May 28, 2001
Ford and Firestone "went from shouting to shooting," as one Congressional aide put it, over the last week, severing a business relationship that has endured for nearly 100 years and heatedly blaming each other for what appears to be a continuing toll of tire failures and rollovers.
Early in the week, Bridgestone/Firestone announced it would no longer sell tires to Ford, adopting what might be described as the "You can't fire me, I quit" approach. Sure enough, the next day Ford announced it was eliminating Firestone tires from most models and Ford offers to replace all Wilderness AT tires on Ford, Mercury and Mazda vehiclesall 13 million Wilderness AT tires on Ford vehicles.
- Ford offers to replace all Wilderness AT tires on Ford, Mercury and Mazda vehicles
- Complaints About Firestone Tires
Last year, Ford recalled 6.5 million Firestone tires that had been linked to rollover accidents involving the Ford Explorer and other vehicles. At least 174 people are known to have died and more than 700 have been injured.
But Ford's dramatic action was followed by a report from Venezuela saying that consumer protection officials there were considering recommending a ban on the Explorer, blaming design problems with the vehicle for a string of accidents. Officials said there have been 25 deaths in Explorer rollovers since May 2000, when Ford replaced Firestone AT tires on all Explorers in Venezuela.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is investigating but says it doesn't expect to reach a conclusion until August. In Congress, Rep. W.J. "Billy" Tauzin (R-La.) says the House Commerce Committee, which he chairs, will hold hearings on the dispute next month.
What can consumers do?
Safety experts recommend that anyone driving an SUV, van or other light truck do the following:
- Buy the best quality tires you can afford. If you live in a hot climate or frequently drive long distances, consider going up one or two speed ratings. This will provide a higher margin of safety.
- Check tire pressures frequently to ensure tires are adequately inflated. Buy a pressure gauge and check tires before leaving home in the morning. Tires must be checked when they are cold. Driving even a mile can artifically inflate pressure readings.
- Drive within posted speed limits and take frequent breaks. Trucks, even light ones, put more stress on tires than most cars. Heat builds up more quickly at higher speeds and heat is the biggest factor in catastrophic tire failures.
- Remember that trucks have a higher center of gravity than cars and are more prone to rollover. Slower speeds and more caution in turns are essential.
