1998 Ford Ranger

AS I WAS TURNING A CORNER THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY APPEARED TO LOSE POWER. I THOUGHT INITIALLY THE ENGINE HAD STALLED AND I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING HOWEVER IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OUT OF IDLE AND WOULD STALL WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE WOULD ILDE ALONG AND I WAS FORCED TO RUN ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD IN IDLE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND TWO AIR SENSORS WERE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. *AK

ATTORNEY FOR ,[XXX],CONSUMER, REPORTED THAT WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING APPROXIMATELY AT SPEED LIMIT, CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT. BLOW OUT CAUSED VEHICLE INTO A ROLLOVER. ALSO, FRONT RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS HT, P225/70R15 100S. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES WHEN HE WAS EJECTED FROM VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS A 1998, FORD TRUCK RANGER PICKUP. ORIGINAL TIRES PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE CABLE THAT SUPPORTS THE SPARE TIRE BROKE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE FROMT OF THE SPARE DROPED DOWN CONTACTING THE ROAD WHICH RESULTED IN THE REAR OF THE TRUCK BEING LIFTED IN THE AIR. LUCKLY THIS HAPPENED ON A SECLUDED SECTION OF THE ROAD AND THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC. I CAN'T EMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS HAD OCCURED ON A BUISY EXPRESSWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I CALLED THE DEALER SINCE I WAS RETURNING HOME AFTER HAVING ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL PROGRAM. THE DEALER INFORMED ME I SHOULD CALL FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE. CUSTOMER SERVICE THANKED ME FOR THE CALL BUT SAID THERE WAS NO PROGRAM THAT WOULD COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE FAULTY CABLE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN INCREASED DIFFICULTY WITH THE STEERING/HANDLING, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION AND THE FRONT TIRES REVEALED THAT THE RUBBER WAS WEARING IN A VERY UNUSUAL MANNER, IT APPEARED THAT THERE WERE RUBBER STUDS PROTRUDING FROM THE FRONT TIRES WHERE THE TREADS SHOULD HAVE BEEN, HOWEVER NOT BEING AWARE OF THE TIRE RECALL, CONSUMER PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES OF THE SAME MAKE AND DISCARDED THE OLD TIRES, AND THE DIFFICULTY OF THE STEERING/HANDLING SEEMED TO HAVE BEE RESOLVED, MONTHS LATER CONSUMER THEN EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT OF ONE OF THE NEW TIRES THAT WERE PURCHASED, WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, CONSUMER IS NOW AWARE OF RECALL EVEN THOUGH TIRES WERE NOT APART OF THE RECALL, HE IS NOW SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT.(FIRESTONE TIRES)*JB

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING S/B IN THE CARPOOL LANE ON THE 605 FREEWAY AT 65/70 MPH WHEN WE HEARD A FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THINKING WE HAD A FLAT, WE STARTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. AT AROUND LANE 3 I COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT FISH-TAILED TWICE AND THEN FLIPPED OVER AND SLID INTO THE ICEPLANT ALONG THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE TRUCK THEN RIGHTED ITSELF AND WE ENDED UP FACING N/B ON THE SHOULDER. WE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED!!! MY WIFE SUSTAINED SOME BUMPS AND BRUISES BUT IS OTHERWISE OK. I WALKED AWAY WITHOUT A SCRATCH. ON INSPECTING THE TIRE (WHICH WE NOW HAVE IN OUR POSSESION) WE NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE!! MY WIFE AND I ARE CONVINCED THAT THESE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRES ARE UNSAFE!!! WE HAVE PHOTOS OF THE TRUCK AND WE SAVED THE TIRE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS - PLEASE CALL US ANYTIME. THANKS - WALLACE (DOT NUMBER: W2UU TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, I ATTEMPTED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE ENGAGED IN AN UNCONTROLLED ACCELLERATION. DEPRESSING THE BRAKE OR ACCELLERATOR DID NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. USING THE "OFF" BUTTON ON THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE IT. ONLY SHIFTING INTO NUETRAL AT A SPEED OF APPROX 70 MILES PER HOUR DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS HAPPEND AT LEAST THREE TIMES IN A 200MILE ROUND TRIP. THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MODIFIED BY THE DEALER BASED ON A RECALL NOTICE WHICH I RECEIVED ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL.*AK