Driver went onto shoulder then back onto pavement, lost control, tires debeaded and vehicle rolled over. No air bag deployment. Death of belted passenger.( dot number: Tire size: 235/75R15 )

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

We purchased a 2000 Ford Explorer in Feb of 2000, we had an accident where the vehicle slid of of the road and then rolled. We were driving under the posted spped limit and no other cars were involved. It was raining and wet and we hydroplaned of the road. Unfortunately I only have minimal information on the vehical because it was totaled soon after it was purchased. The information that I have provided is from the accident report and memory as all paper-work etc.. was still in the car and subsequenly lost in the accident. I have been trying to find out if the car was equiped with the Firestone tires that are being recalled - as that may have attributed to the serverity of the accident. I know that when I went back to sign the Explorer over to the insurance company the tires were serverly damaged. I broke my collar bone and my expectant wife only had minor scraps (the baby turned out fine). Any information that you could provide to me would be greatly appeviated as I am getting tiered of getting no where. Thank you. Jason koch

- Kingman, AZ, USA

Tire blew out at high speed, explosive decompression. Was not in heat climate, happened only 3 minutes after leaving home.. tire was properly inflated.. both Ford and Firestone have blown me off.. made me pay full price for a replacement tire and discarded the defective tire. Repeated calls to both companies have fallen on deaf ears.. I believe this tire size is also as defective as the 235's already recalled and should be also included in the recall. At minimum I think I should be reembursed for the new tire I was forced to purchase.( dot number: Tire size: 255/70 R16 )

- Galloway, OH, USA

No summary( dot number: Vdcu1px tire size: 255-70R16 )

- Staten Island, NY, USA

Going down the highway, my tire went flat. I went across the highway dodging oncoming traffic. Two men witnessed this and stopped to help. I did not file a report because the damage was not severe. I do have the trooper's name. God spared my life. Will the next person be so lucky?( dot number: Vncuipx tire size: P255/70R16 )

- Reidsville, NC, USA

Tire tread separated when driving on highway in normal conditions. Drove to the shoulder of road while trying to keep control of vehicle. Reported problem to Ford roadside assistance. A highway courtesy vehicle stopped & guy switched out tire. Took shredded tire to Firestone (los colinas) for replacement. Firestone dealer said, "there was probably a nail in there somewhere." The bad tire had shredded tread but the inner tube part looked intact - no nail and alittle bit of air. Replaced tire with another Wilderness AT. None of the tires kept air well after 8,000 miles. Replaced all tires with Bridgestone dueler hl at another dealer. The wilderness ats on my vehicle were not the recalled tires but I have experienced the same problem.( dot number: Tire size: P255R70/16 )

- Richardson, TX, USA

My SUV has hydroplaned on two occasions during interstate travel. This occurred once in light rain at approx. 65 mph & once during moderate-heavy rain at 55 mph. During the heavy rain, I slide into another lane (I was not braking at the time). I did not hit another car. During rain, the tires feel as if they are not gripping the pavement. This tire has not been recalled;however, after speaking with other Explorer owners with non-recalled tires, I have heard many similar stories. Something is wrong with this tire or it's the wrong tire for the Explorer. I have called both Firestone and the Ford dealership. They are not interested. On 8/18/00, I paid $551.75 for new Goodyear tires with special wet traction features. Safety was the motivating factor even though this is an expenditure I can not afford. I firmly believe that these tires should be part of the recall!( dot number: W2hlipy020 tire size: P235/75R15 )

- Columbia, SC, USA

PE00-020; original equipment with Ford Explorer, 2000, 4800 miles P255/70R16 and dot # vncuipx529. Right rear tire blew the sidewall out while driving at approximately 70 mph. No prior warning. Consumer contacted Ford and Firestone, but both did not inspect tire, and was told driver must have hit something.

- Baxter, IA, USA

Tires cause excessive, violent side-to-side movement of vehicle when crossing a bridge with a steel grid deck, making it difficult to stay within driving lane and avoid hitting cars and side of bridge.( dot number: Tire size: 23575R15 )

- Milford, CT, USA

Local Firestone dealer refuses to work with me on these tires since they were manufactured in Canada, not Decatur; I question the safety of any Firestone Wilderness AT and have offered Firestone cash $$$ to replace these tires, even though they are not included in the recall; I would support government intervention in getting all fireston Wilderness AT tires recalled and off the highways( dot number: Tire size: P235/75R 1 )

- Brighton, CO, USA

We were on a drive, which is 90 miles one way, to my parents for dinner. It was 1pm on the 6th of March and the weather was between 95 degrees or higher. 10 miles into the drive, I noticed that the truck was not handling as crisp when changing from lane to lane and asked my wife if the ride felt different, especially since she drives it during the week. She did notice also that it seemed to be swaying when I changed from lane to lane but she thought that I was doing it. I, from past experience, thought I should stop and check the tires and just in time because when I pulled to the side of the road, the air rushed out of the tire. I examined the tire and noticed that it looked as if it had separated inside the tire but did not think anything of it. I put on the spare and continued on the trip. I let my father take a look at it and he immediately said that there was a problem with the tire. I asked him if he thought something might have punctured the tire but he, like I did, did not think so, ,,,, especially since I stopped as soon as I noticed the problem. My father has 2 18 wheelers and changes the tires on them himself and if pretty knowledgable about anything that has to deal with a vehicle. I had my wife the next morning to take the tire to a local Firestone dealer. I called and spoke with someone who told me they looked at the tire and that something punctured it. I asked the guy that I was driving and I know for a fact that I did not run over anything in the road. I am positive. Nevertheless, it did not matter because I needed a new tire and they were not going to replace, although the dealer said that it should be covered under the road hazard warranty. Although the guy running the desk said that the had a hole in it and puncture inside, the mechanic who changed the tire wrote on the work order "ran flat-inside chewed up" indicating that this was not just a hole puncture but something really did happen to this tire. Contact me if you need more

- Durham, NC, USA

I noticed one of my tires has a deep tear. It looks like a piece of the rubber just tore off leaving a gash.( dot number: Tire size: 16 inches )

- Atlanta, GA, USA

Heard a loud sound that sounded like an explosion, then felt wheel losing control and about to go over the ramp, vehicle hard to control, stopped just in time, tire on the driver side exploded.

- Newark, NJ, USA

Vehicle was purchased with no knowledge of the tire recall and failures (Firestone Wilderness AT), owner is requesting that the tires be replaced with other make tires and is not satisfied with the recall procedure.

- Davie, FL, USA

Consumer has gone through the board from the lemon law to try & confirm there is a problem with the stability of the vehicle. Board disagreed with the consumer. When traveling 65-70mph, consumer stated that it was very hard to maintain control of vehicle. Serviceman from dealership test drove vehicle & found that there could be a problem, but didn't confirm it. They were refusing to give money back for the unwanted vehicle. Consumer said it was swaying & wondered when going around curves. Problem could also be related to faulty Firestone wilderness 16" tires.

- Valrico, FL, USA

SUV began to weave and could not be controlled, it was raining and intially I felt that it was hydroplaning but the rt front tire would not grab the pavement. The SUV rolled down a 25ft embankment in a densely vegetated area, felled several trees, and flipped. The driver nor passenger air bags deployed, the SUV was totalled. Due to the media coverage regarding the Firestone/Explorer tire I learned that one of the first problems experienced is that the tire will lose air. I had been experiencing this loss of air on the rt front tire for several months before the accident and had asked about it when the tires were rotated and was told by crossroad Ford, "that they found no problems". so, I then went to the salvage yard where the car was being stored to view the tire and the cracks and peeling rubber of the rt front tire was obvious.( dot number: Tire size: P235/75R15 )

- Apex, NC, USA

Traveling at relatively low speed tire failed causing a spin. Trying to control the spin caused the vehicle to roll over. Car was total destroyed and only through luck did my son and his companion avoid serious injury.( dot number: Tire size: P235/75R15 )

- Bridgewater, NJ, USA

After issue of recall alert, I checked my tires for problems, I put the recomended amount of pressure in the tires (that was reassigned to 30 psi by Firestone) and noticed half inch slits on the side walls just out side the writing on the tire, on 2 of my tires. After seeing the slits I thought that I should refill the tires up to the their normal capacity, and drove 3.5 miles to a gas station to do so. While filling the tires back up to normal capacity, I noticed that the other 2 tires were starting to shows signs of the same splitting. In a conversation with a friend who also has an Explorer that was at the same gas station, I found out that she has the recalled tires with the vd code and that her tires are doing the same as mine, but that mine do not have the vd code. I have subsequently switched vehicles with my roommate because he only has a 6 mile round trip drive to work, and I have a 70 mile round trip to work daily. I do not feel safe driving my vehicle long distances, since I live in the Florida keys and it is a warm climate. But as of yet, I can get no responses back about my tires, other than to take them to a corporate-owned Firestone dealer, but to do so would mean a drive of 110 miles one way. Which I do not feel safe doing so. I have submitted a claim to Ford via email and have called Firestone's toll free number, but to only be told that my tires are do not have the correct dot code for the recall. Meanwhile, my tires do show signs of malfunction that appear similar to tires with the "vd" dot code. Because of my situation, this has prompted me to contact your organization. I have also left a message at your toll free number, to the same affect, but decided to also email, so that I could give a more indepth summary of my situation.( dot number: W2hl1py299 tire size: P235/75R15 )

- Big Pine Key, FL, USA

I've not had a failure but it seems that the 16" tire has exhibited the same failures as the recalled 15" tire and Ford voluntarily replaced all such tires in teh middle East. It seems imperative that the NHTSA require a recall of the 16" Firestone wilderness tire as well as the 15" tire. My 16" tire, apparently, was produced at the same Decatur, Illinois problem plant.( dot number: Vdcu tire size: P255/70-16 )

- Ivins, UT, USA

Tire blew out after getting underway after a traffic light( dot number: VD3705 tire size: LT255/7516 )

- Sugar Land, TX, USA