Ford Explorer Complaints (1998)

2,085 consumer complaints on file.

#867624August 11, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: TIRE SIZE P255/70R15 / DOT# W2CU1PX048 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998 FORD EXPLORER . CRACKS WERE NOTICED ALONG WITH TREAD SEPARATION WHILE PARKED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE CUSTOMER REPLACE THREE FAILED TIRES AT CUSTOMER'S EXPENSE. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727437August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I DID NOT KNOW OF THE PROBLEMS THAT FIRESTONE TIRES WERE HAVING AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT PROBLEMS AND WANTED TO GO ON RECORD AT THIS POINT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727441August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
AFTER THE TIRE FAILED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE VEHICLE ROLLED 2.75 TIMES AND SPUN 180, SENDING MYSELF AND MY 20 DAY OLD BABY TO THE HOSPITAL. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A COASTAL TOWN, NOT IN A WARM CLIMATE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#727477August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS THE DRIVER HEADING WEST ON THE 202 FREEWAY IN PHOENIX ARIZONA. I MERGED INTO THE 10 FREEWAY NEAR 16TH STREET WHEN MY REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF. THIS CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY FORD EXPLORER VEHICLE. WITH THE LOST OF CONTROL THE VEHICLE ROLLED ABOUT 4 TO 5 TIMES. CAUSING THE DEATH OF MY FRIEND (PASSENGER) AND MY YORKSHIRE TERRIER DOG ROLLED OUT AND RAN UNABLE TO BE FOUND. I WAS INJURED AND WAS AMBULANCED TO THE HOSPITAL. I STILL HAVE MAJOR EFFECTS FROM THE TRAUMA.*AK( DOT NUMBER: P235/75R15 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
1
#727478August 10, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRES SHOW STRESS CRACK WHERE THE BELT IS ATTACHED TO CASSION, TIRE HAVE DEVELOPED A VIBRATION AT 45 MPH TO 70 MPH, I HAVE REMOVED ALL 5 TIRES FROM VEHICLE AND REPLACED THEM WITH MICHLEN TIRES, SINCE I LIVE IN GA, THE VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR OUR AREA WAS NOT SCHEDULE TILL OCTOBER, SO IN THE NAME OF SAFEY I RELPLACE THEM WITH NO ASSISTANCE FROM FIRESTONE.THE DOT NUMBER INDICATES THESE TIRE WERE NOT FROM FIRESTONE'S DECATUR IL PLANT, BUT I HAVE 5 TIRES(DOT W2HL 128) THAT HAVE A PROBLEM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2HL128 TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727485August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE BLEW OUT, TIRE COMPLETE GONE, TREAD SEPARATED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727529August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
JULY 19, MID-AFTERNOON, WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON I-35W NORTH OF HILLSBORO, TX, MY LEFT FRONT TIRE SUFFERED COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION, ALERTING US TO A PROBLEM WITH A LOUD SOUND. I PULLED ON TO THE SHOULDER WITH TRUCKS WHIZZING PAST; AND WITH MY 20 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, WE "EYE-CHECKED" TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. WE COULD SEE BLACK STUFF ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 75 YARDS BACK AND ASSUMED I'D HIT SOME ROAD DEBRIS. WE SAW THAT THE FRONT-UNDER-BUMPER SPOILER WAS DRAGGING THE GROUND AND THAT THE FRONT LEFT FOG LIGHT WAS DAMAGED. WE RETURNED HOME THAT AFTERNOON, TRAVELING WITHIN THE STREAM OF TRAFFIC. ONCE WE WERE HOME, IN EXAMINING THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK MORE CLOSELY IN MY DRIVE, WE SAW THAT THE TIRE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE WITH JUST THE STEEL BELT SHOWING. I DROVE CAREFULLY TO THE NEAREST TIRE COMPANY THE NEXT MORNING AND HAD TWO FRONT TIRES REPLACED WITH NEW WILDERNESS AT TIRES, UNAWARE THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THIS BRAND OF FIRESTONE TIRE. I HAD MY TRUCK REPAIRED. ON AUGUST 5, 2000, AS A RESULT OF NEWS ACCOUNTS I CALLED FIRESTONE AND FOLLOWED THEIR DIRECTIONS TO HAVE MY BACK TIRES EXAMINED, CARRYING THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE MONEY I'D ALREADY SPENT REPLACING TWO TIRES AND REPAIRING THE DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO TIRES IMMEDIATELY, GIVING ME CREDIT FOR MY CONTRACT ON THE TIRES OF APP $25 PER TIRE. THEY REPLACED THE TIRES WITH TWO MORE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. THE TOTAL COST OF THE TIRE REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIR TO THE TRUCK IS $493.04. I NOW HAVE JUST HEARD ON ABC TV NEWS (08/10/00) THAT THE REPLACEMENT TIRES ARE PROBLEMS, ALSO. MY DAUGHTER AND I ARE LUCKY THAT WE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE TIRE FAILED AND THAT ONLY MINOR DAMAGE WAS SUFFERED BY THE TRUCK. HOWEVER, I'M NO LONGER SURE ABOUT MY SAFETY WHILE TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS DURING OUR HOT SUMMERS HERE IN TEXAS.*AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727533August 10, 2000
TIRES
WE WERE DRIVING ON HWY. 50 EAST IN SACRAMENTO, CA WHEN WE HEARD A NOISE, THEN THE CAR STARTED VIBRATING AND WEAVING. WE PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRE HAD BLOWN. TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE TIRE CHANGED TO THE SAME EXACT TIRE. WE WERE NOT GIVEN ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE HISTORY OF THESE TIRES.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727551August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I-75 APPROX. 8 MILES NORTH OF GAINESVILLE,FL ON 7/31 & EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TIRE FAILURE AT 70 MPH. THE SENSATION WAS OF HAVING HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD, BUT I SAW NOTHING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR (EXCEPT LOTS OF BIG TRUCKS BEARING DOWN ON ME). ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I BEGAN TO LOSE STEERING ABILITY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL AND STOP THE VEHICLE WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. THE CAR SWUNG OUT AS FAR AS ONE-QUARTER TURN TO THE LEFT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BUT I WAS ABLE TO COUNTERSTEER AND GET OFF THE ROAD. THE AAA WRECKER ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SEEN "LOTS" OF THESE BLOWOUTS AND THAT THE TREAD USUALLY RIPPED ALL THE WAY OFF AND TORE UP THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. LUCKILY, I HAD ABOUT 4 INCHES OF MATERIAL HOLDING THE TIRE TOGETHER WHEN I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY AT ABOUT 3:00 PM. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DOT# ON THIS TIRE IS NOT VD, BUT VN. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT FIRESTONE HAS NOT BEEN TOTALLY FORTHCOMING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL 1PY TIRE SIZE: 235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#867342August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 75 MPH ON A HIGHWAY A REAR LEFT TIRE BLEWUP FOR THE SECOND TIME AT THE SAME PLACE. BUT, CONSUMER KEPT CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#867414August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT RECALL THAT WAS MADE ON THE FIRESTONE TIRES, AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OTHER STATES INCLUDED, JUST LIKE THOSE FOUR STATES MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#867431August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. SHE WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, AND FELT LIKE SHE WAS LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE ROLLED ONCE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HER ANKLE. THEY WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS #AT TIRES. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#867463August 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WAS DRIVING 70MPH & HEARD A NOISE. STARTED TO SLOW DOWN & LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. SPUN ACROSS HIGHWAY. THEN ROLLED OVER 3 TIMES DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. HAD A BROKEN WRIST. CHECKED TIRES AFTER VEHCLE STOPPED. LEFT REAR TIRE HAD NO TREAD ON IT. IT WAS FLAT & BALD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. BOUGHT VEHICLE USED & REPLACED ORIGINAL TIRES. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS, SIZE P235/75R15 WITH 11,000 MILES ON, AND DOT#W2HL1PY.*AK *MJS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#727138August 9, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD DISINTEGRATED AND FLEW OFF INTO THE DESERT TAKING ALONG A PIECE OF OUR BUMPER AND SIDE PANEL TRIM. WE WERE RETURNING FROM OUR VACATION AND THE CAR WAS LOADED DOWN WITH LUGGAGE, A COOLER, ETC. WE FELT THAT THIS EXTRA WEIGHT HELPED SHIFT THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, KEEPING US FROM LOOSING COMPLETE CONTROL.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: E235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727147August 9, 2000
TIRES
WE EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED BLOW OUT OF OUR RIGHT REAR TIRE DRIVING DOWN BERTHOUD PASS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO. FIRESTONE REPLACED THE TIRE AT NO CHARGE. THEY FOUND NO EXPLAINATION FOR THE BLOWOUT. THE WEATHER WAS COLD, COLORADO IN MARCH, AT A HIGH ELEVATION. HEAT WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE TIRES HAD LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON THEM. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE WE DID NOT LOSE CONTROL AND PLUMMET OFF OF THE MOUNTAIN. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT JUST OCCURRING IN WARM SOUTHERN STATES.( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727149August 9, 2000
TIRES
THIS IS A CONFIRMATION OF TROUBLES WITH THE MENTIONED FIRESTONE TIRES. WE HAD THREE INCIDENTS OF THE TIRES BLOWING OUT, WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 AND 50 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO PENETRATIONS OF THE TIRE RUBBER, AS THE TIRES HAD FAILED. THREE DIFFERENT TIRES HAD TO BE FIXED, TWO PATCHED FROM SMALL PARTIAL TEARS ON THE OUTER LAYER, AND ONE ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED FROM FAILURE. THESE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED BY MICHELEN TIRES AT 21, 500. BEFORE REPLACING THE TIRES, WE DID NOT DRIVE FAR DISTANCES AFTER THE REPEATED FAILURES, AND EVEN TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE (ALSO IN NEWMAN, GA), WHO DID NOT FIND ANY TRACES OF PUNCTURES IN THE TIRES. WE SPEND GOOD MONEY TO GET THESE AWFUL TIRES (AND UNSAFE) "FIXED" AND $424 IN THE NEW TIRES. FIRESTONE WAS WRITTEN AND NEVER RESPONDED, AS I HAVE NOW TOLD ALL FRIENDS ABOUT THEIR PRODUCTS, LACK OF RESPONSE, AND FRANKLY WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AN UNSAFE PRODUCT OF WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT TIRES BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T FIT UNDER THEY STANDARD "WARRANTY" OF WHICH HAS SO MANY STIPULATIONS THAT IT DOES NOTHING FOR THE CONSUMER. I HOPE THIS HELPS IN THE INVESTIGATION AND WOULD FRANKLY LIKE TO SEE IF A RESPONSE COULD COME FROM FIRESTONE'S END AS I AM SORELY DISAPPOINTED. MANY THANKS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 285/75/15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727153August 9, 2000
TIRES
TIRE DISINTEGRATED( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727156August 9, 2000
TIRES
I WAS DRIVING OUR EXPLORER LTD. NEAR PALM SPRINGS, CA AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN I HEARD AND FELT A HUGE BANG SOUND. I WAS ABLE TO GET CAR UNDER CONTROL AND BRING IT TO A STOP IN A MEDIAN. WE LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW THAT ALL THE TREAD ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN OFF. THE FORCE OF THE TIRE TREAD BREAKING OFF BROKE OFF THE TIRE FENDER ON THAT TIRE, BENT THE METAL BODY OF THE CAR AT THE WHEEL WELL AND SOMEHOW FLEW UP AND DAMAGED MY BUMPER. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE REST OF THE TIRE STAYED INFLATED LONG ENOUGH FOR US TO EXIT THE ROADWAY AND GET TO A SAFE PLACE.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PY018 TIRE SIZE: 13575R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727164August 9, 2000
TIRES
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727224August 9, 2000
TIRES
WE HAD A BLOWOUT ON JUNE 10,2000, BUT THE TIRE WAS NEW (11/22/99). IT TORE THE BACK PANEL OF THE TRUCK. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 65-70 MILES AN HOUR. I'M AT 67000 MILES AND HAVE HAD TO BUY FOUR NEW TIRES IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. ALL WITH THE SAME WEAR, UNEVEN & CHOPPY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 23575R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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