Ford Motor Co. approved replacement tires for its Explorer sport-utility vehicle that made the SUV just as likely to roll over as the original tires Ford already blamed for more than 200 deaths, according to the Detroit News.
Test results of the replacement tires were introduced as evidence last month in an Explorer trial in Mississippi and may support hundreds of pending lawsuits claiming the vehicle is unstable and could flip over during evasive driving.
Ford has lost six Explorer rollover cases totaling $151 million in jury verdicts in the past 12 months. Ford has repeatedly blamed the original Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. tires for the accidents.
Computer simulations used to test substitutes show that the Explorer tipped up on two wheels. Ford considers tipping to be an indicator of rollover risk. The tipping occurred on tires made by Goodyear, Uniroyal, Continental and other manufacturers according to the court records.
Ford spokeswoman Karen Shaughnessy told the Detroit News, "Ford performed extensive testing and analysis before approving any replacement tires. No single factor determined whether a specific tire was approved as a replacement tire."
