# 1997 FORD EXPLORER — TIRES:TREAD/BELT
> **FATAL** · NHTSA complaint `230924` · 2000-08-17 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 1
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** EXPLORER
- **Year:** 1997
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** TIRES:TREAD/BELT
## Narrative
I TOOK MY CAR FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD MY TIRES DIDN'T QUALIFY. I POINTED OUT TO THE FIRESTONE MANAGER MY LEFT REAR TIRE. THE TREAD IS SEPARATING AND THERE ARE CRACKS AROUND THE TIRE AND THE OTHERS. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD COVER MY TIRES UNDER THE RECALL. I AM 400TH IN LINE. I HAVE HAD TO SWITCH LABOR DAY TRAVEL PLANS TO TRAIN TRAVEL. I DO NOT HAVE THE WHOLE DOT CODE FOR MY TIRES BUT IT DID INCLUDE W2. I WANTED TO NOTIFY YOU OF THIS FAILURE AS IT IS A DIFFERENT DOT# THEN THE CURRENT RECALLED TIRES.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*