1997 Ford F-150 Tires & wheels Problems

DRIVING AT 40 MPH IN 1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY. HEARD NOISE TOWARDS REAR OF VEHICLE. NO COLLISION SPARE TIRE EXITED BOTTOM OF BED . BOUNCED ON ROADWAY ACROSS TRAFFIC ON OTHER SIDE OF 4 LANE ON COMING TRAFFIC BEHIND THEN AND IN FRONT OF VEHICLES. SOMEHOW NO ONE COLLIDED WITH THE ROLLING SPARE TIRE AS IT EXITED THE ROADWAY TO THE SHOULD OF ROADWAY. TIRE NOW IN BED OF TRUCK NOT UNDERNEATH UNTIL I CAN REPAIR DUE TO BROKEN CABLE THAT SUPPORTED TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326073

Incident

Apr 14, 2010

Mileage

168,112 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD KICK IN AND OUT OF 4-WHEEL DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THEY REPLACED UNKNOWN MODULES IN THE TRANSMISSION AT THE COST OF $607. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED A NEW DASHBOARD SWITCH AT NO COST DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN THERE FOUR TIMES WITH THE EXACT SAME FAILURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 53,000. UPDATED 04-24-09 *BF UPDATED 04/27/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10264232

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

53,000 mi

TL*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 *BF UPDATED 11/26/08*JB

NHTSA ID

10247841

Incident

Oct 10, 2008

Mileage

124,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN LTXM/S TIRES, SIZE P235/70/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT ON THE VALVE STEMS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, BOTH PASSENGER SIDE TIRES DEFLATED. THE CONTACT REDUCED THE SPEED AND PROCEEDED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO BOTH VALVE STEMS. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE VALVE STEMS ON THE TIRES. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED WITH THE VALVE STEM DEFECT. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,400 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ID

10233833

Incident

Jul 10, 2008

Mileage

76,400 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER MESA A/P TIRES, SIZE P225/70/R16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SHE SAFELY MANEUVERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR SIDEWALL WAS SHREDDED. THE INTERIOR AND TREAD ON THE TIRE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. PRIOR TO OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. THE DEALER FROM WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED STATED THAT THEY WERE SAFE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 158,000.

NHTSA ID

10225638

Incident

Apr 22, 2008

Mileage

158,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BOUNCED OFF THE GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE SECONDS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CABLE TO THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER WAS CORRODED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER WAS REPLACED. THERE WERE NO DAMAGES. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,000.

NHTSA ID

10220115

Incident

May 1, 2006

Mileage

156,000 mi

A COOPER DOMINATOR SPORT A/T TIRE OF THE TYPE THAT IS CURRENTLY THE SUBJECT OF EA 06 -021 EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE MOUNTED ON THE REAR AXLE OF A FORD F150. THE TREAD SEPARATION LED TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE ROLLOVER THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF ONE MAN AND INCAPACITATING BRAIN INJURIES TO ANOTHER. THE TIRE HAD 7/32 OF TREAD AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE TIRE WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF ABUSE OR MISUSE. THE TIRE THAT FAILED WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2004 AT COOPER'S FINDLAY, OHIO PLANT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10189172

Incident

Aug 9, 2006

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER DETACHED FROM THE END OF THE SPARE TIRE RETAINER. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH ,AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HIT ANY BUMPS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000.*AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE RETAINER WAS AT THE END OF THE CABLE ASSEMBLY USED TO LOWER AND RAISE THE SPARE TIRE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE TIRE BOUNCED 6FT IN THE AIR AND ALMOST HIT THE CARD BEHIND HIM. UPDATE 05/04/07*TR

NHTSA ID

10188183

Incident

Apr 5, 2007

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL* - WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE STARTED WOBBLING. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS CLEAR AND SUNNY. THE TIRE DISENGAGED, AND THE CONTACT CAME TO A STOP. THE TIRE WAS NEW, AND ONLY BEEN DRIVEN 15 MILES. THE TIRE ALWAYS TEARS BETWEEN THE BEAD AND SIDEWALL. *AK UPDATED 04/05/07

NHTSA ID

10177112

Incident

Dec 19, 2006

Mileage

15 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY, HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF TRUCK AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BLOWOUT. AS I CHANGED LANE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE PIECES OF TIRE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE PULLED OVER, I GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE, AT FIRST EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK UNTIL I LOOKED AT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, SAW THAT THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED, BUT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, THE SIDEWALLS WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION, BUT THE TREAD HAD JUST PEALED AWAY FROM THE CENTER. *MM

NHTSA ID

10169635

Incident

Sep 26, 2006

DT: 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.*AK

NHTSA ID

10128736

Incident

Sep 25, 2003

Mileage

31,000 mi

FIRESTONE TIRE - 235/70 R16 WILDERNESS HT DOTW208IPT186. WHILE DRIVING, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRE ONLY HAD 24000 MILES ON IT. *JB THE TIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL, FRAME BRACE AND MUFFLER BRACKET. *NM

NHTSA ID

10083530

Incident

Jul 16, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION. GENERAL, GRABBER ST, P235/70R16. THERE WAS APPROXIMATED 50,415 MILES ON THE TIRE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10080164

Incident

Jun 29, 2004

Mileage

50,415 mi

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. *AK

NHTSA ID

10064721

Incident

Mar 13, 2004

Mileage

75,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THREE KELLY SAFARI TIRES,235-70-16,SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL,THESE THREE TIRES HAVE SPLIT IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10060744

Incident

May 14, 2003

Mileage

101,700 mi

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10055954

Incident

Jan 17, 2004

Mileage

64,000 mi

FIRESTONE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. MODEL "WILDERNESS", SIZE 23570R16, DOT-W2081PT176, TIRE MILEAGE 8,308 ON 11-07-03. CIRCUMSTANCES: WHILE ENTERING THE TOWN OF CLINTON, LA. AT 45MPH, HEARD LOUD SHARP THUD AND MY 1997 FORD, F150, IMMEDIATELY VEERED ACCROSS THE DIVIDED CENTER LANE TOWARD AN ON COMING LOGGING TRUCK. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED TO MY RIGHT AND STOPPED IN THE FRONT YARD OF HOUSE #12780. UPON EXITING VEHICLE DETERMINED THE SUBJECT LEFT REAR TIRE TRED HAD SEPERATED (ALTHOUGHT STILL ATTACHED TO TIRE) DAMAGED THE FENDER AND SCRATCHED THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE EXTENDING TO THE GAS CAP. THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN AUGUST 03. DURING A CONVERSATION WITH A FIRESTONE REP. MY TIRE DEALER WAS ADVISED THAT THIS PARTICULAR TIRE WAS MANUFACTURED DURING THE 17TH WEEK OF 1996 AND I SHOULD REPLACE MY TIRES (TAYLOR'S AUTO REPAIR, FRANKLINTON, LA.) THE TIRE WAS SENT TO FIRESTONE WITH TWO EXTIMATES OF DAMAGE. FIRESTONE'S RESPONCE WAS THERE WAS NO MATERIAL DEFECT AND THE SEPERATION WAS A RESULT OF LOW TIRE PRESSURE THEREFOR THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN MY CLAIM, OR RESPONSIBILITY. THE SUBJECT"NEW TIRE "WAS MADE BEFORE MY VEHICLE CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLEY LINE. THE TIRE IS CURRENTLY STILL AT FIRESTONE AWAITING ANY DIRECTION FROM FOR RETURN (21 DAYS FROM THEIR LETTER OF 11-20-03) I HAVE ALSO TAKEN PHOTO"S OF THE SUBJECT TIRE & DAMAGE. IS THIS AGENCY INTERESTED IN VIEWING THE TIRE? IF SO, PLEASE ADVISE MAILING ASAP. THANKYOU, RIJ. *AK

NHTSA ID

10049397

Incident

Nov 11, 2003

Mileage

103,303 mi

WHILE ON A TRIP TRAVELING THROUGH TENNESSEE ON A STEEP MOUNTAIN PASS IN HEAVY RAIN LATE AT NIGH THE REAR TIRE ON DRIVER'S SIDE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO KEEP VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL WHILE CROSSING THREE LANES OF HEAVY TRACTOR TRAILER TRAFFIC. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE TIRE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INNER CASING SEPARATED FROM THE OUTER CASING. THERE WAS STILL PLENTY OF TREAD ON THE TIRE WHICH DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE BLOW OUT IN ANY WAY. TWO TENNESSEE STATE POLICE OFFICERS AGREED THAT CASING SEPARATION APPEARED TO BE THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10049233

Incident

Dec 3, 2003

Mileage

180,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING IN ANY STANDING WATER TIRES SLID WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER AGREED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10044452

Incident

Jun 12, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi

GENERAL AMERI 550 AS TIRE BLEW OUT 18 AUG ON 1997 FORD F-150 REAR PASSENGER SIDE ON OPEN ROAD AT ROUGHLY 22,500 MILE. SECOND TIRE BLEW OUT YESTERDAY, 19 SEPT., ON OPEN ROAD AT ROUGHLY 23,820 MILES ON SAME TRUCK AND SAME REAR PASSENGER LOCATION. THIRD TIRE USED AS REPLACEMENT FOR BLOWN TIRE FOUND TO HAVE BULGE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AFTER 2D BLOWOUT. AGAIN, SAME WHEEL LOCATION ON SAME TRUCK. TIRES ARE ALL GENERAL TIRE AMERI 550 AS AND ORIGINAL TIRES ON TRUCK. TRUCK NOW HAS 23,921 TOTAL MILES. TRUCK HAD NO LOAD WHEN TIRES BLEW. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043216

Incident

Oct 19, 2003

Mileage

23,820 mi

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. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10031637

Incident

Jul 25, 2003

Mileage

29,153 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038181

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.*AK

NHTSA ID

10036870

Incident

Aug 29, 2003

Mileage

74,545 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING PASSENGER REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, P25570R16. *AK

NHTSA ID

10033730

Incident

Aug 12, 2003

MY PASSENGER REAR TIRE BLEW OUT NEARLY TIPPING MY TRUCK OVER. I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND PULL TO THE SIDE WHILE THE CARS BEHIND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT TRYING TO AVOID HITTING DEBREE FROM THE TIRE. I NOTICED THAT MY TIRE HAD NOT BLOWN BUT THE ENTIRE TREAD WAS MISSING. THE TIRES ON MY TRUCK ARE THE WILDRENESS AT P255/70R16 DOTW2CO 1PX 158. IN MY OPINION ALL THESE TIRES BLOW OUT THE SAME WAY AND SHOULD ALL BE RECALLED! *AK

NHTSA ID

10032661

Incident

Aug 12, 2003

Mileage

167,850 mi