1994 Ford Ranger

I PURCHASED THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES AT THE TIRE STATION IN SACRAMENTO, CA IN JUNE 1997. THE FIRST PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE TIRES WAS A BLOWOUT OF THE REAR LEFT TIRE TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON INTERSTATE 5 FROM CALIFORNIA TO OREGON. DURING MOST OF THE LIFE OF MY WILDERNESS AT TIRES I WAS LIVING IN BISHOP, CA AND YUCCA VALLEY, CA, WHICH ARE BOTH HOT DESERT CLIMATES, WHICH I UNDERSTAND ARE WHERE MOST OF THE OTHER TREAD SEPARATIONS HAVE OCCURRED. THE TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A HILL ON HWY 62 FROM YUCCA VALLEY TO PALM SPRINGS, CA. I BARELY KEPT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS SIMPLY A FLAT TIRE, BUT THE TIRE PEOPLE SAID THEY COULD NOT REPAIR IT BECAUSE THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED, AND THEY SHOWED ME A LARGE BUBBLED UP AREA OF THE TIRE. BECAUSE I HAD HEARD OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH WILDERNESS AT TIRES INVOLVING FATALITIES, I OPTED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES (THOUGH I STILL HAVE A WILDERNESS AT UNDER THE TRUCK AS A SPARE). I REPLACED THEM WITH BRIDGESTONE DUELLERS BECAUSE THEY HAD A BETTER REPUTATION FOR QUALITY, AND I HAD HEARD AT THE TIME THAT THE REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR THE FAULTY WILDERNESS AT'S SHOULD BE THROUGHT FIRESTONE OR BRIDGESTONE. WHEN THE RECALL BECAME OFFICIAL, I OBTAINED A LETTER FROM THE TIRE PLACE NOTING THE TIRE SEPARATION SO THAT I COULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE FAILED TIRES. SHORTLY AFTER OBTAINING THE LETTER, NOT KNOWING WHERE TO SEND IT, MY JOB TRANSFERRED ME TO CHEYENNE WYOMING, AND I ONLY RECENTLY RELOCATED THE LETTER, AS WELL AS LEARNED THAT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES THAT I PURCHASED WERE OFFICIALLY DEEMED AS FAULTY AND UNSAFE. I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE INJURY, BUT I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO MY EXCELLENT DRIVING SKILLS - THE TIRES TRULY CREATED AN UNSAFE SITUATION FOR ME.*AK

THE TIRE FAILED AS I BEGAN SLOWING DOWN ON AN EXIT RAMP FROM A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY. THE TIRE LOST PRESSURE RAPIDLY (5-10 SEC). I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A CONTROLLED STOP. THE TIRE WAS PROPERLY INFLATED AT THE TIME (35 PSI) AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNLOADED (DRIVER ONLY). THE TIRE DID NOT FAIL DUE TO PUNCTURE OR TREADWEAR. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE SIDEWALL AND APPARENT TREAD SEPARATION. A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAMAGED TIRE IS AVAILABLE. *AK

FORD SPECIFIES ONLY 235/60-15 TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS SIZE IS NOT AVAILABLE IN A WINTER TIRE. THESE TIRES ARE UNACCEPTABLE FOR USE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK IN WINTER. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET FORD TO IDENTIFY SAFE WINTER TIRES? I HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS STOPPING THE TRUCK IN BAD CONDITIONS AND THESE TIRES ARE JUST NO GOOD IN WINTER WEATHER. I BELIEVE IT IS TECHNICALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND FUNDAMENTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR AN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY TO ONLY RECOMMEND A SUMMER TIRE AND THEN SELL THE VEHICLES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. PLEASE HELP ME. I HAVE TALKED TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY STICK WITH THE SINGLE SIZE RECOMMENDATION. THIS IS STUPID.*AK

I HAVE NOTICED IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO THAT THE HEADLIGHT BRIGHTNESS IS AFFECTED BY THE YELLOWING OF THE PLASTIC HEADLAMP COVERS. REPLACING THE BULB WILL NOT IMPROVE BRIGHTNESS. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS IS LACK OF ULTRAVIOLET STABILIZERS IN THE PLASTIC AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING. THE WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO REPLACE THEM WITH NEW HEADLAMP COVERS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD PAY FOR THESE SINCE IT A DEFECT IN MY OPINION. THE NEW MODEL HEADLAMP COVERS APPEARS TO BE MANUFACTURED FROM A POLYCARBONATE MATERIAL WHICH IS OF A HIGHER QUALITY.*AK