Ford Explorer Complaints (1997)

1,773 consumer complaints on file.

#731409September 14, 2000
TIRES
COMPLAINED TO DEALER 3/07/00 ABOUT UNEVEN TIRE WEAR; REPLACED 2 FRONT TIRES MYSELF 35,226 MILES; SUBSEQUENT INSPECTIONS AT 43,000 REVEAL HAIRLINE CRACKS ON REAR TIRES; DEALER SAYS TIRES NOT ON RECALL; APPALACHIAN TIRE IN HURRICANE, WV. INSPECTED TIRES AND CONFIRMS THAT THEY MUST BE REPLACED. THERE IS SLIGHT VIBRATION INSIDE THE VEHICLE. FEEL THAT I MUST REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES, NOT JUST THE REAR 2, AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT WILL JUST RE-OCCUR. THESE TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED ALSO. I WILL WRITE LETTER TO FORD/BRIDGESTONE, ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: R255/70R16 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731442September 14, 2000
TIRES
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731492September 14, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I CANNOT GET THROUGH TO FIRESTONE. I AM ON THREE WAITING LISTS FOR REPLACED TIRES BUT AM TOLD NEW TIRES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR 4 WEEKS. I PLAN TO RENT A CAR DURING THAT PERIOD AND EXPECT FIRESTONE/FORD TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE RENTAL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870475September 14, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00-020, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FORD EXPLORER 1996 TIRE SIZE P25570R16109S WITH 55,000 MILES.CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MERCHANT TIRES TO HAVE BRAKES LOOKED AT WHEN MANAGER OF STORE STATED THAT REAR LEFT TIRE STEEL BELT ON THE SIDE OF TIRE WAS VISIBLE AND CRACKING AROUND THE CROSS SITES. AT THE TIME, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO FIRESTONE, AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL 4 TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING DEFECT.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P255/70/R16 *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#555378September 13, 2000
TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
CONSUMER FEELS THE WHEEL DESIGN OF THE SPARE TIRE IS DEFECTIVE. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731346September 13, 2000
TIRES
I HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT FOR NO APPARANT REASON WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM A BUSINESS TRIP. WHEN I WENT TO A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP TO GET A NEW TIRE UNDER WARRANTY, THEY INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERAGED AS IT WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD. WHEN I ARGUED THAT I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING, THEY STILL REFUSED TO COVER THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY. JUST PRIOR TO BLOWOUT, I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT SECTION OF THE VEHICLE, BUT DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: COIL TIRE SIZE: 225/70R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731244September 13, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
MY FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE NOT MADE IN THE DECATUR IL THAT IS FAULTED IN THE RECALL FROM FIRESTONE. MY TIRES WERE IN AT THE JOLIETE PLANT IN CANANDA. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES BECAUSE THE TREAD WAS BEGINING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE. HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING REIMBURSED FROM FIRSTONE SINCE THE CALL DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE WILDERNESS FRISTONE AT TIRES?( DOT NUMBER: VNHL IPY TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731252September 13, 2000
TIRES
I RECENTLY TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A CHECK-UP. I KNEW THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE TIRES SOON, BUT HAVE HAD TROUBLE FINDING REPLACEMENT TIRES DUE TO THE RECALL. THE FORD SERVICE TECH CALLED ME AT WORK TO TELL ME THAT MY STEEL THREADS WERE SHOWING THROUGH ON ONE REAR TIRE, AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY REPLACEMENTS FOR ME. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THEY PUT ON THE SPARE TIRE UNTIL I COULD GET NEW ONES. SINCE I KNEW THAT I WOULD BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR 120+ MILES ON LABOR DAY TOWING A HORSE TRAILER WITH MY HORSE, I DID NOT WANT TO JUST HAVE THREE WORN TIRES AND A SPARE. I STARTED CALLING AROUND AND FOUND FOUR REPLACEMENT TIRES (GOODYEAR WRANGLER AT/S) AT A KAUFMAN TIRE STORE. I DROVE FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT SAME DAY (ON THE ORIGINAL TIRES) TO HAVE THE NEW ONES PUT ON. AS THEY WERE SWITCHING THE TIRES, THE KAUFMAN REP CAME TO THE WAITING AREA TO TELL ME - "YOU REALLY DODGED A BULLET". APPARENTLY, NOT ONLY WERE THE STEEL THREADS SHOWING, THEY WERE SHOWING BECAUSE THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. THEY DID NOT MENTION THIS TO ME AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP. I HAVE KEPT THE TIRES, AND THE ONE LOOKS AS IF SOMEONE TOOK A RAZOR BLADE TO THE EDGE - ALL THE WAY AROUND. AS THIS WAS ON THE INSIDE EDGE, I COULD NOT SEE IT. I HAVE MY TIRES ROTATED REGULARLY - THE LAST TIME ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, SO EITHER THIS IS A RECENT SPLIT, OR THE SERVICER DID NOT NOTICE (OR NOTICED AND FAILED TO MENTION IT TO ME). GIVEN THE RECALL, I THOUGHT I SHOULD INFO THE NHTSA. THANK YOU.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VF... TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731290September 13, 2000
TIRES
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I HAVE NOT HAD AN INCIDENT WITH THE TIRES AS OF YET. I FORWARDED AN EMAIL TO YOUR ORGANIZATION ON 11 SEPT. 2000 TO ADVISE WHAT I THINK IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH MY CURRENT TIRES AND RECEIVED A RETURN EMAIL FROM YOU ON 12 SEPT. 2000. PER YOUR RETURN EMAIL I WAS ADVISED TO FILL OUT THE "OWNER'S QUESTIONNAIRE" FORM AND SUBMIT IT. UNFORTUNATELY CERTAIN FIELDS HAVE TO BE POPULATED, WHICH WOULD INDICATE I HAD AN INCIDENT ALREADY. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THE TIRES I CURRENTLY HAVE ON MY 97 FORD EXPLORER ARE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS, DOT CODE VNHL, P235/75R15 105S M/S. AS I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE THESE ARE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BUT MY DILEMA IS THE TIRES SHOW, IN MY OPINION, SIGNS OF "TREAD SEPERATION" IDNTICAL TO THE TIRES BEING RECALLED. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE FORD DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS FIRESTONE ON THE PHONE AND THEY ADVISE IF THEY ARE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO. I'VE TAKEN DIGITAL PICTURES TO SHOW THESE LINES UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T THINK I CAN ATTACH THE PICTURES TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. PLEASE NOTE THAT I WILL TRY AND RETURN EMAIL YOUR MESSAGE OF THE 11TH TO YOU AT "HOTLINE, AUTO <NHTSA>" <[email protected]> WITH YOUR REFERENCE WT20000911_0000000518 / RE: WILDERNESS TIRES (FORD EXPLORER) AND I WILL ATTACH ALL OF THE PICTURES. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT COURSE OF ACTION I HAVE FOR (IN MY OPINION) DEFECTIVE TIRES THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL? THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE WHO IS IN OUR VEHICLE AND I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ! ! ! PLEASE ADVISE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731295September 13, 2000
TIRES
ON 9/1/00 WITH MY 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR, I SUFFERED A BLOW-OUT ON A HIGHWAY @ 65MPH. I WAS LUCKY BEYOND MEASURE, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT & I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SAFETY. THE TIRE WAS INSPECTED BY OUR MECHANIC AT GOODYEAR & FOUND TO HAVE NO FOREGIN OBJECTS IN IT; THE TREAD WAS PEELING AWAY ON THE INSIDE. THE NEXT MORNING I READ THAT NHTSA HAD INCLUDED MY MODEL TIRE IN ITS WARNINGS TO FIRESTONE & FORD. I CALLED FIRESTONE DIRECTLY, THEY SAID THAT SINCE MY TIRE ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, I SHOULD JUST SAVE MY RECEIPT FOR THE REPLACEMENTS & WATCH THE NEWS FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFO. THIS COMPANY DIDN'T EVEN TAKE MY NAME, OR ASK FOR THE TIRE INFO, MUCH LESS ASK IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES.I AM FURIOUS THAT MY FAMILY CAME SO CLOSE TO BEING A STATISTIC.INACTION BY FIRESTONE WILL ONLY LEAD TO ADDITIONAL FATALITIES, PLEASE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE ON THE PATH OF DENIAL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHLAWR457 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870385September 13, 2000
TIRES
PE00-020; AFTER HAVING A BLOWOUT ON LEFT REAR TIRE A TECHNICIAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT FOUR OF TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS P235/75R15 ON FORD, EXPLORER, 1997. *AK THE RECALL WAS ISSUED TWO YEARS LATER AFTER THE TIRE BLOW OUT BUT THE CUSTOMER WANTS REFUND FOR BUYING REPLACEMENTS. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#554563September 12, 2000
TIRES
POSSIBLE (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT DOT #VDHL1PX057) FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER CAUSING 1 DEATH AND 3 INJURIES. (ATTORNEY WRITING IN REPRESENTING SEVERAL CASES) (CLIENT-FARINAS) *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#554571September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE LEFT REAR FIRESTONE P235 TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN 2 360-DEGREE TURNS, THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED BEFORE RECALL 00T005. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900276September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE INS TO LOSS CONTROL. FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX WERE ALSO ON VEHICLE. V1 HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FLOP OVER. INSURED WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRES. ACCORDING TO INSURED, A LAWSUIT MAY BE FILED AGAINST THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. (CLAIM# 53-C563-980) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#6900110September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
INJURY AMOUNT UNKNOWN-PLEASE SEND INFORMATION OUTLINING PROCEDURES FOR POSSIBLE FIRESTONE SUB. THANKS. THE TIRE IN QUESTION IS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT SIZE P235/75R15 AND THE CODE ON THEM PER OUR EXPERT IS VD HL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANTHING ELSE. (CLAIM# 59-V520-789) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#6900111September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE BLEW OUT...FIRESTONE WILDRNESS 235/75R15, VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED KILLING THE DRIVER PARTIAL EJECTION FROM THE VEHICLE. (CLAIM# 01-6191-016) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
1
#6900234September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
VEC1 HAD A BLOW OUT AND THE TIRE FLEW UP AND DAMAGEED VEH1. FIRESTONE TIRES BLEW OUT ON V1 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15. (CLAIM# 04-1179-892) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900017September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE BLEW AND I/V WENT INTO DITCH. NOTES IN FILES INDICATE FIRESTONE EMPLOYEE SAW TIRE AND VERFIED TIRE HAD SEPARATED TIRE ONLY 8 MOS OLD. (CLAIM 33-0241-696) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900022September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE-TIRE BLEW CAUSING INSURED TO LOSE CONTROL AND STRIKE TWO OTHERE VEHICLES. UNCERTAIN OF MODEL BUT KNOW SIZE IS 235/75/R15. SALVAGE SOLD, TIRE WAS NOT RETAINED. INSURED HS CONTACTED REP DUE TO MEDIA AND RECALL. POLICE REPORT STATES TIRE BURST CAUSING INSURED TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. (CLAIM 43-R479-516) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#6900027September 12, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I-69, 2 MILES BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION AREA, TIRE BLEW AND SENT THE VEH OUT OF CONTROL BUT DIDN'T COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. (CLAIM# 22-V372-826) *MW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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