2000 Ford Explorer Wheel & Tire Problems

Which parts fail

• Tread/belt
  70
• Sidewall
  10
• Rim
  6
• Temporary/emergency spare tire
  3
• Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
  1
• Hubcap/cover
  1

Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  111%
• 25k–50k
  111%
• 50k–75k
  333%
• 75k–100k
  111%
• 100k–150k
  222%
• 150k+
  111%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Tl* the contact owned a 2000 for Explorer equipped with definity dakota a/t tires, size: p235/75 r15 a/t (na). While driving 70 MPH, the rear driver tire began to shred. The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed. A police report was filed. No visible injuries were sustained; however, a passenger in the vehicle required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where the insurance company stated that the vehicle was destroyed. Prior to the crash, the rear passenger tire experienced the same failure. The approximate tire failure mileage was 89,346 and the vehicle failure mileage was 89,870. The dot number was not available.

I was driving slightly uphill in stop and go traffic, off exit 16 on the palisades parkway, due to a controlled stop set up by police to check inspection and registration. I saw smoke around my vehicle, so I looked at my instrument panel to see if my car was overheating. My instrument panel indicated nothing was wrong. When I looked up, an officer was motioning for me to pull over saying my car was on fire. I quickly pulled over, turned off the car, got in the back seat to get my 1 year old daughter out of her car seat, and exited the vehicle. My wife quickly got out of the passenger seat and exited the vehicle. We were told to get far away. Two police officers tried to put out the fire with extinguishers, but were unable to get the hood open. We were out of the car no more than 5 minutes when it was entirely engulfed in flames. …

Dt: 2000, Ford Explorer xls, left rear wheel broke while driving down the interstate. The wheel passed the consumer as the vehicle was swerving to the left. Consumer took out 4 or 5 cable barriers, and then bounced back out to the interstate, then the vehicle spun around and hit more cable barriers, then, hit one head one and that stopped the vehicle. There was no problem with the vehicle before this. The left rear wheel (factory alloy wheel) came apart as consumer was driving at 65 MPH on cruise control. The center of the factory alloy wheel was still bolted with all 5 lug nuts. Vehicle was totaled .

Dt: contact states while driving vehicle on the interstate at 60 MPH the tread separated from the tire. This, in turn, caused the vehicle to lose control. The vehicle bounced back and forth, sending the occupants from side to side, up and down, almost causing the vehicle to over turn. When the vehicle stopped it hit the pavement , causing extensive damage to the vehicle. There was no vibration in the vehicle or the tires prior to this incident. The tire was located on the back driver's side. Injuries were sustained. No police report taken.

I currently drive a 2000 Ford Explorer 6 cyl. 2 wheel drive w/ Goodyear wrangler rt/s tires. I was recently notified by midas of orland park after having my front brakes replaced that the front passenger tire has a belt that has shifted. My tires were replaced due to the recall of the Firestone tires. At that time I had roughly 16,000 miles on the SUV. At the present time I have just under 40,000 miles on the SUV. I did not notice that the tire was bad mainly due to the fact that the Ford Explorer is a very rough ride. I do not go off roading with this vehicle nor do intentially hit large bumps or pot holes at a rapid speed. I am not only disappointed with the performance of the vehicle but also with the performance of the tires. Since the Explorer rides rough (a side to side wobbling motion) I can see were many accidents occured. …

We purchased a 2000 Ford Explorer in feb of 2000, we had an accident where the vehicle slid of of the road and then rolled. We were driving under the posted spped limit and no other cars were involved. It was raining and wet and we hydroplaned of the road. Unfortunately I only have minimal information on the vehical because it was totaled soon after it was purchased. The information that I have provided is from the accident report and memory as all paper-work etc.. Was still in the car and subsequenly lost in the accident. I have been trying to find out if the car was equiped with the Firestone tires that are being recalled - as that May have attributed to the serverity of the accident. I know that when I went back to sign the Explorer over to the insurance company the tires were serverly damaged. …

All three tires, at 26 psi, dismounted in a side collision, causing the car to almost tip over. Since then I have received a card from Ford sayimg I should keep the tires at 30 psi, cold pressure. I comtacted Ford to ask which was the correct cold tire pressure and got an answer saying that a "range" of 26 to 30 psi is correct. My problem is that I would like the door saftety placard to indicate a correct pressure. 26 pounds - or 30 pounds - or a "range" of 26 to 30 psi. I am communicating with fmc by e-mail. So far, they do not seem to be willing to supply me waith a correct placard. These tires are not part of the recall. Ford has not admitted that the instantaneous dismnounting from the rim of these tires is in any way related to the tire pressure placard on the driver's door. I think that there is a huge diference between a cold 26 psi and a cold 30 psi inflation. …

SUV began to weave and could not be controlled, it was raining and intially I felt that it was hydroplaning but the rt front tire would not grab the pavement. The SUV rolled down a 25ft embankment in a densely vegetated area, felled several trees, and flipped. The driver nor passenger air bags deployed, the SUV was totalled. Due to the media coverage regarding the Firestone/Explorer tire I learned that one of the first problems experienced is that the tire will lose air. I had been experiencing this loss of air on the rt front tire for several months before the accident and had asked about it when the tires were rotated and was told by crossroad Ford, "that they found no problems". So, I then went to the salvage yard where the car was being stored to view the tire and the cracks and peeling rubber of the rt front tire was obvious.( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )

Consumer was driving at approximately 70 MPH and approaching an entrance ramp for interstate and another vehicle was entering interstate and was heading directly towards consumer's vehicle. Consumer could not move into next lane. Inched over into next lane, then all of a sudden, vehicle was absolutely uncontrollable, and rolled down the interstate atleast 2 times, landing up right. Upon examination, there was a 2 inch tear along sidewall of left rear Firestone tire. There were approximately 14,349 miles on the tires. Firestone wilderness at tires, p255/70r16, dot vncu1px060, there were 3 injuries in the accident.

Pe02000; tire tread separation: while driving 25/35 MPH, rear tire on the driver's side blew up aftering being hit by another vehicle. Driver lost control of vehicle, resulting in a crash. Driver was the only passenger in the Explorer, and sustained minor and major injuries. Tire was a Firestone, wilderness, original equipment. Vehicle was totalled. Firestone/ Ford has not been contacted about the problem. Please list tire size/dot # and any other information pertaining to crash.

Wheel & Tire complaints in other Explorer years