NHTSA complaint: 1992 FORD EXPLORER — TIRES
IN JUNE OF 1999 I WAS TRAVELING DOWN I15 WHEN I HEARD MY EXPLORER MAKING FUNNY THUMPING NOISES. I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND PARKED MY CAR. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS SO I LET THE CAR SIT FOR A WHILE IN CASE IT WAS SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE, I ALSO GOT OUT AND LOOKED AT THE TIRES. THIS SAME NOISE HAD HAPPENED TO US LESS THAN A YEAR AGO WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN AUG. OF 1998 WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE. I DID NOT SEE ANY BULGE ON ANY OF THE TIRES SO I DECIDED TO PROCEED DOWN THE ROAD AND IF THE NOISE PERSISTED I WAS GOING TO PULL OFF AGAIN AND CALL MY FATHER TO COME AND GET ME. I WAS NOT ON THE ROAD FOR A MILE WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW AND I "FISH-TAILED" FOR A WHILE UNTILL THE TIRE WRAPPED AROUND THE AXEL WHICH TOOK ME INTO THE MEDIAN WHERE I ROLLED TWICE. THE POLICE DID COME TO THE SITE AND I WAS NOT CITED FOR THE INCIDENT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY TO AVOID THE INCIDENT. WE NOTIFIED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SENT OUT WHAT THEY CALLED A "TIRE EXPERT". THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOLD US THAT THIS TIRE EXPERT INFORMED THEM THAT THERE WAS NO REASON THE TIRE SHOULD HAVE BLOWN. THIS CAR WAS TOTALED BEYOND REPAIR, SO WE HAD TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR OVER A YEAR. LUCKILY WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CAR WHICH WE USE TO GET TO AND FROM WORK. WE ALSO DO HAVE PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. I UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT HAVE THE VIN # ON ME BUT PROBABLY COULD FIND IT IF I NEED IT. PLEASE KEEP ME INFORMED OF
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation