1991 FORD EXPLORER — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 28TH, 1999 IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA. THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED MY VEHICLE HITTING A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME (I WAS TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 35-45 MPH AND REACHED AN INTERSECTION WHERE TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED FOR THE LIGHT. I HIT THE BRAKES AND THOUGHT I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT I ENDED UP REAR-ENDING A TRUCK (AT THE POINT OF IMPACT THE CAR WAS PROBABLY TRAVELLING 5-10 MPH)). ANYHOW WHEN I RECEIVED MY CAR FROM THE REPAIR SHOP IT RODE EXTREMELY ROUGHLY. AFTER TAKING IT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY TREAD HAD 'SEPARATED' AND TOLD ME THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO BUY NEW TIRES. THIS IS ALL VERY CIRCUMSTANCIAL EVIDENCE (I REALIZE), BUT AFTER READING ABOUT OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS REGARDING THE SAME EQUIPMENT, I FELT COMPELLED TO REPORT THIS ACCIDENT AS WELL IN CASE THE TIRE TOO WERE RESPONSIBLE. THE FAULTY TIRES (2 OF 4) HAVE SINCE BEEN DISCARDED. I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING WHETHER THE TIRE SEPARATION COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT AS I KNOW THINK IT MAY HAVE (THE TIRE'S TREAD WAS NOT SEPARATED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND THE OTHER TIRES WHICH HAD BEEN PURCHASED AT THE SAME TIME ARE STILL ROADWORTHY). *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )