First incident - flat/blowout on interstate, replaced tire. 2nd incident on right front - 2 bubbles in tire wall found. 1 was approx. 4" in diameter. The other less than 1". Replaced that tire as well. This would have been a major blowout if not found. This tire was inspected 2 days earlier with no indication of failure.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )
1998 Ford Explorer tires complaints
Page 19 of 24: complaints 521 to 550 of 696, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Read two e-mail being forwarded with this form( dot number: ????? Tire size: 23575r15 )
All four tires are showing signs or tread sepration (dot# wzcu1px on all four tires, p255/70r16). Nlm
Pe00 020; consumer was traveling about 35mph on highway and vehicle started to vibrate, and right rear tire exploded. Tire was firestone wilderness #at, size p23575/r15 there were injuries. *ak firestone wilderness at p235/75/r15
Left rear tire blew at 65 MPH, 100 degree day, 30 minutes at highway speed, 32 psi inflation( dot number: vnhl 1py tire size: p235/75-15 )
Both the ford dealer and tire dealer indicated that the defect was caused by a road hazzard. However, there was no damage to the rim. The bead or bubble extended from the rim to the tread and was about two inches wide and about 3/4" high. I replaced the tire with the spare and used the defective tire as the spare. During my last servicing, it was noted that the spare was flat. No reason was given by the dealer. This defect has made the tires suspect and made my wife very nervous about driving the vehicle. This size should be included in the recall.( dot number: tire size: p255/70r16 )
Both the ford dealer and tire dealer indicated that the defect was caused by a road hazzard. However, there was no damage to the rim. The bead or bubble extended from the rim to the tread and was about two inches wide and about 3/4" high. I replaced the tire with the spare and used the defective tire as the spare. During my last servicing, it was noted that the spare was flat. No reason was given by the dealer. This defect has made the tires suspect and made my wife very nervous about driving the vehicle. This size should be included in the recall.( dot number: tire size: p255/70r16 )
All 4 tires have crack lines all the way around where the tread is beginning to crack away from the main tire. The tire has been inspected by the local firestone dealer and the local ford dealer and both agreed the tires were seperating and probably very dangerous but said they werent on the recall list and said there was nothing they could do. The ford mechanic stated he had seen many others with the same dot code with similiar crack lines but they werent allowed to replace them. When the local firestone dealer was questioned about replacing the tire under its waranty, I was told that if it was on a ford explorer, it had no waranty and there was nothing they could do. When I showed him my waranty papers he said it didnt matter, that the explorer was considered a recreational vehicle and they didnt recognize waranties on recreational vehicles. I contacted the national customer service offices of both companies (firestone and ford) but was told that there was nothing they could do until the tire was recalled. At this time only the wilderness at with a dot of vdhl has been recalled, not the vnhl which is what I have (even though the atx tires from the same canadian plant have been recalled. The tires are making a loud roaring and bumping sound and I have a written report from the ford service dealer where they inspected the tires and saw the seperation lines on all tires (but I am told they can do nothing about it until it is recalled, even though it may be a very imidiate danger to drive.) I asked doug smith the service manager if they were reporting the damage to the dot code vnhl tires as they were inspected and visually observed and he stated they were not. He stated they only reported whether the tires inspected were ones on the recall or not. Please help, these tires are dangerous but no one wants to take responsibility for them.( dot number: vnhl tire size: p235/75r15 )
Vehicle swerved for no apparent reason, lost control, overturned 4 times( dot number: )
My 1998 ford explorer ([xxx]) came equipped with the wilderness tires. During the fall of 1998, I experienced 4 tire repairs and in the early part of 1999, 2 more tire repairs and two failures (note: four trips to arizona, from colorado, had occurred). The two failures occurred later during travel in 1999, one on I-40 outside albuquerque, nm (enroute to az at approx 62 MPH, a separation at the sidewall/tread area) and the other in phoenix, az found as a leaking tire but identified, upon breakdown, as a non-repairable sidewall/thread separation at the thread line). Each failure was replaced with firestone wilderness at tires. However, I lost confidence in the firestone tires and on may 6 1999 I replaced the four installed tires with michelin ltx (ms) tires, retaining the spare as an original firestone.( dot number: vd tire size: 235/75r/15 ). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
No summary( dot number: )
Heard flapping noise coming from rt rear tire on freeway--by the time I pulled off the road noise had stopped and when I looked at tire it appeared normal. Drove for 3 more hours on highway until it blew out. Nothing left of tire--on rim. Ford road assistence sent someone to change it. Was in desert by myself for about 2 hours. When this also hapened to my brother I immedialtely went out and changed all 4 tires. When I call firestone they have no idea what's going on. I changed the tires right before the recall. I am now out $630 for tires and still have not replaced the spare. Help!!!( dot number: vdhl tire size: p235/tsr15 )
I have had vehicle for a little over a year. The tires were original to the vehicle. I have had two flats, one of which was a complete tire failure. The tire cracked all the way down to the sidewall. Luckily the SUV was being stopped when it happened. I now have a third of the original four that has a small spot where the steel belt is showing through. I have replaced all four tires with goodyear in light of the history of the tires and the recent information that has been presented concerning these tires. I definitely feel other sizes should be recalled. These tires are a menace. I'm so lucky that my failures happened in the circumstances that they did or I or my family might not be here today.( dot number: vncu ipx tire size: p255 70r16 )
My accident occurred at approximately 7:00 p.m. On 24 july 2000 as I was driving to my residence located at [xxx], in my 1998 ford eddie bauer explorer. I was travelling east on highway 190 in the right hand lane at 60 MPH, when a car pulled in front of the truck I was following. The truck brake causing me to brake. Upon braking, both tires on the left hand side of the vehicle exploded causing me to go into a tail spin. I did everything possible to keep the vehicle on the road without hitting anyone else. Fortunately, I did not hit another vehicle or hurt anyone else. My vehicle ended up rolling over four times and ended up facing in the opposite direction on the median. Although the vehicle was completely totaled, I was fortunate enough not to have suffered life threatening injuries. The police, paramedics, and firemen arriving on the scene could not believe that I was alive. The vehicle had to be cut to get me out. There were witnesses to this accident who provided statements to the police. There was no citation issued. My right hand was badly cut, I had severed an artery and muscle, and received 12 stitches. My left ear was cut and had to be stitched. The left side of my body, to include my head, was badly bruised. This accident has had a serious physiological effect on me. It took two weeks for me to begin driving again. Usaa, my insurance company, informed us, as a result of their investigation, that they had flagged my vehicle because the tires were the firestone tires being recalled and were found at fault for causing my accident. Since purchasing my vehicle brand new in may 1998, it has been regularly serviced in accordance with the service manual, by cove ford in copperas cove, texas. Wheels have also been rotated on a regular basis. At no time was I informed that my tires were unsafe or were the cause of previous accidents. Had I of been informed by the ford motor company of possible tires. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(
These are the same at tires that have been recalled but not from the decatur, il. Plant. *ak( dot number: not decatu tire size: 15 )
Experienced on three different occasion tire flats on three of the four tires on my SUV
Pe00 020; consumer was not traveling on the highway, but still noticed that tread was cracking around tire sidewalls. Tires are firstone wilderness, tire size are p23575/r15, and the dot code #w2hl. Tread hasn't separated yet, but he is concerned. He took vehicle to firestone, and they put him on a waiting list. *ak
While driving about 55 MPH front tire started vibrating, and driver lost control. Then, found out that right front tire had a blowout, crashing into a rock bluff. Firestone wilderness at p235/75r16.
Pe00 020; consumer was traveling about 60mph on highway and heard something slapping up against vehicle. He pulled over and noticed that left rear tire tread had separted. Tires are firestone wilderness # at, size p235/75 r15 #dot vdhl there were no injuries reported.
I have the wilderness at tires made in canada that were not recalled, but all 4 tires have a crack around the circumference right where the tread would separate. I showed them to a firestone dealer and he agreed to replace the tires. I wanted to report to someone that these tires were not in the recall but appear to have problems.( dot number: vnhl1py507 tire size: 235/75 r15 )
The right rear tire went flat while going up the huey p. Long bridge. My wife was driving and she was forced to go up and over the bridge to a safe place to change the flat tire. As a result of rolling on the flat tire, the sidewall of the tire was ruined. We bought a new tire from firestone to replace the damaged flat tire. The new tire is one that is involved in the recall currently in effect by firestone.( dot number: vnhl328 tire size: 235/75/r15 )
The tires have not failed but they all have 360 degree circumferential cracks on each tire where the tread meets the sidewall. To me this indicates a potential prelude to a tread separation. I feel that the firestone recall should not be limited to just illinois tires.( dot number: vn tire size: 235/75r15 )
Tire split apart while traveling in pa on rte 76, stopped on the rim .( dot number: tire size: 255/70r16 )
I did not have a blow-out. What I have that you may be interested in is four tires with cracks on both sides where the tread looks like it would separate. I can e-mail you a photo if you provide me with an address. I had the tires replaced immediately by ntb, and firestone will probably want them in return for reimbursing me. So, if you are interested in obtaining any of these tires please contact me by 8/17/00. Thanks for your help.( dot number: vdhl1py tire size: p235-75r15 )
Right rear tire blew out at 65 MPH, 10 minutes south of san antonio. *ak( dot number: 7002577 tire size: p2357515 )
I am currently leasing an explorer with wilderness at tires that were not part of the recall. However, I have a wilderness at tire that is showing signs of tread separation (an employee of firestone agreed that this tire is failing just like the recalled tires). My ford dealer will not replace the tires because they are not part of the recall and firestone will only replace them with firestone tires, which I don't want for obvious reasons. How can they only recall wilderness tires made from their decatur, il plant? Are we to assume that these tires are made differently at their other plants? If so, why are my tires failing the exact same way? What makes me really upset is the fact that they insist that the tires are safe and that it is the tire owners' fault for the tires failures. They refuse to take the blame. I rotate my tires and have the pressure checked with every oil change (every 3000 miles) and still my tires are failing. If the fault was the tire owners fault, then wouldn't you see the same type of statistics from goodyear tires and michelin tires? Are we assume that firestone tire owners take significantly less care of their tires than other tire owners? The federal safety agency needs to step in and protect the people by forcing firestone to recall all wilderness at tires -- not just the ones firestone wants to. Even if 80% of the wilderness at failures were from tires made from the il plant, does that mean we should recall those tires only? What about the other 20% (where I obviously fall)? Don't their (my) lives matter as well? Firestone should not be allowed to handle this situation the way they want to. The federal safety agency needs to take charge, save people, and make firestone take the blame instead of pushing onto its tire owners. Corporations should have to pay for killing people just like people have to. *ak( dot number: tire size: p235/75/15 )
My wife while driving to the mall experienced sudden separation of tire from the wheel, with wheel dragging on the ground; vehicle was towed to sunbury motors, sunbury, pa. They would not replace under waranty and neither would firestone at sunbury pa next to sunbury motors. Had to buy a new wheel and get the vehicle towed. I am here to tell you that the problem is more extensive than the decatur plant. *ak( dot number: w2hl tire size: p23575 r15 )
Consumer experienced 2 rear tire (firestone at) blowout in one day the second tire left rear blowout caused constumer to loose control of the vehicle, the vehicle came through a fence and the two occupants were ejected from the vehicle the vehicle rolled over 2-3 times and became lodged under the trailer of a semim both occupants sustainedback and leg injuries. (attorney for consumer) nlm
Purchased a 1998 ford explorer, which had four firestone tires,slowing to a speed of 15mph, right rear tire suddenly blew outwithin seconds it was completely deflated.
Firestone wilderness right rear tire p255/70r16 dot w2cu1px408 exploded while driving, tire came off wheel, weather conditions were rainy, windy, and cold.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1998 Ford Explorer?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history