2005 Ford Explorer Tires Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER WITH MICHELIN T235- 70T16 16' LATITUDE TOUR TIRES . THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE TIRE WALL BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

I GOT NEW TIRES, THEY SHOW LOW ON AIR, I MEASURE AND NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE MORE AIR THAN THEY SUPPOSED TO HAVE. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. THE TIRE BRAND ARE FIRESTONE OWL P235/70R16. *TR

THE TIRE LOOKS FLAT, I NOTICE THE TECHNICIAN PUT MORE AIR THAN IT SUPPOSED TO HAVE, THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TIRE THREAD SEPARATION(S) , SEVERELY VIBRATED THE WHOLE VEHICLE AT ALL SPEED..SEVER TO VERY SEVERE VIBRATION AS SPEED IS GOING UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED LIMITS. AT LOW SPEEDS IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE HITTING A POT HOLE EVERY TIRE ROTATION. TIRE BRAND: YOKOHAMA GEOLANDER 235/65R17 DOT FBLS. INSTALLED IN A 2005 FORD SPORTRAC VIN [XXX] USED JUST OVER 14000 MILES....ALL TIRE PRESSURES, MAINTENANCE AND RECOMMENDED TIRE ROTATION HAS BEEN SERVICED ON THE SAID VEHICLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER CAME WITH METAL VALVE CAPS ON THE TIRES, WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE WITH A LOW PRESSURE SIGNAL ON, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE VALVE CAPS WERE FROZEN ONTO THE STEMS, AND IF HE TRIED TO TAKE OFF THE CAPS, THEY WOULD SNAP THE SENSORS IN THE TIRES, AND IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $600. TO REPLACE ALL FOUR SENSORS. I RESPONDED THAT IT WOULD COST $600. TO PUT AIR IN THE TIRES BECAUSE OF A DESIGN DEFECT? THE RESPONSE WAS YES. MY POINT, IF YOU DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO CORRECT A MFR'S DESIGN ERROR, YOU ARE RIDING ON UNDER-INFLATED TIRES, CREATING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. *TR

BULGE IN SIDEWALL OF TIRE. *TR

I WAS REMOVING CAPS ON VALVE STEMS TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE WHEN THE VALVE STEM BROKE OFF IN THE CAP. IT IMMEDIATELY DEFLATED THE TIRE COMPLETELY! I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING. THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT AND COMING OFF THE RIM. I HAD THE SPARE TIRE PUT ON. WHEN I WENT TO THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD ALOT OF VEHICLES IN THAT THE VALVE STEMS HAD BROKEN OFF. VERY DANGEROUS. I AM NOW AFRAID THAT THE VALVE STEMS ON THE OTHER TIRES COULD DO THE SAME THING. BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE TIRE SENSORS IN VALVE STEMS IT IS VERY COSTLY TO REPLACE AND ONLY A FORD DEALER CAN GET THE PART AND RECALIBRATE THE COMPUTER FOR THE SENSORS. *TR

TIRES HAVE SMALL CRACKS ALONG TREAD LUGS AND SIDEWALL TREAD LUGS. I AM AFRAID THEY WILL BLOW OUT AT ANYTIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN CROSS TOURING (NA), SIZE LT235/70/R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE TIRE TO THE VEHICLE WAS THE TIRE MOUNT. PRIOR TO OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE AND THE TREAD WAS 4 AND 5/30 SECONDS. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 29,100. UPDATED 02/12/08. *LJ THE TIRE BLOW CAUSED DAMAGED TO THE VEHICLE.