2001 Ford Explorer tires problems

“AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEREIN A YOUNG MAN WAS SEVERELY INJURED. HE SURVIVED, BUT HAS A PLATE IN HIS JAW, AND SEVERE SCARRING ON HIS FACE. HIS SISTER WAS ALSO A PASSENGER AND WAS INJURED, BUT LESS SEVERELY. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE APPEARS TO HAVE BLOWN OUT, CAUSING THE CRASH. A WITNESS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT STATED: "I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE ONE OF THE RIGHT SIDE TIRES BEND TO THE SIDE AND SUDDENLY EXPLODE. AT THAT POINT THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE TIRE EXPLOSION AND SWERVED TO THE CENTER DIVIDER AND CRASHED. INFORMATION ON THE TIRES IS AS FOLLOWS: RADIAL SXT ALL TERRAINS. DOT NUMBER ON THE TIRES WERE XFA 0307 AND THE TIRE SIZE WAS 75/16. ALL TIRES PASSED INSPECTION THREE MONTHS BEFORE, WITH A TREAD OF 6/32. THE OFFICER NOTED THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. *TR”

“CPSC#I12A0111A. 2001 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER STATED THAT A DAY AFTER SHE BROUGHT THE CAR IT BROKE DOWN. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE, AS WELL AS A HOLE IN GAS TANK, WHICH HAD RUSTED OUT, THE BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE TIRE WERE DRY ROTTED, AS THEY KEPT GOING FLAT, THE DRIVER'S DOOR DID NOT LOCK, THE REAR DOORS DID NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, THE REAR DRIVER'S DOOR DID NOT OPEN AT ALL, THE OUTSIDE HANDLE WAS BROKE, THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT CLOSE, AND MOST OF THE TIME IT HAD TO BE SLAMMED SHUT.”

“WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE'S LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. DRIVER MADE AN ABRUPT STEERING INPUT THAT CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE OVERTURNED AND LEFT THE ROADWAY. DRIVER WAS SOLE OCCUPANT AND DID NOT SURVIVE. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S TIRES, SIZE P255/70R16. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE REAR PASSENGERS TIRE WAS FLAT AND THE REMAINING THREE TIRES EXHIBITED SIGNS OF DRY ROTTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THEY WOULD TAKE PARTIAL LIABILITY FOR THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES AND THE FOURTH WOULD BE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE THE LIABILITY FOR ALL FOUR TIRES. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGES WAS 32,985. THE VEHICLE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,461.”

“WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAUSING VEHICLE TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH GRAVEL ALONG THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY RESULTING IN VEHICLE TURNING OVER SEVERAL TIMES. DRIVER AND PASSENGER INJURED AND VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *JB”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARDS OR DEBRIS. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED ALONG THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL AREA. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01T016000, REGARDING THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS A/T P235/75R15.”