1998 Ford Ranger

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)

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON A SLICK ROAD, HE SHIFTED INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND BETWEEN 45 AND 50 MPH VEHICLE ROTATED TO THE LEFT, CONSUMER TURNED OFF 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND PULLING BECAME MORE SEVERE, VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN AND ENDED UP IN A HOLLOW PIT WITH BACK END AGAINST FENCE, CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THREE OF THE FOUR FIRESTONE (P235/75R15) TIRES.*JB

TIRES ARE CRACKING AT SIDEWALL, INDICATES TIRE DEFECT AND NOT VEHICLE DEFECT - I READ RECENTLY THAT FIRESTONE IS CLAIMING IT IS A VEHICLE DEFECT WITH THE FORD EXPLORER. THESE TIRES PROVE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE TIRES THEMSELVES. THESE WILDERNESS ATS HAVE NEVER BEEN ON AN EXPLORER, YET THEY ARE CRACKING AND SHOW THE INITIAL STAGES OF TREAD SEPARATION. ALTHOUGH FORD IS REPLACING THESE TIRES, I WAS TOLD ABOUT A LONG WAITING LIST THAT PREVENTED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. I WENT TO SEARS AUTO CENTER THE OTHER DAY AND THEY CAN HAVE THEM IN UNDER FIVE DAYS. SINCE THESE TIRES COULD FAIL ME AT ANY TIME, I AM HAVING TO REPLACE THEM AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FROM FORD LATER. ALTHOUGH FORD IS OFFERING ONLY $110 PER TIRE, I WILL STILL BE OUT $114.78 (THE DIFFERENCE) OF MY EARNINGS TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I CAN ASSURE YOU FROM MY EXPERIENCE, FIRSESTONE/BRIDGESTONE'S CLAIMS ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I HAVE FOUR TIRES THAT ARE PROOF THAT THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE TYPE. IF THEY AGUE THAT THE FORD EXPLORER HAS A DESIGN DEFECT AND IS UNSAFE, THEY MUST BE WILLING TO ARGUE THE SAME THING ABOUT THE RANGER. THESE TIRES WERE KEPT AT 30 PSI AND MAINTAINED. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS CLAIM FOR ME. THANKS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: P235/R75 TIRESIZE: 15-INCH)

AFTER MARKET TIRE, P225/70R14 SIZE. TREAD ON TIRES HAVE STARTED TO SEPARATE IN CENTER OF TIRE.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRES, DOT NUMBER VNFC1P4218, CONSUMER STATES TIRE ON LEFT FRONT IS SEPARATING AND TIRES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER FOUND OUT HER TIRES WERE SEPARATING WHEN SHE TOOK ONE IT THAT WAS FLAT. *SLC

LAST JULY ON A HOT, 87 DEGREE AFTERNOON, MY FRONT LEFT TIRE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS FLAT BY THE TIME I STOPPED SO I CHANGED IT. I PURCHASED TWO NEW COOPER TIRES TO REPLACE THE FRONTS. I HAVE ROTATED SNOW TIRES ON THE REAR AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE REMAINING FIRESTONE ORIGINAL TIRES.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2UU IPO TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)