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1998 FORD EXPLORER — TIRES:TREAD/BELT

crash · 227599 · 2000-08-08

Vehicle

Make
FORD
Model
EXPLORER
Year
1998
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Component
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Speed
70 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHEN TOWING TRALIER WITH THIS TIRE/VEHICLE COMBINATION AT SPEEDS OVER 65 (IN A 70 MPH ZONE) MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO FISHTAIL. THE TRAILER AND ITS LOAD ONLY WEIGHED 1,400-1,500 POUNDS ON EACH OCCASION WITH CORRECT BALANCE. THE LAST TIME THIS VEHICLE TOWED A TRAILER WITH THESE TIRES THE TRAILER WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLABLE FISHTAIL. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE ENDING IN THE MEDIAN WITH THE TRAILER BREAKING LOOSE. AFTER PURCHASING NEW DUNLOP TIRES AND A NEW TRAILER THE VEHICLE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH FISHTAILING. ON A FEW OCCASIONS I TOWED AN 18 FOOT BOAT AT LOWER SPEEDS AND REALIZED VERY QUICKLY THAT THERE WAS NO WAY IT COULD PULL ITS RATED LIMIT OF 5,500 POUNDS (THAT BOAT COMBINATION WAS 2,200 POUNDS). I THINKS THE NHTSA SHOULS TEST THIS TIRE UNDER TOWING CONDITIONS AS WELL. THESE TIRES NEVER PEELED, BUT THEY WERE NOT GIVEN A CHANCE AS THEY WERE REPLACED AT 10,000 MILES. I HAVE TOWED ENOUGH IN MY DAY TO REALIZE WHAT IS USER ERROR OR EQUIPMENT FAILURE. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE TO TOW WITH AT LEAST NOT ON AN EXPLORER. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 2357515 )

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
727102
Machine
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