Problems · by component

1996 Ford Explorer tires problems

570 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Explorer cite tires, 39% of all 1,468 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
570
39% of all complaints
Crashes
104
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
229
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the tires

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAD TBC CORPORATION, STAMPEDE SIGMA TIRES, SIZE P255/70/R16 WITH DOT#UPCUTX61707. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLL OVER 5 TIMES BEFORE IT WENT AIRBORNE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED ON SITE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 25, 2011TiresCrash reportedODI 10421453
“ON JULY 28, AT APPROX 4PM EST WE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE THAT CAUSED OUR FORD EXPLORER TO TEMPORARILY LOSS CONTROL. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE THAT WAS PROVIDED BY FORD FOR A RECALL REPLACEMENT ABOUT 8 OR 9 YEARS AGO. THE RIGHT PASSENGER FRONT TIRE SEPARATED ON RT I95 NEAR THE SHARON, MA EXIT. LOUD SOUNDS CAME FROM ENGINE AREA OF CAR AND TREAD HIT SIDE OF CAR AND FP WINDOW. CAR BEGAN TO LOSS CONTROL, BUT THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE AND PULL OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE TRAVELING FROM PA TO MA (WE LEFT CONSHOHCKEN, PA AT 9:45 AM) AND I WAS AVERAGING 65 TO 70 MILES PER HOUR, BUT WAS SLOWING DOWN WHEN TREAD SEPARATED. I WAS MOVING FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT LANE, EXIT WAS ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES AHEAD OF US. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL PLASTIC COVERING, SOME AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT, AND THE RADIO ANTENNA ALL HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THERE IS SOME PAINT DAMAGE ON RIGHT SIDE OF CAR AND THE AND RUNNING BOARD SEEMS TO HAVE SOME DAMAGE AS WELL. A ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PERSON CAME TO HELP US REMOVE THE TIRE AND REPLACE IT WITH A SPARE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO A FIRESTONE DEALER IN BROCKTEN, MA AND WAS TOLD THAT FIRESTORE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2010TiresODI 10345978
“1996 FORD EXPLORER ACCIDENT DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. CW ACCORDING TO AN EYE WITNESS STATEMENT, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE CROSSED SEVERAL LANES, STRUCK A GUARDRAIL AND WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON IT'S ROOF. THE WITNESS STATED TWO PEOPLE WERE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY DIED. (LAWYER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS) *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2010TiresCrash reportedODI 10313192
“ON 8 AUG 09, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE GOING NORTH ON I95 AT EXIT 132 NEAR ROCKY MOUNT, NC. MY SUV FLIPPED OVER A FEW TIMES AND MY DAUGHTER AND I ENDED UP UPSIDE DOWN LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC. I NOTICED THAT MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2009Air bags, TiresCrash reportedODI 10283021
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES, SIZE P235/75/R15. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE AND HEARD ROAD NOISE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT ALL OF THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND SUSTAINED ABNORMAL GROOVES IN THE TREAD. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES BE REPLACED. THE TIRES HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED AND THE CONTACT STILL HAS THEM IN HIS POSSESSION. HE CALLED THE PLACE FROM WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND WAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,000. UPDATED 05/05/09. *LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2009TiresODI 10260802
“TIRE ON 2 CASES BLEW THE TREAD AND BELT, THE LATER OF THE TWO INCIDENCES WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH THAT TOTALED THE VEHICLE, AND RESULTED IN TWO INJURIES TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER. BOTH NEEDED TO BE HOSPITALIZED.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2007TiresCrash reportedODI 10195275

Showing 6 of 570 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Tires: tread

Free remedy

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS. FORD REPORTS TREAD SEPARATION CAN OCCUR DUE TO A COMBINATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TIRE DESIGN TO STRESS, AGING, AND MANUFACTURING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS. FORD IS REPLACING THESE TIRES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE VEHICLES LISTED BELOW MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES OR MAY HAVE HAD WILDERNESS AT TIRES INSTALLED DURING THE FIRESTONE RECALL LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2000. CERTAIN 1991 THROUGHT 2002 FORD EXPLORER CERTAIN 2001 THROUGHT 2002 EXPLORER SPORT, AND SPORT TRAC CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 2001 RANGER CERTAIN 1999 THROUGH 2001 EXPEDITION CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994, AND 1997 MODEL YEAR F-SERIES CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994 BRONCO NOTE: BOTH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND REPLACEMENT TIRES ARE AFFECTED.

TiresReported May 22, 2001NHTSA 01X001000

Tires: tread

Free remedy

TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT WEATHER, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SEPARATION OF THE TIRE TREAD.

TiresReported Aug 21, 2000NHTSA 00T005000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 7, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.