2000 Ford Ranger

WAS DRIVING 55MPH & VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT LEFT WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. TOOK TO DEALER & NOTHING FOUND. DROVE SOME MORE & PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORSE. TOOK IT BACK & SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED PROBLEM WAS WITH THE BRAKES. IT WAS DRIFTING LEFT. ALSO, WOULD DRIFT WHEN STEERING WAS RELEASED & SHAKING. TIRES WERE FOUND OUT OF BALANCE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS ATX, 0235/75R15. RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT & WAS INFORMED RAN OVER A NAIL, BUT IT COULD NOT BE PRODUCED. *AK

DRIVER WAS TRAVELING ON EXPRESSWAY IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE CAME APART. THERE WAS NO WARNING. WE HAVE BEEN CHECKING THESE TIRES ALMOST DAILY BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT RECALL OF OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES. THEY APPEARED FINE. WHEN THE TIRE CAME APART THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE EXPRESSWAY TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT THE FREEWAY OFF THE RIGHT SHOULDER. IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS ON 2 WHEELS AT ONE TIME, BUT DID NOT ROLL OVER. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE IN THE CENTER FRONT. THE DRIVER HAD TRIED TO STEER AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WE STILL HAVE OUR DRIVER. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. PLEASE HELP GET ALL THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES OFF THE ROAD. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VD70 TIRESIZE: P24575R16)

MY COMPANY OWNS 5 FORD RANGERS. OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH NORTHPOINT FORD AND WITH FIRESTONE TO GET THESE TIRES REPAIRED OR REPLACED. I HAVE HAD TWO TRUCKS WHERE THE TIRES HAVE SPLIT AND GOT NO RESPONSE. ONE TRUCK WITH LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON IT, THE TIRES ARE WORN OUT AND THE TRUCK TODAY THAT BLEW THE SIDEWALLS OUT AND ONCE AGAIN CONTACTED FIRESTONE AND NORTHPOINT FORD AND THEY BOTH ARE TELLING ME IT IS THE OTHER ONES RESPONSIBILITIE TO REPLACE. SO I AM CONTACTING YOU TO SEE IF YOU CAN HELP ME SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO BUY TWENTY TIRES TO KEEP MY DRIVERS ON THE ROAD SAFELY. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. CAREY GILL.*AK (TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT BEARING ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP DUE TO LACK OF GREASE IT ALMOST PUT ME IN THE DITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER,BRANDON FORD, AND THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE RIGHT ASSEMBLY COSTING ABOUT $600 AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY DID NOT,HOWEVER,CHECK OR REPALCE THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY WHICH FAILED AT HIGHER SPEED. THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP 200 MILES LATER WHILE I WAS TAKING IT IN TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND THIS TIME AT 65MPH AND ALMOST THREW ME INTO A RETAINING WALL BEING USED ON I-4 AT MLK IN TAMPA. I AM FILING THIS REPORT WITH YOU SO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY MORE VEHICLES OUT THERE-EXPLORERS AND RANGERS THAT FORD FAILED TO LUBRICATE AND ARE SUBJECT TO FAILURE ,IT WILL BE ON RECORD. AS CLOSE AS IT WAS TO CAUSING A WRECK,I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME UNSUSPECTING AND LESS ALERT DRIVER DOESN'T GET KILLED OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. ALTHOUGH THEY REPLACED THE ABOVE ITEMS, THEY FAILED TO REPLACE BOTH WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE PRODDED TO CHECK OUT ANY OTHER VEHICLES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISSED. PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY AN AUTOMATED "STATION" THAT WAS COMPUTER CONTROLLED AND THAT RAN OUT OF GREASE AND WASN'T CAUGHT UNTIL MUCH LATER. I ALSO FEEL THAT WHEN IT WAS FOUND THEY DECIDED TO LET IT PASS RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME AND WAIT FOR THE CONSUMER TO REPORT A FAILURE TO HIS DEALER. THIS ISN'T JUST CYNICISM, I HAVE OWNED A 1987 COUGAR,FIRESTONE 500 TIRES AND A CHEVY PU WITH SIDE SADDLE GAS TANKS.

WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT BEARING ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP DUE TO LACK OF GREASE IT ALMOST PUT ME IN THE DITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER, BRANDON FORD AND THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE TIGHT ASSEMBLY COSTING ABOUT $600 AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY DID NOT, HOWEVER CHECK OR REPLACE THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY WHICH FAILED AT A HIGHER SPEED. THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP 200 MILES LATER WHILE I WAS TAKING IT TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND THIS TIME AT 65 MPH AND ALMOST THREW ME INTO A RETAINING WALL BEING USED ON I-4 MLK TAMPA. I AM FILING THIS REPORT WITH YOU SO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY MORE VEHICLES OUT THERE -EXPLORER AND RANGERS THAT FORD FAILED TO LUBRICATE AND ARE SUBJECT TO FAILURE, IT WILL BE ON RECORD. AS CLOSE AS IT WAS TO CAUSING A WRECK, I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME UNSUSPECTING AND LESS ALERT DRIVER DOESN'T GET KILLED OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****734299

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND BLEW OFF, JUST LIKE THE ONES IN THE RECALL! FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT TRAVELING VERY FAST AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE TRUCK AND GET IT PULLED OFF THE ROAD ON AN EMBANKMENT. I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT FELT THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC, SO THIS TIRE OF FIRESTONES CAN BE INVESTIGATED ALSO, BEFORE THERE ARE INNOCENT PEOPLE HURT OR KILLED. I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE TIRE IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE E-MAILED TO YOU. THANK YOU! (DOT NUMBER: W2UU IPO TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)