2001 Ford Taurus Tires & Wheels Problems

RIM (WHEEL) RIPPED APART WITH THE LUG NUTS AND CENTER OF RIM STILL ATTACHED TO CAR / ROTOR: MY SON WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. BEFORE HE COULD STEP ON THE BRAKE THE TIRE AND MOST OF THE RIM WAS DETACHED FROM THE CAR CAUSING EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. FROM THE CENTER LANE, THE CAR WENT SKIDDING OUT OF CONTROL TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BARELY MISSING A LARGE POLE AND EVENTUALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE MECHANIC ON THE SCENE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN HIS LONG CAREER OF MECHANICS. HE TOLD MY SON THAT HE WAS VERY LUCKY HE WAS ON EVEN PAVEMENT BECAUSE THE CAR COULD HAVE EASILY FLIPPED CAUSING MAJOR INJURY AND PROBABLY DEATH. HOOD OR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WON'T OPEN. BRAKES ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL. FRAME, ROTOR AND LOWER SUSPENSION ARE DAMAGED. IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE COST TO REPAIR WILL BE MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH (TOTAL LOSS). I FOUND THAT ANOTHER INCIDENT JUST LIKE THIS WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA ON JULY 27, 2001, VIN-[XXX], SO THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE TIME OCCURRENCE. I FELT COMPELLED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I FEEL THAT MANY MORE ARE AT RISK AND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS WHO DIDN'T KNOW TO REPORT IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE VEHICLE HAD COOPER TIRES, LINE DEAN ALPHA, DOT 3DX8DK30707, SIZE P215-60-R16. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN ABNORMALLY VIBRATING FOLLOWED BY A LOUD, UNUSUAL NOISE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE REAR TIRES. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE STEEL BELTS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE REAR TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRES WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS GOODYEAR ASSURANCE COMFORT P195/60/R15 TIRES. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION JUST AFTER 40,000 MILES. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE SAME TIRE FOR A 2001 FORD TAURUS AND A 2001 FORD FOCUS. BOTH THE VEHICLE DEALER AND TIRE STORE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS TREAD SEPARATION BUT THE TIRE MANUFACTURER DISAGREED. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AT 35,000 MILES AND FAILED 5,000 MILES LATER. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,000. THE CONSUMER STATED ONE OF THE TIRES THAT HAD JUST BEEN INSPECTED, WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. UPDATED 08/23/10 UPDATED 08/19/10*BF UPDATED 09/09/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/14/10

SEARS AND THEIR DEFECTIVE CHINESE TIRES. ON JULY 26, 2007, WE PURCHASED FOUR NEW SUMITOMO HTR H4 P215/60HH16 TIRES FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD SONS 2001 TAURUS FROM SEARS IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. ON AUGUST 12, 2007 HE DROVE APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE TO GO TO A PARK WITH SOME OF HIS FRIENDS. SHORTLY AFTER PULLING INTO THE PARK, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE FLAT TIRE, REPLACING IT WITH THE DONUT IN HIS TRUNK. I HAD NEVER SEEN A NEW TIRE WITH LESS THEN 300 MILES ON IT IN THIS CONDITION. THE FLAT TIRE HAD SPLIT OPEN ALONG THE SIDEWALL. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRE OTHER THEN THIS SPLIT. IT WASN'T SCUFFED LIKE HE HAD HIT A CURB AND THERE WERE NO NAILS OR PUNCTURE HOLES IN THE TIRES. TO ME, IT JUST LOOKED TO BE ANOTHER DEFECTIVE CHINESE TIRE. I HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE TIME WITH THE EMPLOYEES AT SEARS. THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE AND WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF WORKING TOWARDS A RESOLUTION, THEY DID FINALLY AGREE THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND PLACED A NEW TIRE ON THE RIM. HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO PLACE THE WHEEL BACK ON THE CAR AND TOLD MY SON HE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT HIMSELF. I EXPECT WE WILL END UP IN COURT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARDS. THE TIRE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRE WAS A CONTINENTAL, TOURING CONTACT AS P215/60R16, DOT NUMBER UPTR4561205. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - *NM

2001 FORD TAURUS' LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. *KB THE DRIVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAVELED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY STRIKING A GUARDRAIL. THE ENTIRE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SCRAPED. THE TIRE WERE PURCHASED TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY TO RIGHT SHOULDER. *NM

CONTINENTAL TIRE-P215/60R16 94T, TOURING CONTACT AS. I LOOKED FOR A DOT # BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT SAID DOT. DID FIND DK67838 34255 ON THE INNER EDGE. THIS TIRE HAS LARGE KNOTS AND IS SPLITTING AND SEPARATING IN ONLY ONE PART OF THE TIME. THE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIP. ON A 2001 FORD TAURUS. ONE HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT STILL HAS THREE ORIGINAL ONES WITH VERY GOOD TREAD. THE CAR HAS ONLY ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. THE OTHER TWO TIRES HAVE NO PROBLEMS SO FAR. WE HAD NOTICE A SEVERE BUMPING ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHERE THE TIRE IS, BUT I SUPPOSE THE CAR HASN'T STOPPED IN THE RIGHT POSITION FOR US TO SEE IT UNTIL NOW. WE FOUND OTHER CONTINENTAL TIRES ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AND WERE INSTALLED THE SAME YEAR. WE WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT SINCE WE ARE AFRAID THAT IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF WE CONTINUE DRIVING IT.*JB

THERE WERE TIRE CRACKS 3-5 INCHES LONG AND THEY LEAKED AIR. *SC THEY MANUFACTURER GAVE THE CONSUMER 88.00 WHICH ONLY COVERED THE COST OF ONE TIRE. (THE CONSUMERS SON IN LAW WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF THE CONSUMER LAWRENCE MARINELLI) *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TIRES HAD STRESS MARKS AND TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE SIDEWALLS. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. CONTINENTAL, P215/60R16. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED/STARTED UP REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED UP. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED REAR RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, INFINITY, SIZE #P215/60R16, DOT#UNKNOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE HEARD CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND SOON DISCOVERED THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONSULTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM.*AK *LA *JB

TREAD SEPARATION ON THE TIRE, THE DEALER REPLACED ONE IN FRONT AND WE HAD TO SPEND OUR FUNDS TO REPLACE THE OTHER. TIRE IS P215-60-R16 94T M+S. INFINITY TOURING T3. ONE IN BACK WILL NEED REPLACE SINCE THE TREAD IS SEPERATING. THE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE THE MILAGE ON OUR TAURAS IN 31,000 THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT AND REAR PASSENGERS SIDE TIRES WERE SEPARATING. DEALER NOTIFIED. TIRE SIZE P215/60R16. *AK

LEFT FRONT TIRE, ON FIRESTONE AFFINITY 206016, BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. IF I WAS DRIVING AT A FASTER SPEED WOULD HAVE CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE, AND HALF OF THE TIRE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD. IT APPEARS THAT THE RIM WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. *TT

ONE OF MY OEM TIRES (FIRESTONE AFFINITY) SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO ROAD HAZARD DAMAGE SUCH AS NAILS OR SCREWS INVOLVED. THE TIRE'S OUTSIDE SIDEWALL FAILED RESULTING IN A SPLIT LARGE ENOUGH THAT A CREDIT CARD COULD SLIDE THROUGH IT. THE OEM TIRES HAD LESS THAN 18,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE PRESSURE HAD BEEN CHECKED DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE VISIT ON ALL OF THE TIRES ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THIS. AFTER TAKING THE TIRE TO A CORPORATE FIRESTONE STORE, THEY BLAMED THE FAILURE AS "IMPACT DAMAGE". BASICALLY THEY SAID IT WAS MY FAULT FOR HITTING SOMETHING AND NOT DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE. IF I HAD ACTUALLY HIT SOMETHING, THEN I COULD ACCEPT THE PROBLEM. BUT SINCE I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING WHEN THE TIRE FAILED, I AM NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER OEM FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRES ON MY 2001 FORD TAURUS. THERE WERE FOUR PASSENGERS IN MY CAR AT THE TIME THIS TIRE FAILED AND ALL WOULD REITTERATE THE FACT THAT NOTHING IN THE ROADWAY WAS STRUCK TO CAUSE THE SIDEWALL FAILURE. I WAS ONLY TRAVELING LESS THAN 20 MPH WHEN THE TIRE FAILED AS I APPROACED A STOP LIGHT.

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER MADE A RIGHT TURN AND STRUCK 2 VEHICLES. UPON INSPECTION CONSUMER NOTICED THE RIM HAD SPLIT WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. RIGHT FRONT RIM AND TIRE WERE AFFECTED.*JB

CONSUMER STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE FRONT RIM SPLIT, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT. CONSUMER COLLIDED WITH 2 VEHICLES.*JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRES SUDDENLY EXPLODED AND HAD GONE FLAT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HIT A CURB, STONE, OR ANY SHARP OBJECTS, AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE ITSELF THAT CAUSED THE INTERNAL DAMAGE WHETHER OVER A PERIOD OF TIME OR RAPIDLY. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF SUCH INCIDENTS WITH CONTINENTAL TIRES, AND WOULD LIKE FOR CONTINENTAL TIRES TO REPLACE THE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND, DUE TO THEIR LACK OF RELIABILITY AND CONCERN OVER HIS FAMILY'S SAFETY. (CONTINENTAL TOURING CONTACT AS TIRES-UNDER WARRANTEE TIRE/FILE#01265) *SCC