1994 Ford Ranger

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT NIGHT, APROXIMATELY 75 MPH. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I FELT A JERK, AND THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I HAVE HAD FLAT TIRES IN THE PAST, AND THIS WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FEEL. MY STEERING WAS ALMOST INOP, AND BREAKING WAS ALMOST NON EXISTANT. I ONLY THANK GOD FOR LOOKING DOWN ON ME AT THAT MOMENT. AFTER NEARLY CRASHING, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER TWO LANES AND FINALLY COME TO A STOP. WHEN I INSPECTED THE TIRE, I HAD FOUND IT COMPLETELY SEPERATED IN ONE WHOLE PIECE. AFTER REMOVING THE TIRE, I HAD TO LITERALLY UNRAP THE WHOLE TREAD THAT HAD RAPPED AROUND MY TIE ROD END, AND KICK THE OTHER PORTION THAT WAS JAMMED IN BY BRAKE. I HAVE WORKED ON AIRPLANES I N THE USAF FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS AND NEVER ONCE EXPERIENCED A TIRE THAT BADLY MUTILATED. IT APPEARED TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF HOW CAN I MAKE THAT ASSUMPTION? I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS IN AVIATION, AND I SEE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE A BACHELORS IN PROFESSIONAL AERONAUTICS, WITH A MINOR IN AVIATION SAFETY. I THINK YOU GUYS ARE MAKING A SERIOUS MISTAKE BY ONLY RECALLING ATX P35/75 R15S. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH MORE ATX TIRES. THE QUESTION IS, HOW MANY LIVES WILL IT TAKE BEFORE MORE TIRE SIZES ARE RECALLED. REMINDS ME OF THE "BLOOD PRIORITY". I WILL BE TAKING PICTURES TOMORROW OF THE DAMAGED TIRE AND THE WHOLE TREAD THAT WAS SEPERATED. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE PICTURES, I WILL GLADLY SEND THEM. I AM STILL SEVERELY SHAKEN UP OVER THIS WHOLE EPISODE, SO I APOLIGIZE FOR ANY TYPOS OR GRAMATICAL ERRORS. BESIDES, IT IS VERY HARD TO TYPE IN THIS SMALL SKINNY WINDOW. I DONT QUITE UNDERSTAND THE RATIONAL OF IT. I'M SURE YOU GET THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS A DAY, AND YET, I HOPE YOU SEE THE SEVERITY OF THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.*AK (TIRESIZE: P265/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )

CONDITIONS: ENTIRE TREAD AND ATTACHED SIDE WALL EXTENDING ABOUT HALF WAY TO THE WHEEL RIM SEPERATED. THERE WAS NO AUDABLE SOUND. WEATHER: CLEAR DAY, ABOUT 80 DEG. F. SPEED: ABOUT 70 MPH. TIRE INSTALLED 6/6/00 AND RUN FOR ABOUT 8,300 MILES. IDENTICAL TIRE ON RIGHT SIDE HAS NOT FAILED BUT WILL BE REPLACED. THE SERIAL NUMBER ON THE FAILED TIRE APPEARS TO BE: 32097. PRECEEDING THAT NUMBER IN A COLUMN OF NUMBERS ARE: P1107AA2 FOLLOWED BY E-25931 (DOT NUMBER: CN72U479 TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)

ONE TIRE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT REAR DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALL, GOING COMPLETELY AROUND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IN THE SAME LINE AS THE TIRE SIZE. THIS TIRE ALSO HAS A CRACK BEGINNING TO FORM AT THE OUTER BASE OF THE TREAD. AFTER HAVING THE TIRES REMOVED I FOUND A HAIRLINE CRACK BEGINNING AT THE BASE OF THE TREAD ON THE INSIDE OF ANOTHER TIRE. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE TIRE WAS LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND WEREN'T MARKED. THE OTHER TWO TIRES DOT VD 60 AW4 108 SHOW SIGNS THAT A CRACK MAY BE BEGINNING TO FORM ON THE OUTER SIDEWALL BUT SHOW NO OBVIOUS FAILURE AT THIS POINT. I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED IN CONCERN FOR SAFETY AND HAVE THEM IN STORAGE PENDING RECALL OR WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT. THE COMPLETE TIRE SIZE IS 31X10.50 LT R15. THE BOX WOULDN'T TAKE THIS MANY LETTERS IN THE QUESTIONAIRE. IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE TIRES, SINCE THEY ARE NOT UNDER RECALL, THEY NEED TO CONTACT ME PROMPTLY. I MUST RETURN THEM FOR ADJUSTMENT IF THEY ARE NOT RECALLED.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VD60AW4288 TIRESIZE: 31X10.50LT)

LEFT REAR FIRESTONE ATX RADIAL TIRE P235/75R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, UPON INSPECTION OF THE OTHER TIRES, DEALER NOTICED RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATION, CONSUMER HAD ALL 4 TIRES REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND OF TIRES, WHEN RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED CONSUMER WAS TOLD HE COULD GET NO COMPENSATION DUE TO THE FAILURES HAPPENING BEFORE AUGUST. *SLC