2004 Ford Explorer Tires Problems

Your Michelin CrossTerrain tires are experiencing tread separation, where the rubber is peeling away from the tire structure. Three of your four tires have already failed this way. This is dangerous because tread separation can cause sudden tire failure, especially at highway speeds, which could result in loss of control.

You noticed a bumping sensation while driving that worsened over a day, and when you checked your right front tire, you found a large bulge on the tread. Within hours, the tire's threads began separating badly, forcing you to deflate it to prevent a blowout. You still have three matching tires on your vehicle with only 36,000 miles and a 60,000-mile warranty, but you're concerned about their safety. The fix will likely involve replacing all remaining tires with a more reliable brand.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH CAPITOL PRECISION TRAC II TIRES, SIZE: 245/65R17. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THERE WAS A BULGE IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRE HAD A BULGE ON THE OUTSIDE WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14T013000 (TIRES). THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000 AND APPROXIMATE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC WITH MASTERCRAFT COURSER A/T 2 TIRES (SIZE: LT265/75R16). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPLODED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE HIGHWAY MEDIAN. THE FRONT AXLE AND TIE ROD FRACTURED DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED BACK AND A CONCUSSION. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08T005000 (TIRES:SIDEWALL) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 110,000. ...UPDATED 07/19/12 *BF

THE FIRST TIRE I HAD PROBLEMS WITH WAS THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE THAT KEPT GOING FLAT, I HAD IT CHECKED TO BE FIXED WHEN THE SERVICE MAN SHOWED ME THE DEFECT IN THE TIRE. THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE HAD A SLIT OR WHERE THE SEAM WAS SPLITTING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE, ONLY ON THE INSIDE. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE AND WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED THE FRONT LEFT TIRE AS WELL. TWO WEEKS LATER DRIVING MY THREE CHILDREN AND MY GRANDMOTHER TO GO SCHOOL SHOPPING MY BACK LEFT TIRE BLEW. LUCKILY I WAS ON A DIRT ROAD AND ONLY DRIVING ABOUT 20MPH. UPON CHANGING THE TIRE I NOTICED THE SAME SEAM RIPPAGE OR SLIT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE SO I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE RIGHT BACK TIRE AND FOUND THE SAME THING ON IT. SO I HAVE 3 OUT OF THE 4 TIRES ON MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER THAT HAVE THIS DEFECT. ITS VERY DISTURBING TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND THAT BOTH BACK TIRES MIGHT HAVE BLOWN. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THESE TIRES AND SO FAR HAVE NOT FOUND ANY RECALLS ON THIS SPECIFIC TIRE. GOODYEAR, WRANGLER SR-A, P235/70R16 104S. *KB

I OWN A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORTTRAC THAT CAME WITH MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN TIRES. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE CAME APART, RUBBER STARTED TO FLY EVERYWHERE, BEATING MY TRUCK UP PRETTY BAD. THE TIRE WAS STILL HOLDING AIR WHEN I MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER, THE TIRE HELD ITS AIR PRESSURE FOR 2 DAYS AFTER I HAD TAKEN IT OFF. JUST THOUGHT I SHOULD LET SOMEONE KNOW. *TR

TIRE SIDEWALL CRACKING ON ALL 4 TIRES OF THE SAME TYPE, MFG., AND LOCATIONS. TREADWEAR 520, TRACTION A, TEMP B. NEXEN ROADIAN HT P235/70R16 104S M+S DOT 8EWL 2007 TIRES SPLITTING ON ALL 4 TIRES ON OUTSIDE ONLY. VISUALS OF WHITE UNDERLYING WHERE POOR VULCANIZATION AND SPLITS ARE OCCURRING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES, SIZE 255/55/ R18. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE CRACKING BETWEEN THE TREAD. SEARS STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT DEFECTIVE AND COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE CRACKS IN THE TREAD. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE CRACKS ARE ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,746. UPDATED 5/28/09 *CN THE INSIDE GROOVES OF THE TIRES SHOWED CRACKS. UPDATED 05/29/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN TIRES, SIZE P235/70R/16 (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED A CRACK ON THE SIDEWALL THAT AFFECTED ALL FOUR TIRES. THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE CRACK. AT THIS TIME, THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,207.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH BF GOODRICH RUGGED TRAIL T/A (TIRE SIZE 245/65R17). SHE NOTICED THE TREAD ON THREE OF THE TIRES BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE TIRES TO BF GOODRICH. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT TIRE ROT CAUSED THE TREAD TO SEPARATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 24,650. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT FELT THE TREAD SHOULD NOT HAVE SEPARATED AT 24,650 MILES.

I BOUGHT A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC IN BRUNSWICK, GA IN LATE SEPT 2006. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, WE NOTICED A BUMPING/VIBRATION. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES, EACH TIME IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT (DID NOT WORK). THEN, WE WERE TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE TIRES (GOODYEAR WRANGLERS) WERE OUT OF ROUND, BUT YET THEY DID A FORCE BALANCING INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE TIRES; WHICH DID NOT FIX IT AND NOW IN ADDITION TO THE BUMPING, IT IS NOW PULLING HARD TO THE RIGHT. I AM TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A "TRUCK" AND THERE WILL BE A LITTLE VIBRATION AND BUMPING. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS SINCE I HAVE DRIVEN TRUCKS ALL OF MY LIFE WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM. I TRADED A 1998 EXPLORER THAT DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TIRES AS A TEST TO SEE IF IT IS THE TIRES. THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF COST ISSUES. I ASKED THEM TO LET ME DRIVE ONE OF THE NEW 2007 SPORT TRACS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE REPLY WAS THAT THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. I HAVE TOLD THE DEALER THAT IF THIS PROBLEM CAN NOT BE FIXED THAN I DON'T WANT THE VEHICLE. WHAT AM I TO DO? *NM

WE WERE TRAVELING IN THE HOV LANE HEADED EAST ON I-635 BETWEEN 60-65 MPH. ONE OF THE TIRES ON OUR EXPLORER FAILED. WHEN I GOT OUT TO CHECK THE TIRE I FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE TREAD OF THE TIRE HAD SEPARATED AND ONLY THE EDGE OF THE TIRE REMAINED ALONG THE RIM. WE CALLED BOTH AAA AND 911. THE POLICE ARRIVED ABOUT 15 MIN LATER AND STOPPED TRAFFIC SO THAT WE COULD MOVE TO A SAFER LOCATION AS CARS WERE SPEEDING AT US GOING 60-70 MILES AN HOUR WITH LITTLE ROOM TO REACT TO OUR SITUATION (B.F.GOODRICH TIRE). *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL FOUR MICHELIN TIRES ARE CRACKING. THE DEALERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE INFORMED THE CONTACT THE TIRES WERE ONLY WARRANTED FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. MICHELIN OFFERED TO SWAP OUT THE TIRES AND PRO-RATE THEM. THE TIRE SIZE IS: P23570R16.

LTR FWD EMAIL FM CONSUMER RE DEFECTIVE MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN P235/70R-16 TIRES FOR A 2004 FORD EXPLORER, REQUEST A DEFECT INVESTIGATION, DOT/I32005-5097. *TS WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. A SOON AS THE CONSUMER PULLED OF THE ROAD THE TIRE BLEWOUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER. THE TIRE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH RESULTED IN INTERIOR LINER SEPARATION AND SIDEWALL SEPARATION. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY A PRO-RATED PRICE FOR A NEW TIRE. THIS TIRE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT O THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE OTHER THREE TIRE WILL FAIL IN THE SAME MANNER. *NM

TIRE FAILURE. WE TOOK THE TIRE IN TO GET IT PLUGGED, BUT IT WAS THE INNER LINING, IT SPLIT APART AND THE TIRE WAS NOT SAFE TO PLUG. (GOODRICH TIRE) WE TOOK THE TIRE TO AN AUTHORIZED GOODRICH DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS A COSMETIC FIX AND THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO FIX. AFTER THE FIRESTONE ORDEAL, I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY EXPLORER ANY MORE. I WILL LET THE COMPANY KNOW ABOUT THE GOODRICH TIRE FAILURE. *NM

THE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. *JB