# 1996 FORD EXPLORER — TIRES:TREAD/BELT
> NHTSA complaint `228917` · 2000-08-10 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** EXPLORER
- **Year:** 1996
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** TIRES:TREAD/BELT
- **Speed:** 70 mph
## Narrative
ENGINEERS REPORT BY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE WAS MANUFACTURED DEFECTIVELY IN THAT THE TREAD WAS NOT PROPERLY BONDED TO THE BELTS, WHICH ALLOWED THE TREAD TO BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE BELTS, ALTERING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE TIRE.  THIS SEPARATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FLIP FIVE TIMES, TOTALING THE VEHICLE AND INJURING THE DRIVER.  THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN TEXAS, IN HOT WEATHER AND ON A HIGHWAY.  THE FAULTY TIRE WAS ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD.  *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL1PM126 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*