U-Haul Unhitches Ford Explorer

January 7, 2004

Explorer Rollovers • Ford Class Action Settlement Leaves Consumers in the Dust • Firestone Tires Investigated • Firestone Recalls ATX Tires • Dingell Wants Other Firestone Tires Examined • Rollover Fears Led to Lower Ford Inflation Recommendations • Firestone Tires Had A Heavy Load • Study Finds Ford Explorer More Likely to Roll Over Regardless of Tire • U-Haul Unhitches Explorer

U-Haul has told its 17,000 outlets to stop renting trailers to customers driving Ford Explorers. The company said it can no longer afford to defend itself against product liability lawsuits involving the popular SUV.

Ford and Firestone blamed each other a few years ago for a spate of rollover accidents that killed more than 100 people.

"U-Haul has chosen not to rent behind this tow vehicle based on our history of excessive costs in defending lawsuits involving Ford Explorer towing combinations," the company told the Detroit News but said the action is "not related to safety issues."

A Ford spokesman said the action demonstrates the dangers of "runaway litigaiton."

Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone have settled numerous individual wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits. Bridgestone/Firestone is now trying to settle 30 class-action suits for a reported $149 million.

Federal regulators have said they could not find a defect in the Explorer. Many, though not all, of the Explorers involved in rollover accidents were equipped with Firestone tires.

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