2003 Ford Explorer: tire blowout or tread separation

Filed Feb 26, 2016 · Tires · 154,000 miles · OR

Continental contitrac p235/70r16 dot a308 46kw 311 noticed vibration while driving, tire tread was separating; installed spare. Had vibration again a month later. Both tires had tread separation. Installed in 2013; approx 20k miles. Replaced all 4 tires; have old tires.

Filed Dec 11, 2014 · Tires · 35,000 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer equipped with michelin cross terrain tires, size: 235 r70/16 (na). While driving approximately 40 MPH, the rear driver side tire blew out. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate tire and vehicle failure mileage was 35,000. The consumer stated when the tire blew out, it caused him to swerve off the road . There was no accident. Updated 03/03/15

Filed Aug 21, 2010 · Engine, Transmission · 158,000 miles · IN

I own a 2003 ford explorer-4.6 liter v8 4 wheel drive, the vehicle has 158,000 miles and have experienced the sparkplug blowout while driving home from work. I was traveling on a busy state road when the engine miss fired and then heard a loud pop and the engine went to missing bad. I immediately pulled to the side and checked to see what was happening. I limped the vehicle into a parking lot and proceeded to reinstall the plug and coil pack. The forcing push of the plug broke the coil pack and tore the plug boot. I just replaced the coil pack and plug boot assembly and reinstalled the plug bck in. I feel that this issue is common on the 4.6 liters, a friend and shadetree mechanic did a motor swap in an expedition with this same motor for the same reason cause the plug in cylinder #4(passenger rear) tore the threads coming out and let loose metal into the piston journal and caused severe damage.

Filed Dec 28, 2008 · Body · 63,000 miles · IN

I was driving on the highway before dawn and heard a very loud noise (it was the sound of an explosion). I thought that a tire may have blowout, which was strange since the car has a set of new tires and I did not notice any changes in the driving of the vehicle. I stopped on the side of the highway and checked the car using a flash light. I saw nothing. Later that day when I went to get gasoline, I saw a crack in the panel that contained the ford logo, about 2 inches to the right of the logo that extended from the top of the panel to the bottom. It was just a clean crack on the panel below the rear window. This happened on a cold night (19 deg. F). From what I have seen and read it sounds like a design flaw with the fact that a plastic part is glue to a metal part with a different coefficient of expansion. The car is a ford explorer xlt 2003. Although the cracked panel does not seem to be a safety defect, the distraction caused by the loud bang noise while driving the car in heavy traffic and stopping in the highway at night to determine the cause of the noise clearly put me and my family at risk. Moreover, there is a good chance the rear window panel may separate from the vehicle at speed, being a safety issue for other motorists.

Filed Mar 3, 2008 · Transmission, Wheels · 40,000 miles · IN

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. While driving 10 MPH, the contact heard a noise similar to a tire blowout. She pulled the vehicle off the road and discovered that the lug studs for the driver and passenger side rear wheels had sheared off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the studs were replaced. The failure occurred twice. The contact attempted to shift into park, but the gear became stuck. She jiggled the gear until it went into park. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 60,000.

Filed Jun 15, 2007 · Tires · 31,000 miles · PA

My michelin cross terrain tire blew out at the sidewall. It was a clear sunny day, 30 MPH, on a smooth highway. I check my tire pressure regularly so I know the tire was properly inflated. I contacted michelin and they referred me to melody lakes tire and auto. My wife called and the receptionist told her it wouldn't do any good to come in but she could. The receptionist told my wife the problem was "heat infraction?" and it was not covered. It is incredible to me a receptionist, over the phone, can diagnose tire problems. Michelin, nor the dealer had any intentions to determine why a blowout occurred, let alone try to fix it. I will forward this complaint to the federal safety agency and hopefully you will have to listen to them. I have 4 more of those defective tires which I have no idea when they will blow!! Updated 02-01-08.

Filed Jun 13, 2005 · Tires · CT

Dt: contact states while driving the right driver's side tire blew out. The entire side of the tire came apart where it was glued.

Filed Jan 14, 2005 · Tires · FL

The vehicle started vibrating without warning the driver was able to pull over. The driver noticed the right side tire tread separated from the wheel. The driver was able to change the tire. The tire was a goodyear . Please provide additional information on the serial and dot number.

Filed Oct 7, 2003 · Tires · FL

While driving at 40 MPH right front tire blew out, causing, the driver to pull of the road. The dealership has been notified.