1996 Ford Explorer

I THOUGHT MY FRONT END WAS SHAKING FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELLING ABOUT 40MPH BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIRE. MY CHILDREN AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG AT THE SIDE OF THE CAR. MY HUSBAND WAS FOLLOWING IN HIS CAR AND SAW THE TIRE FALL OFF. IT ALSO KNOCKED OFF PART OF THE SIDE PANEL OF THE CAR. THE CAR SWERVED VIOLENTLY BUT I GOT IT UNDER CONTROL TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE RAOD. THE ENTIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND COME OFF. THE TREAD BLEW OFF THE ENTIRE SIDE PANEL OF THE CAR. INSURANCE ESTIMATE WILL BE ABOUT $1500.00 NOT COUNTING THE COST OF TIRE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE ENTIRE SET WITH MICHELINS. WE COULD ALL HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. WE WERE LUCKY! *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: UNKNOWN )

I HAVE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT HOME IE. DOT NUMBER. FIRESTONE PAID FOR THE DAMAGES TO OUR VEHICLE BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE TIRES. WE REPLACED ALL FIVE TIRES AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. THESE TIRES ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THEM. WE WERE JUST LUCKY WE WEREN'T KILLED. WE STILL HAVE ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRES AT HOME, IT HAS A BULGE ON IT LIKE IT IS GETTING READY TO LOOSE IT'S TREAD. PLEASE CALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 75R15 )

FILDED INCEDENT REPORT WITH FIRSTONE IN MAY. THEY READILY PAID FOR NEW TIRE NAD REPAIRS TO VEHICLE. OUR 20 YEAR OLD SON WAS TRAVELING HOEM FROM COLLEGE ON I75 IN MIDDLE LAND WHEN TREAD SEPARATED . THREW HIM TO LEFT EMERGENCY LAND. LUCKILY HE CONTROLLED VEHICLE AND CAME TO STOP. TIRE DID NOT LOSE PRESSURE ANDLUCKILY THE SHREDING TORE UP TEH REAR FENDER ETC AND DID NOT GO INTO AXEL. TORE UP WHEL WELL, QTR PANEL, REAR, R. BUMPER,A DN LIFTGATE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM096 TIRE SIZE: 23575SR/55 )

ON OCT 12, 1999, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A 2-LANE STATE HIGHWAY NEAR MOJAVE, CA ON A HOT, AUTUMN DAY, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE LOST TREAD/DELAMINATED CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. I SWERVED SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE SUV ROLLED COMPLETELY TO THE RIGHT, LANDING UPRIGHT FACING THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ONCOMING OR TRAILING TRAFFIC, SO NO OTHER VEHICLES/PERSONS WERE INVOLVED. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT & WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO SUSTAIN ONLY VERY MINOR INJURIES & WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE SUV W/ SOME ASSISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO STOPPED TO HELP. AS I COMPLAINED OF NECK PAIN, I WAS AMBULANCED TO THE ANTELOPE VALLEY HOSPITAL, BUT WAS RELEASED W/ ONLY MINOR BRUISES, CUTS & SORE MUSCLES. MY INSURANCE COMPANY (20TH CENTURY) DECLARED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS (PICTURES AVAILABLE) AND PAID ME $24,072.70, PLUS COVERED MY AMBULANCE & EMERGENCY ROOM BILLS. PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT I HAD ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY SUV IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. TIRE PRESSURE WAS ROUTINELY CHECKED IN CONJUNCTION W/ REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. ALL TIRES HAD PLENTY OF REMAINING TREAD & HAD BEEN RECENTLY ROTATED & BALANCED. I CONTEND THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE FIRESTONE AT TIRES. I HAVE SINCE PURCHASED A 2000 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER W/ THE INSURANCE PROCEEDS PLUS ANOTHER APPROXIMATE $11,000 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. ADDITIONALLY, I IMMEDIATELY TRADED IN THE STANDARD FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES FOR MORE TRUSTWORTHY ( & MORE EXPENSIVE) BF GOODRICH AT TIRES. I WILL NEVER USE FIRESTONE TIRES ON ANY OF MY CARS AGAIN. IF A CLASS ACTION SUIT SHOULD BE FILED AGAINST FIRESTONE FOR THESE NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THEIR ALL TERRAIN TIRES W/ FORD EXPLORERS, I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SUIT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THESE DANGEROUS TIRES.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235 OWL )

JUST LEFT THE ON RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY SPEED APPROCED 45 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE STERING WHEEL BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. ALMOST LOST CONTROL, AND THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO ROLL OVER. PROCEDED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGWAY AND INSPECTED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND DAMGED THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER/QUARTER PANEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

PE02000; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. EXPLORER FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES. TWO OTHER PASSENGER'S WERE IN THE EXPLORER. DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS WERE TREATED AT THE SCENE. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE ATX, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THE EXPLORER WAS TOTALLED. *AK