1996 Ford Explorer

I EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT AND LOST CONTROL OF MY SUV. THE SUV SPUN AROUND 3 TIME AND ALMOST FLIPPED OVER I STARTED OFF IN THE RIGHT LANE AND ENDED UP IN THE FAR LEFT LANE FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD JUST HAD MY TIRE CHECKED A MONTH EARLIER AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE FINE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: P235/75R15 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I ORIGINALLY HAD THE ATX'S ON MY EXPLORER. ONCE THE RECALL WENT INTO EFFECT, I WENT TO A FIRESTONE CAR CARE CENTER IN NASHVILLE (STORE # 028150) AND THEY REPLACED THEM WITH THE BRIDGESTONE DUELERS. I DROVE TO WORK AFTERWARDS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN I NOTICED A SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD JUST HAD A BALANCE AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT TO GO ALONG WITH THE REPLACEMENTS. SO THE NEXT DAY, I TOOK IT BACK AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE MANAGER. IT WAS BUSY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY SO I SAID I WOULD BRING IT IN THE FIRST THING SATURDAY MORNING. THEY PLACED MY TIRES ON THE BALANCING MACHINE AND I WATCHED AS WE ALL NOTICED A WOBBLING IN ALL THE TIRES. THE MANAGER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHEN THEY MANUFACTURE THE TIRES, THEY HAVE A LIGHT AND HEAVY SPOT IN THEM. IF THAT HEAVY SPOT IS OFF OR EXTREMELY HEAVY, IT CAN CAUSE A WOBBLE. NEVERTHELESS, I ASKED WHAT AM I TO DO NOW. THE MANAGER STATED THAT I WOULD NOW BE PLACED ON THE REPLACEMENT LIST. I WOULD PREFER TO GO TO A FORD DEALERSHIP NOW, BUT SINCE I ALREADY HAD A REPLACEMENT DONE, I DOUBT IF THEY WILL REPLACE THEM AGAIN. THIS IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP. I HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION STATING THE DEFECTIVE REPLACEMENT TIRES. CAN YOU SEND ME A LETTER AUTHORIZING A DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN? OR CAN YOU HELP ME OUT IN ANY WAY OR SUGGEST WHAT ALTENATIVES I HAVE? ALSO, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAD TO REPURCHASE THE LIFETIME WARRANTIES ON THE BALANCE AND ROAD HAZZARD WHEN I HAD THEM ORIGINALLY ON THE ATX'S. THE ATX'S WERE A RECALL, NOT TIRES THAT WORE DOWN FROM NORMAL USAGE WHERE A WARRANTY WOULD EXPIRE. I KNOW THE BRIDGESTONE DUELERS WERE NOT INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL, BUT THEY WERE MY REPLACEMENT TIRES, AND THEY TOO WERE IMPERFECT AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE FIRESTONE CAR CARE CENTER. AS A CONSUMER, I HAVE DONE WHAT WAS DIRECTED BY YOUR ADMINISTRATION. AS A CONSUMER AND A STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, I HAVE GAINED NOTHING BY DOING WHAT I WAS DIRECTED TO DO. HELP ME!

TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SPONTANEOUSLY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE BODY WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND ONTO THE SHOULDER WHERE IT FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WERE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE DURING THE FLIPS AND FATALLY INJURED. THE PASSANGER IN THE BACK SEAT, THOUGH SERIOUSLY AND SEVERLY INJURED, SURVIVED.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM116 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

OVER A PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS, VEHICLE PERFORMANCE DETERIORATED SEVERELY. ROUGH BUMPY RIDE ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT, AND VERY STRONG PULL TO THE RIGHT. I THOUGHT I HAD AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY, I WAS UNABLE TO STEER A STRAIGHT LINE AT SPEED ABOVE 45, AND I NOTICED TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. I COULD INSERT FINGERS BETWEEN TREAD AND TIRE ON TWO TIRES; I DO NOT RECALL WHICH TWO. FOR THE LIFE OF THE TIRES, I HAD MAINTAINED PRESSURE AT THE FORD-RECOMMENDED 26 PSI, THOUGH I NEVER ROTATED THE TIRES. WHEN I DISCOVERED THE TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE, I WENT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I WAS TOLD THAT I MUST REPLACE THE TIRES; I HAD FAILED TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN FIRESTONE-RECOMMENDED PRESSURE, AND HAD FAILED TO ROTATE. I BOUGHT FOUR NEW WILDERNESS AT TIRES, BUT I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN USED.( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM016 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

I HAVE HAD 4 INCIDENTS WITH THESE TIRES. ALL OCCURRED ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE AT SPEEDS OVER 55 MPH. ONE OCCURRED ON AUGUST 23, 1999, COMING HOME FROM MY PARENTS HOME IN WEST PALM BEACH. THE THREADS SEPARATED. I NOTICED A STRANGE NOISE AND UPON ARRIVING AT HOME A PIECE OF THE TIRE WAS LOOSE AND I HAD BEEN TRAVELLING ON THE INSIDE PART. BOUGHT A NEW TIRE, SAME BRAND. TWO MORE OCCURRED AS MY SON WAS DRIVING FROM MIAMI TO TALLAHASSEE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL. FUNNY, I TOLD HIM TO TAKE MY CAR BECAUSE I HAD "GOOD TIRES". HE HAD TWO BLOW OUTS, BOTH REAR WHEELS AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL. REPLACED THESE TWO IN TLH AT A SEARS STORE, WITH OF COURSE, THE SAME BRAND AND TYPE. THE FIRST ONE WAS RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE INCIDENT. THATS AN AWFUL COINCIDENCE. TOOK MY VEHICLE TO LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER, AND WAS NOT TREATED VERY KINDLY. I MOSTLY DRIVE MY VEHICLE ON THE EXPRESSWAYS AND TURNPIKE, SINCE I HAVE TO TRAVEL BETWEEN MIA AND FLL AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 25570S16 )