Firestone Tires Had A Heavy Load

Firestone Tires
A Heavy Load

The Firestone Recall
• Capsule Summary
• Firestone Probe
• ATX Recall
• Dingell Wants Other Firestone Tires Examined
• Rollover Fears Led to Lower Inflation Recommendations
• Firestone Tires Had A Heavy Load
---
• Other Firestone Tire Problems
• Firestone Service Centers

August 22, 2000
The weight of the Ford Explorer, combined with the low inflation pressures recommended by Ford, could have been a factor in the premature failures of the Firestone ATX and Wilderness tires.

The Explorer's maximum recommended payload is 750 to 1,310 pounds, depending on the model. That's not hard to exceed with a few passengers and a modest load of luggage or other cargo. Rival SUVs have similar payloads but typically use either larger tires or recommend higher inflation pressures -- or both.

The Chevy Blazer uses the same size tires but recommends inflating them to 35 pounds per square inch (PSI), which markedly increases the tire's ability to withstand the stress of high-speed travel.

The Honda Passport and Nissan Pathfinder recommend the same inflation pressure as Ford but use larger tires on 16-inch diameter wheels, increasing the tires' capacity.

The Explorer is at least as heavy as its rivals and has been heavier in some model years, including 1996, the model year reportedly involved in most of the fatal accidents.

The Ford Explorer weighs 4,000 to 4,500 pounds while the Chevy Blazer weighs 4,000. At the inflation pressures now recommended, four tires on the Explorer can support 7,012 pounds while the same tires on the Blazer inflated to 35 psi can support 7,525.

Ford is changing to bigger tires with higher recommended inflation pressures in its forthcoming Explorer models, which will boost the cargo payload to 1,100 to 1,500 pounds, depending on model.

When Ford designed the Explorer, it did so thinking that four-wheel-drive -- which adds more than 200 pounds to the weight of the vehicle -- would not be a popular option. They were surprised when most buyers ordered four-wheel-drive, even those who live in regions without extreme weather. The extra weight puts the vehicle and its tires significantly closer to the edge in terms of performance and safety.

Ford, however, counters by noting that the tread separation problem seems much more prevalent in the Firestone tires than in other brands. For example, Goodyear tires were installed on about half of the Explorers in several model years -- and there has been only one reported incident of tread separation involving a Goodyear tire, The New York Times reported.

May 17 2008

READER SERVICES

Print, Email & More

Free consumer newsletters
Sign up now!

Small Claims Guide \| Class Actions \| Lemon Law \| FAQ \| Resources \| Newsletters \| Spanish
Automotive Education Electronics Family Finance Health Homeowners Shopping Travel