
01/01/1995301/01/1992
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak( dot number: ? tire size: p235 75r15 )
07/01/19963
 Tire's wearing unevenly causing blow outs.
1212/01/1994
 Heating and air conditioning unit caught on fire once , four sets of tires ,two sets of shock and four sets of abs brakes were replaced. having other problem s, including four transmissions had to be replaced. *ak
10/21/19961
 Tires have no traction, causing vehicle to skid in inclement weather.
06/18/19938
 Firestone tire blewout due to rock puncture. *sd
06/21/19951
 Firestone tires replaced due to irregular wear. *sd
TIRES - SIDEWALL
10/30/200521400107/15/1992
 Bridgestone at dueler p235/75r r15 tire sidewall disintegrated while driving. *nm
 Sidewall separation on at lease one tire presently on vehicle, resulting inlarge bulge and very poor ride. *ak( dot number: )
1
 Tire has an unusual gash mark on sidewall of tire no possibility of wear in that location. no blowout as of yet. only one of four tires currently affected. other three tires appear to be developing same type of wear on sidewalls. aware of numerous similar complaints as of late in the news. feel a recall of tires for free replacement is necessary for safe operation of vehicle. *ak( dot number: wihlat5187 tire size: p235/75r15 )
TIRES - TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
11/24/200264500108/15/1991
 The spare tire cable of my 1992 ford explorer that holds up the spare tire rusted out dropping the spare tire to the ground. fortunately this occurred while the vehicle was stopped. if the tire fell when moving down the highway at 65mph, the consequences may have been very different. there is no excuse for ford to use a cable material that can corrode and drop the tire.
02/02/1998110/01/1992
 The cable that holds the spare tire in position deteriorated through corrosion to the point it no longer held tire and fell off.
06/23/1998104/01/1993
 Spare tire bracket fell off vehicle due to rust.
09/15/199711/01/1994
 Spare tire winch broke.
11/18/1996
 While driving 35mph the spare tire fell off the vehicle onto the road . *ak
TIRES - TREAD/BELT
11/24/2006111/01/1995
 My ford explorer was originally equipped with the bridgestone-firestone tires that have since been recalled. i replaced these tires in 2003 without ever having any notice of the recall. recently i received a letter stating that i could get my tires replaced for free. this was the first notice of the recall....at least 4 years after the supposed recall. and yes, i have been the owner of the vehicle and living at the same address for more than 10 years. *jb
11/04/2006140000111/07/1992
 Dt*: the contact stated a nhtsa recall letter #00t005000 regarding tires: tread/belt was received. the vehicle was taken to an authorized tire dealer for the recall repair. the dealer would not replace the tire under the recall because the dealer believed the tire came from a junk yard. the contact planned to contact the tire manufacturer after filing a complaint with the nhtsa. the tire was a firestone atx p235/75r15. *ak updated *jb
10/12/2006125508105/02/1992
 Dt*: the contact stated a nhtsa recall letter #00t005000 regarding tires:tread/belt was received on 10/07/06, and an authorized tire dealer refused to perform the recall. on 10/12/06, the tire was taken to the tire dealer who expressed that the contact needed to purchase a new tire, and the tire manufacturer would reimburse the costs. the recall stated that the defective tires would be replaced at no cost. the contact expressed to the tire dealer that a complaint would be taken by the nhtsa, and the dealer offered no resolution. tire manufacturer: firestone. tire line: atx. size: p235/75r15.
01/20/2003
 Consumer stated that while driving and without warning the front tires have tread seperation and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle dealer notified size# p23575r15 please provide the dot#. ts
09/18/19992
 The front two tire treads started to come apart and the treads and fibers could be seen beneath, all four tire were replaced, the consumer requested reimbursement but reimbursement was denied because the replacement tires were purchased prior to jan 1,2000 (firestone atx). nlm
09/01/19991
 The consumers firestone tires were recalled, the consumer contacted tire dealer to make an appointment for replacement but was given a date 2 months away, the consumer inquired what to do in the meantime and was told he could purchase new or used tires and be reimbursed, on the replacement date the consumer present the reciept for the replacement tires but was denied reimbursement.(firestone tires) nlm
05/04/2002
 While traveling about 65mph on highway heard a noise. he was able to pull over, passenge's right tire tread separated from the rim. a dayton tire interurban steel belt, tire size p235/75r15. ak
09/01/19991
 The consumers firestone tires were recalled, the consumer contacted tire dealer to make an appointment for replacement but was given a date 2 months away, the consumer inquired what to do in the meantime and was told he could purchase new or used tires and be reimbursed, on the replacement date the consumer present the reciept for the replacement tires but was denied reimbursement.(firestone tires) nlm
09/18/19992
 The front two tire treads started to come apart and the treads and fibers could be seen beneath, all four tire were replaced, the consumer requested reimbursement but reimbursement was denied because the replacement tires were purchased prior to jan 1,2000 (firestone atx). nlm
02/15/20001
 The tread of the firestone tire began to separate from the tire prior to recall, the consumer replaced all four tires, after the recall was initiated the consumer returned the spare for reimbursement and requested reimbursement for the other four tires but was only reimbursed for the spare because the other tires were not purchased at a firestone dealer (firestone atx p235/75r15). nlm
12/17/1999112/01/1998
 The thread separated from the tire. firestone and ford both refuse to take responsibility. the recall of these tires should have been more comprehensive. i had to have the tires replaced approx. 2 weeks prior to the recall. the recall dates were arbitrary and the problem is obviously greater that both firestone and ford are admitting.( dot number: )
11/05/19991
 The consumer replaced all four tires two months prior to recall notice because they were showing signs of severe tread separation, the consumer requested reimbursement but the manufacturer denied the claim because the replace tires were purchased prior to jan 1, 2000 (firestone atx p235/75r15). nlm
08/18/20005
 Consumer replaced all 5 faulty firestone atx tires due to tread separation prior to recall 00t-005, consumer request reimbursement. nlm
1
 Consumer requested reimbursement for faulty firestone tires but has not received reimbursemt yet and it has been passed the 6-8 week period. nlm
1
 Left rear firestone tire shredded while driving ripping apart the quarter panel. nlm
1
 The steel was exposed on firestone tire and consumer promptly replaced all four tires, consumer request reimbursement but firestone refuse refund because the tires were replaced prior to jan. 1,2000.
09/17/2000108/01/1991
 Upon driving on the interstate, on a hot day, for several hours at highway speeds tread separated with a loud bang. it was possible to safely pull the vehicle to the shoulder and change the tire. when i delivered the vehicle to a firestone dealer he indicated he could give me a good price to replace it. he made no mention that it looked like a manufacturing defect. upon contacting firestone they indicated that it was the tire dealer's responsibility to report it as a defect. i have since had all my other tires replaced with michelins (2 at my own expense - pre recall and 3 under the recall). (tiresize: 235/75r15)( dot number: tire size: 235/75r15 )
1
 Consumer received recall 00t-005 regarding the firestone tires, the consumer has the firestone atx (p235/75r15) and is requesting the reimbursement agreement stated in the recall letter. *slc
1
 Left rear firestone tire shredded while driving ripping apart the quarter panel. nlm
1
 The steel was exposed on firestone tire and consumer promptly replaced all four tires, consumer request reimbursement but firestone refuse refund because the tires were replaced prior to jan. 1,2000.
09/01/20001
 Tire tread separated from the tire causing the vehicle to shake and vibrate until stopped(firestone p225 70r15). nlm
07/13/1998103/01/1993
 Owner replaced all four tires because of irregular tread wear, noise and vibration. owner is seeking reimbursement under recall (00t-005). *cj
05/12/19981
 Consumer was originally told that five of the firestone atx tires on his vehicle were covered in the recall (00t-005),consumer replaced all five tires then was denied complete recall reimbursement for all five tires. consumer replaced the two rear tires prior due to vibration problems. *mjs
02/07/2000
 Was driving 30mph when tires slipped & vehicle flipped on side. hit curb & vehicle flipped back. right rear tire had lost its tread. they were replaced due to other tires failing to maintain air. do not have tires.*ak
1
 Consumer replaced all the firestone (atx p235/75r15) tires prior to recall notification, consumer is having difficulty receiving recall (00t-005) reimbursement. *mjs
09/01/19981
 Firestone atx tire(p235 75 r15) experienced tread separation while driving, consumer requests reimbursement. *slc
07/13/1999107/09/1999
 Firestone radial atx steel belted radial right passenger side rear tire(p235 75 r15) experienced tread separation causing vehicle to rollover several times causing serious injuries to several people. (attorney for client) *slc
05/24/20002
 Firestone atx tires experienced tread separation and a blowout, firestone is denying reimbursement. *slc
06/06/20001
 Firestone tire tread disintregrated and pieces hit veh and did damage to veh she may be able to get sub fr firestone. (claim# 03-3150-538) *mw
1
 Firestone fr440 235 70r15 tire 5% wear on tire with tread separation. (claim# 53-c583-345) *mw
1204/01/1999
 Had 10 flat tires, and tread separation on two tires, less than a year after buying the tires. tires are literally falling apart. have replaced them recently, out of fear for my life using them. firestone refuses to discuss a reimbursement for my costs.*ak (dot number: 8xhl tiresize: 235-15)
08/02/20001
 Firestone tire blew out...model atx size p235/75/r15. age of the tire are not known, but insd. states that there were in good shape. (claim# 35-w485-829) *mw
04/01/2000112/01/1999
 Firestone atx tires experienced tread separation resulting in damage to the driver side rear panel. *slc
08/18/20001
 Car#1 goign aroudn a turn and left front tire came off the rim and insured lost control of the vehicle and vehicle turned over. (claim 38-j515-998) *mw
08/30/20001
 Insured he was traveling north on hwy 35 near kaplan. he stated his left rear tire blew out causing damage to left rear of vehicle. the tire involved was a firestone atx. he reported to firestone in lafayette two weeks prior to the incident he had a firestone tire and they needed to replace the tire for him. they took his name & address and said they would get back to him, they never did after loss he went firestone & they claim form to replace tire & ph#f/damage. (claim 18-0414-564) *mw
07/17/20001
 Firestone atx p235/75/r15 vnhv 1mo estimator advised cr that the left rear is flat but has no signs of tread separation or blow out. (claim 38-j397-225) *mw
03/11/2000
 Pe00 020; consumer was traveling about 70mph on highway and heard a popping noise. he lost control of vehicle and the vehicle rolled twice. rear tire tread had separated from rim. the fireston e#at p23575r15. there were injuries.*ak
12/01/1992
 I'm not sure that the tire failures are firestone's fault. the explorers are extremely poor handling vehicles and very abusive to tread/sidewall. *ak
06/14/20001
 A piece of the right rear tire flew off at which point the tire went flat, driver was able to keep control of vehicle (firestone radial atx ii 235/75r15). nlm
09/15/2000308/01/1999
 Pe00-020 , aftermarket with 19,000 miles tire size p23575r15 , dot #w2hl1py456. consumer was drivng at approximately 60 mph when tread on rear right tire started to come apart which lead to separation of tire. consumer had taken vehicle to firestone 3 times prior to incident because of the recall, and was told that all 4 firestone wilderness tires were fine. ten days later, tread separated.*ak *slc
01/01/1999111/25/1991
 Pe00 020; consumer was driving at 60mph on the highway and heard a noise. he was able to pull over, and left rear tire tread separated from the rim. tire was a firestone #at, p23575r15. firestone will be notified.*ak the consumer replaced all tires and is requesting a reimbursement. *slc
10/01/1992
 I have had problems with my firestone atx tires for 3-4 years. my explorer would started vibrating and i would take it to my firestone dealer in houston. one three separate occaions over the last 4 years, they would tell me that i had tread separation and that it was a problem with atx tires on explorers. hence, my tire records at firestone will show that they knew of this problem serveral years ago. each time they told me, they would only offer to prorate me a new tire. the third time it happened, i made a big seen in the dealer store, and they decided to give me a new tire. the point of this report is simply that my dealer knew of this serious problem many years ago. i did not know how serious it was, so i did not report it to the ntsa, at that time. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
05/01/2000
 They have not gone out yet but 3 have broken belts that have bubbles in the tires and ford or firestone say that they were not recalled. what am i to do?( dot number: vdhl tire size: 235/75 r15 )
09/12/2000107/01/1992
 Pe00-020; while driving about 65 mph right rear firestone radial atx tire had tread separation. tire did not lose air, and consumer could keep control of vehicle. ford, explorer 1992 p235/75r15, dot vnhl1m0192. *ak *slc
07/25/2000104/08/2000
 First, the vehicle began to shake while traveling on highway. then, the front right of the vehicle dropped. saw the tire tread in rear view mirror, but the tire never went flat and there was no damage to the vehicle. *yh
10/17/19971
 Was driving 65mph when right rear tire had a blowout. this caused damage to the tail pipe. was barely able to control vehicle. tread had separated on the outside & then went flat. had all 4 tires replaced due to cracks in the tread. firestone ,lt235/75r15 with 53,000 miles on it.*ak
04/01/1992103/01/1992
 Brand new car. tread separated and came off before second tank of gas ever used in car. fortunately it was a rear tire. wife driving on i-17 with infant in car seat. firestone dealer was a jerk. claimed my wife had run over something. salesman we bought car from intervened and got us a new tire. tires wore unevenly on that explorer and had to be replaced at 35,000 or so in spite of conscientious rotation. replacement tires made 55,000 with no rotation - they were pathfinder radial atrs. bought new explorer in nov, 1997. tires on it were firestone wilderness. they wore unevenly, dished out, and i had to replace them a year ago at 33,000 miles. one had partially separated tread when we took them off. we bought michelins. on both explorers, we bought replacement tires from reputable dealers. at time of replacement, both those dealers carried firestone wilderness atrs. i don't think either dealer would have stocked bad tires, although clearly the original tires furnished on both explorers were awful tires. i hope that you folks are checking into the possibility that two different tires were made under the same name - a cheap one for the ford original equipment monopoly and a better one for the replacement tire market where there was true competition.( dot number: tire size: 15 inch )
12/03/19971
 While driving about 80 mph heard noise coming from right rear tire, then stopped and found out that tread had separated from the tire. firestone, radial atx, 235/75 r15 dot vnhl1m0202. *ak firestone claims that it was the driver's fault but the fact was that the tire tread separated according to the customer. *yh
05/04/2000112/01/1992
 I was traveling on the interstate when the tread on my tire peeled off. i was able to stop before i had a complete blow out.( dot number: w2hlimo212 tire size: p235-75-15 )
06/11/1999110/01/1996
 On june 11, 1999 i was driving on route 571 in jackson, new jersey when my car started to shake. i pulled over to the side of the road. i got out and looked at my passenger side rear tire and the entire tread was seperated from the tire. i called my road side assistance allstate and had them come change the tire. at that time i only thought of this as a blow out due to the fact that i was carrying a heavire then normal load in my trunk. until the recall i did not realize what had actually happened to my tire. the read basically seperated from the tire it self. i had my spare tire put and i brought the car to sears who sold me another firestone atx tire. currently, i am very upset that the new jersey recalls may not even happen for year. this is happening here to and it is a problem which needs to be corrected with no delays.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
05/24/1998109/01/1992
 While picking up speed from a high clearance dirt road to a 2 lane paved road consumer felt the car vibraing intensly slowed down,pulled over and noticed that the passenger side rear firestone atx (p235/75r15) tire completely shredded with the tread pulled away completely. nlm
4
 Pe-00-020; purchased a ford, explorer tire size p23575r15, dot number on three tires was w2hl1py367, fourth tire dot number w2hl1py456, tires have 20 thousand miles on them. consumer notice all four tires have developed hairline cracks at the tread base. *ak all four tires have hair line crack and were replaced by the customer since they are not on recall list. *yh
04/01/1992103/01/1992
 Brand new car. tread separated and came off before second tank of gas ever used in car. fortunately it was a rear tire. wife driving on i-17 with infant in car seat. firestone dealer was a jerk. claimed my wife had run over something. salesman we bought car from intervened and got us a new tire. tires wore unevenly on that explorer and had to be replaced at 35,000 or so in spite of conscientious rotation. replacement tires made 55,000 with no rotation - they were pathfinder radial atrs. bought new explorer in nov, 1997. tires on it were firestone wilderness. they wore unevenly, dished out, and i had to replace them a year ago at 33,000 miles. one had partially separated tread when we took them off. we bought michelins. on both explorers, we bought replacement tires from reputable dealers. at time of replacement, both those dealers carried firestone wilderness atrs. i don't think either dealer would have stocked bad tires, although clearly the original tires furnished on both explorers were awful tires. i hope that you folks are checking into the possibility that two different tires were made under the same name - a cheap one for the ford original equipment monopoly and a better one for the replacement tire market where there was true competition.( dot number: tire size: 15 inch )
07/11/1999
 Pe00 020; consumer was traveling about 35mph on highway and front tire started to wobble and shake. left driver's side tire tread had separated from the rim. the firestone #atx. *ak
08/18/2000409/01/1992
 Tread seperation and side wall bulging out.( dot number: tire size: 235r75/15 )
06/04/2000105/01/1993
 I was travelling on i-75 at the tennessee/georgia border at 75 mph when my right rear tire had a blowout. i kept control of the vehicle and when got out and inspected the situation, i was suprised to see that i still had my air but lost half of my tread on the tire. i went to a firestone dealer in atlanta and purchased 2 new tires. this tire had approximately 45,000 miles on it. i do rotate my tires every 8 - 10,000 miles. the 2 new tires i received were the same kind which is those that are being recalled. i haven't had my tires replaced yet since the recall and plan to do so soon. my question is who do i contact in regards to a claim for the damage that was done to my vehicle? i also trust that these firestone dealers across the country did not know about the problems with these tires in june nor the fact that your agency had initiated an investigation.please call. i do have 3 pictures of my treadless tire and the receipts from the dealer in atlanta. thank you( dot number: any tire size: p235/75r15 )
08/11/2000212/01/1999
 I have had 2 blowouts on firestone tires in the past 2 months (one on 8/11/00) which damaged my car and put my life and others at risk. firestone is refusing to replace my tires, and they will not fix the damage to my vehicle until after 30 days. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
07/30/2000109/01/1991
 I was driving on a highway going about 65. it was sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. the tread completely separated from the tire. the tire remained inflated. the incident damaged the underside of the front bumper, and dented the backside of the tire hull, so that the front driver's door and the front panel are not aligned properly. the separated tread also must have hit underneath the car and knocked off the muffler. luckily no one was injured.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
209/01/1992
 side wall separation, blister low on the tire by the tread, on one tire and minor tread separationside wall separation, blister low on the tire by the tread, on one tire and minor tread separation( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
09/10/19951
 Vehicle northbound on i-17 when right rear tread separated from the tire causing the vehicle to veer off the road into the median enbankment. this impact caused the vehicle to roll, ejecting the driver.the passenger was also partially ejected. both the driver and passenger sustained serious injuries. the passenger is still disabled and unable to work due to the injuries sustained, most significantly a closed head injury. additional information, including photographs and medical records can be provided. *ak( dot number: )
05/07/1999101/01/1998
 Tread failure reuslted in lose of control and car flipped several times and crashed. further details available upon request. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
08/04/1998106/01/1997
 We were involved in a car accident in atlanta, georgia in the ford explorer. after the car accident, in which my leg was broken and me and my husband suffered concussions. since the accident i have had two miscarriages and suffered severe back pain. i have been in the care of a chiropractor since the accident. my leg will never be the same- the car was totalled. i have pictures to support my claims. please let me know how to scan my pictures.*ak
03/30/20002
 On 3/30/000 while traveling from san diego to san francisco, i felt slight vibration in the rear of the vehicle which i assumed was a wheel slightly out of balance. i stopped for the night in pismo beach and on inspection found that the rear tires were separating. on one tire there was approx. an 18 tear between the steel? backed tread and the rest of the tire. the other rear tire also had a smaller separation starting. the damage was not immediately noticeable from a casual look at the tire. it was only by luck that we had planned to stop in pismo beach. had we continued directly to san francisco. i suspect the tire would have come apart on the highway. i had both tires replaced the following morning with goodyear wranglers - rotating the remaining two atx's to the rear. the tires with the separation were not badly worn or underinflated. they still has a reasonable amount of tread left. i may be able to determine the mileage on them if i can find the original invoices or the tire stores have maintained a record - which i expect to be the case. my son sometime borrows the vehicle during the summer and recently made a trip to los angeles up and down i5, which is both hot and fast. i would urge you to make a rapid determination as to whether these tires should be recalled.( dot number: )
01/19/19991
 While traveling with cruise control @ 72mph, right rear tread separated completely from tire which cased my explorer to turn 180 degrees following which i hit the grass median and rolled 21/2 times. these were firestone atx tires. vehicle was totalled and i was sent to the er. please keep me informed of the proceedings.*ak( dot number: )
06/21/1998210/01/1997
 I had the first blowout in feb. 98, i had the spare put on and went to firestone the next day (i was approx. 60 miles from home when this happened). they wouldn't honor the warranty even though the tires had less than 10,000 miles on them because i wasn't the purchaser. i had contacted the person who sold me my explorer the night of the blowout and they were going to bring me the original paperwork on the tires to use the warranty but firestone said this wasn't possible since they were not the owner of the vehicle any longer. i had the second blowout in june of 98 on the freeway just leaving texas and coming into new mexico, the temperature outside was about 95*. i was no where near a firestone dealer. a tow truck stopped and changed my tire for me and followed me to the closest town (about 30 miles away). there was only a small tire shop there (no firestone dealer) and i purchased the best used tire he had (he had nothing new in my size). when i got to las vegas the next day i went and puchased a new tire, but at this point i had stopped purchasing the exact same tire. i bought 2 different tires that were comparable and put the firestone as my spare. i haven't had another problem yet but now am scared to death of what's to come. my best friend's son was in a fatality crash (not him fortunately) 2 weeks ago in a 1999 explorer. they are now checking the totalled vehicle to see if it also had these tires on it and if so will be filing a complaint and possibly a law suit.( dot number: tire size: p235/r7515 )
05/10/1996104/13/1992
 The firestone atx tires p235/75r15 were on this explorer. while driving at 50 mph front left tire blewout. there was major damage, it caused a side swipe of another vehicle. tire manufacturer or ford have not been contacted. *ak the tire that failed was destroyed due to accident damage following the blow out. *yh
07/01/1998108/13/1992
 Pe00020; consumer was traveling about 65mph on the highway and there was slight vibration and she lost control of vehicle. vehicle went off on the side of the road into a ditch. tires were firstone #atx. *ak
03/01/200004/23/1999
 An air bubble formed between the tread and the steel belt. tire was replaced. *ak firestone *mw
 Consumer has experienced two blowouts in the past 6 months with these firestone tires. manufacturer has been contacted. *ak
08/04/199701/31/1992
 Tread came off of tires, driver lost control of vehicle and hit an eighteen wheeler. tires had resently been inspected and were in good condition.

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