2001 Ford Explorer: tire blowout or tread separation

Filed Jul 10, 2013 · Tires, Wheels · CA · crash · 2 injuries

An accident occurred wherein a young man was severely injured. He survived, but has a plate in his jaw, and severe scarring on his face. His sister was also a passenger and was injured, but less severely. The right rear tire appears to have blown out, causing the crash. A witness immediately behind the car at the time of the accident stated: "I noticed what looked like one of the right side tires bend to the side and suddenly explode. At that point the driver lost control due to the tire explosion and swerved to the center divider and crashed. Information on the tires is as follows: radial sxt all terrains. Dot number on the tires were xfa 0307 and the tire size was 75/16. All tires passed inspection three months before, with a tread of 6/32. The officer noted the tread separated from the tire.

Filed May 10, 2010 · Tires · 112,461 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford explorer with goodyear wrangler rt/s tires, size p255/70r16. The contact noticed the rear passengers tire was flat and the remaining three tires exhibited signs of dry rotting. The vehicle was towed to a local tire shop. The mechanic advised they would take partial liability for three of the four tires and the fourth would be replaced at the owners expense. The contact believed the tire manufacturer should take the liability for all four tires. The dot number was unknown. The tire failure mileages was 32,985. The vehicle failure and current mileages were 112,461.

Filed Nov 6, 2006 · Tires · 90,000 miles · OR · crash · 2 injuries

While driving on interstate, tire tread separated from the right rear tire causing vehicle to come into contact with gravel along the edge of the highway resulting in vehicle turning over several times. Driver and passenger injured and vehicle was a total loss.

Filed Feb 17, 2005 · Tires · CA

The tread peeled off of the tire while the consumer was doing 55 miles per hour. The consumer made her way off of the freeway this tire included in the tread separation the federal safety agency recall 01t016000.

Filed Aug 5, 2004 · Tires · 38,592 miles · LA

Driver's rear tire experienced tread separation while driving 70 MPH on a ford explorer 2001 vehicle. The tire remain inflated. Original equipment, tire size 275/60r17, and dot# adt044t0101.

Filed Nov 12, 2003 · Tires · FL

While driving 72 or 73 MPH, the left front tire tread separated. General maxus p23575r15. Please provide further information.

Filed Nov 10, 2001 · Seat belts, Tires · PA · crash · 3 injuries

I am not the owner of this vehicle, nor the driver. My brother-in-law was a passenger in the ford explorer and was killed at the scene. There is a question of whether he was wearing a seat belt and if it failed during the rollover of the vehicle. There is also a question of firestone tire failure. Both of the rear tires were missing the valve stems. We do not know if this occurred during the accident or if they blew out previously and that is what contributed to the accident. The driver was speeding, performed an unsafe lane change, then overcorrected, lost control, crossed the median strip into the opposite roadway, rolled over and hit another vehicle where another person was killed as a result of this collision. The driver was found "not guilty" in his manslaughter trial. So it seems this accident was attributed more to vehicle failure, even though there was driver error also.

Filed Sep 28, 2001 · Suspension · NC

Second notification! The left rear spring on my 2001 explorer has failed again. The vehicle sits cockeyed because the left rear spring is lower than the right front. The truck steering is loose and the truck wanders at high speeds, 50-70 MPH. The truck was taken to the local dealer who said they can't replace the spring until it is 1" out of tolerance. My questions are, is the leaf spring defective on ford explorers? Why does the leaf spring fail? Will the truck roll over if ther is a blow out at high speeds because the truck does not sit level? Finally, I have been driving for 40 years and have never had a leaf spring to fail. Help????

Filed Sep 18, 2001 · Tires · CT · 1 injury

Vehicle was going 30-40mph in 4 wheel with a light coating of snow. 4 vehicles lost control and started spinning out of control in front of the consumers vehicle, the consumer pumped the brakes lightly while the vehicle was in four wheel drive when the tire on the drivers side (both) experienced tread separation, the vehicle leaned to the left going out of control and ended up going down an embankment flipping on its left and right side before stopping in an upright position, the tires were original on a 2001 ford explorer, approximate 32,000 miles. Consumer is currently waiting for tire from ford. *akdotp255170r16 firestone wilderness at size 16.

Filed Aug 18, 2001 · Tires · NV

Have contacted ford country dealership for the recall/replacement of tires jun 6,jul 2,jul 13, jul 23 and on aug 16 & 17. In jun the service mgr larry said replacement tires would be in about 2wks. In aug he will not answer my calls or return my calls. I had orginally requested michelin tire as approved by the ford motor co. I feel like I'm just getting the run around. My wife and I are seniors and drive the hi-ways frequently, she is concerned about the firestone tires driving at the speed limit 75mph as well as at 109 degrees temp. And rightfully so. An accident at our age could well be fatal. The tire calls for inflated press. To 40lbs, ford co. Says 30 in the front and 35 in the rear. When inflating at 30 in the front I notice the steering is hard (perhaps this vehicle is designed too top heavy and that is whay they have you lower the pressure in the front tires in turn making the steering hard to turn) anyhow I suspect the dealership is not replacing the recalls because their to busy replacing the tires on their car lot first, there in dangering other peoples lifes so that they can sell their vehicles. I have not had a blowout yet, nor do I look forward to having one at 75mph at 109 temp. I would appreciate your help in making ford co. And their dealership making good on their recall efforts. Even though these tires are relatively new the temptures here in vegas and speed limits required can endanger my wife and family. Will not answer or return my calls. In jun. *ak (tiresize: p25570r16)

Filed Jun 5, 2001 · Tires, Wheels · NV · crash · 1 injury

Firestone, wilderness at tires mounted on ford, explorer ,2001. While traveling at 35-40 MPH consumer hit a construction site and passenger rear tire fell off, then vehicle rolled over. Contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak analyst is unsure ofcomponent, possible tire failure, possible lug, nut, and bolt failure, causing rollover, consumer was injured in accident.

Filed Mar 12, 2001 · Brakes, Tires · CA

When appyling brakes vehicle severely pulls to right. Also, a grinding noise occurs, cause unknown. *ak in less than 15000 miles, brakes have been replaced 3 times, was told by dealer that this was due to a factory defect and brakes were applied incorrectly. Tire experienced blowout, there was a large deformed air pocket on the white letter side, consumer did not give any tire information.