general problems of the 1997 Ford F-150 - part 1

The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-150. The vehicle has chaparral ap tires, size lt265/75r16. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking severely. The dealer attempted to balance the tires, but was unsuccessful. The vehicle was taken to another dealer and they stated that the tires were out of round. The contact was referred to a third dealer and they loaded down the tires with wheel weight. The manufacturer referred him to another dealer and they stated that there was a serious defect with the tire. The failure mileage was 124,000. Updated 11-25-08 updated 11/26/jb.

While driving 55 mph rear passenger side tire rubber cap came off the tire. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. Firestone. Wilderness, p235/70r16.

The rear end is making a whining noise. The tires on the vehicle are starting to separate. The tires are brand new put on March 21, 2003. The tires are ameritrac general, p255/70r16. The consumer can not locate the number for the tire company. Therefore, he cannot contact them. The dealership states that he will have to pay for the diagnostic to find out what is wrong with the rear end. The consumer's mechanic states that the bearings on the rear end are bad due to bad casing; it will not align itself up with the transmission. Also, cruise control stopped working at the same time that the whining started. The mechanic states it will not ground in order to make it activate the switch. Consumer has contacted Ford, and was advised to take the vehicle in. When he called to take the vehicle in he was told he will have to pay for a service that should have been done before he purchased the vehicle. Consumer states that the vehicle has been sitting in driveway for six months, because it is unsafe to drive. When stepping on the brakes there is a mushy feeling, and the front end shakes and shimmies.

I have a Ford f150 1997 with bridgestone, dueler h/t tires, size p245/70/r16 106s, dot enmt cbf 1900 19905d689p2. My husband was traveling home from work today on the interstate at 65 mph when the right front tire unexplicably seperated without warning. Luckily my husband was not hurt. There was damaged caused to the truck's wheel well and fender.

While driving, the vehicle started to vibrate, it was discovered the tread had separated from the tire. The consumer replaced all four tires. The other three tires also contained cracks at the same placed where the tread separated.

When driving in any standing water tires slid without warning. Dealer agreed to replace all four tires.

Original equipment. Firestone wilderness. Dotw208ipt187, p23570r16 104 s. Consumer stated at highway speed the right rear tire exploded. Cause is unknown. On same day, another tire had tread separation. Weather was clear. The road was dry. Tread remaining on each tire was 7/32".

Tread began to separate - caught before tire failed.

Cooper tire failed. Tire size lt265/75r16 and dot # upw8b6u456.

While right rear tire was being repaired, mechanic noticed that inside liner was separating. Mechanic claimed this was caused by tire being too close to exhaust, heat was destroying tire.

Tire separated causing loss of control of vehicle and $2000. 00 damage.

Tire lost tread, but did not blowout. Tire tread damaged pick-up. Almost rolled over. (dot number: w2081pt017 tiresize: p235/70r16).

Driving normally in heavy traffic, the tread on my tire just popped off and caused me to veer all over roadway and into ditch. There was extensive damage to my vehicle from tread hitting undercarriage and body. Police had to assist. My tires were properly inflated and I was driving under the speed limit due to heavy traffic on interstate. The temperature was about 99 f degrees. My insurance refuses to pay for a new set of tires and I don't think I should have to pay the large deductible to get repairs made on vehicle. These are obviously defective tires and I'm terrified that they will explode again. The defective tire is still inflated just no tread is left on tire. I have kept tire for evidence and taken about 30 pictures of all the damage. I do not know who to turn to for help in this matter. (tiresize: p235/70r16).

Tire delaminated. (dot number: w208 tiresize: p235/70r16).

My tires have been wearing down for some time. I do not do very much highway driving, that might be why I didn't have a real problem with the tire. I only have 24000 miles on my truck. I was starting to think about getting new tires, they were worn down alot. Two weeks ago or so I was driving down the street and felt a bumppy ride. When I got home I check the tires and found that on the front left tire I had a torn part of the tread. I could see the steel belt and the rubber had separated. I went and got a new set of tires the following day. Then a week or more later I saw an article in the paper from your agency about the tires I had on my truck. I wish I would have had the article before the tire went bad, then I could have it documented, but I didn't. Good thing I wasn't going down the highway at 70 miles per hour when this happened. It did happen and I hope that you can get out more information about this tire. Thank you. (tiresize: p235/70r16).

General tire size, 235 60 r/16 tread came completely off. Consumer said thathe was luckly that he did not have an accidently. But, tread did damage the quarter panel on truck.

When the right front tire went flat, I was only driving about 40 miles per hour on grand river avenue in east lansing, michigan. Fortunately some other driver saw that the tire was very flat and tooted his horn and pointed at the tire. I was able to get to a gas station and put air in it. So I was not involved in an accident. (tiresize: p235/70r16)( dot number: tire size: p235/70r16 ).

General ameria, star 55 ,tire size p23570r16, dot number 84024009, tire was original equipment on listed vehicle, tire had 28 thousand miles on it. While driving vehicle was vibrating. Pulled vehicle to side of the road, and noticed right frontal tire was split right down the middle. Upon inspection, dealer found another tire was splitting.

No summary listed for above vehicle. ( dot number: vn08 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

No summary listed for above vehicle. (tiresize: 235/16)( dot number: tire size: 235/16 ).

While traveling on I-75 on October 12, 2000, I was going at a speed of 75 miles per hour when I heard a noise and felt my Ford truck pull. I immediately began to slow the vehicle when all of a sudden a much louder noice and more violent shaking gripped the vehicle. I wrestled with the steering wheel of the truck as it lerched in irratic movements. I luckily was able to move it to the far right lane and onto a shoulder. How, I am not sure since traffic was heavy and a semi was closing in on the right side. When I exited the truck and looked at the front, I saw a tire almost completely disentigrated with the outside rubber strip separated from the mangled inner portions of the tire. It had literally come apart and hung onto the rim in rubber rags.

Almost crashed on interstate at night. Dealer gave 50% off replacement. I asked for 100% . Dealer not interest in my near accident or my future safty. (tiresize: 235/70 r16)( dot number: tire size: 235/70 r16 ).

Original tires on a 1997, Ford f150, p23570r16. 3 out of the four firestone wilderness ht tires on show hairline cracks going all the way around the edge. Dot#nv081pt356.

Blow out on left rear tire in 1999, resulted in the replacement of all four tires at very low mileage. ( dot number: tire size: p235/70r16 ).

Right front and left front tire failed while driving(firestone wilderness p235/70r16 m/s dot w208). Nlm.

Tire separation and belt slippage. ( dot number: w208pt187 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

I tdried to submit this but got a message that weg site was unavailable. But on retrying got a message already submitted, but obviously not so. The tires are not on recall. I inspected them all anyway. The left fron had wire belt edges sticking through the casing. I had about 20 pricks in my hand from feeling. I could put my had under the tread and pull it away from the casing. I replaced all 4. I called, firestone, firestone-bridgesone headquarters, Ford, the Ford dealer, two firestone dealers and have not received satisfaction. One dealer said [on the phone] that the fault was Ford's because they didn't tell their customers to align the wheels often enough. The other dealer inspected the tire and said the failure was due to alignment. I asked how much would cause the problem and he replyed 1/4". I showed him the alignment data at 0. 05" out and he said that the other front, although withing spec was at the high end. ( dot number: w2081pt197 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

Tires in this failure are not on the recall list but are firestone. I was concerned so I inspected the tires. My visual inspection of all 4 tires indicated that the left front tire had wire belt edges sticking through the casing. [I put about 20 pricks in my hand feeling the inside edge] I could l put my hand under the tread and pull the it away from the tire. I replaced all four tires because of the similarity to tires on recall. After many calls to firestone, calls to firestone/bridgestone headquarters, visits to dealers, calls to Ford, I have received no satisfaction or offers to reimburse me for the failure. One firestone dealer said it was because Ford failed to instruct customers on proper alignment intervals. Another said it was an alignment problem. When I asked how much could cause the problem he said . 25 inches. I showed him the alignment I had done on replacement which was only out 0. 05 inches. He then commented that the other front tire was within but at the high end of the tolerance. ( dot number: w2081pt197 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

No summary( dot number: w2081pt366 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

I had just merged onto 287 business north, when I heard the tire rip and a subsequent blow out. I measure the tire pressure of the other 3 tires and the pressure read good. The tire depth was just over 4mm, but the store manager who put new tires on my vehicle said that the tire wear was evenly distributed. I know the tires were approaching replacement time, but I dont think the tire should have failed. ( dot number: w208irc039 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

The vehicle experienced two blowouts within 10 miles of each other, the tires were firestone wilderness p23570r16.

This is the 3rd original tire which has lost it's tread; the 1st two in febuary of this year (see previous report to NHTSA). This trip was in 108 degree temperatures traveling from austin, texas to dallas, texas. I have been very deligent to check the pressure in my tires once a week due to my travels to construction sites. My 4 year old son was traveling with me on this trip as his last summer roadtrip before school. Losing the tread this time scared me more with my son riding shotgun. These tires are still not on the replacement lists. The Ford dealer blew me off because he could do nothing because the tires are not on the recall list, and he said he could not get tires anyway. The firestone dealer was also as helpful, doing nothing. Please do something for our kids futures, like put some safe tires under their parents cars and nail firestone for their shoddy workmanship. ( dot number: w 208 ipt tire size: p235/70r16 ).

The tire has approximatly 10 inches of visable tread seperation, this was noticed when I replaced the wheels and tires with new ones. The tire in question is no where near the wear bars built into the tire. I would like to know if there is any problem with these tires because I replaced the old tires with the same brand and make of tire. Are you wondering why I replaced tires I thought were good? I ordered wheels from tirerack. Com and they had the firestone wilderness ht 235/70r 16 on sale for $60. 00 a tire with free mounting and balancing on the wheels I bought from them. The bad tires are still on the stock rims, if you want pictures, etc. Let me know. ( dot number: w2081pt136 tire size: 235/70r 16 ).

The cap of this tire peeled off while highway driving. Do not know if these were original tires or replacement. Tread on other rear tire was worn but not bad. We will keep the tire and pictures. ( dot number: w208ipt137 tire size: p235/70r16 ).

Tread is comming off tire. ( dot number: tire size: p235/70r16 ).