# 2001 FORD F-350 — TIRES:TREAD/BELT
> NHTSA complaint `499062` · 2004-09-13 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 3
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** F-350
- **Year:** 2001
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** TIRES:TREAD/BELT
- **Speed:** 35 mph
## Narrative
TWO FIRESTONE STEELTEX TREAD SEPARATION ON THE SAME VEHICLE.  *NM  THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, HE HEARD A VERY SUBTLE, UNUSUAL SOUND WHAT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, BUT BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD CLARIFY WHAT THE SOUND WAS, IT SEEMED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD EXPLODED, ALL BUT A FOOT OF THE TREAD SEPARATED WHICH CAUSED THE TREAD TO LOUDLY BANG INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL.  DURING THIS INCIDENT THE BRAKE LINE LIKELY BROKE AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN.  CONSEQUENTLY THE VEHICLE HIT A RAIL AND ALL THREE OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A BUBBLE.  *JB
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*